Planeteer Alliance Powers 22 WIND Summits Across the Globe 

Over the weekend of July 25–27, the Laura Turner Seydel Living Legacy Fund awarded more than $38,000 in grant funding to support 22 WIND Summits held across 11 countries. These youth-led events brought together over 1,300 passionate young people to explore circularity, waste management, and how they can spark meaningful change within their local communities.

Powered by the Captain Planet Foundation’s Planeteer Alliance, these Summits are part of an annual initiative that empowers young leaders around the world. Each summer, the focus shifts to one of the four elements—WIND, FIRE, WATER, or EARTH—each symbolizing a different theme of environmental action.

This year’s theme, WIND, represents the potential for circularity in both natural systems and our global economy. Instead of a linear model—where we extract resources, produce goods, and discard them as waste—WIND challenges us to imagine and create a world rooted in reclaiming, repairing, restoring, reusing, recycling, and replenishing. The 2025 Summits specifically addressed issues like plastic pollution, fast fashion, e-waste, and food waste.

Youth members of the Planeteer Alliance platform were invited to apply to host a WIND Summit in their community. The 22 selected host teams organized dynamic, high-impact events featuring strategic branding, media elements, keynote speakers, interactive activities, and deep, solutions-focused dialogue. The Planeteer Alliance Team supported each host in creating and implementing their Summits by providing resources, direct mentorship and workshops.

Of the 22 Summits, this was the first time a Planeteer Alliance Summit was hosted in Ghana. This year, the Ghana Summit was hosted by Nana Karikari, just nine years old. 

“Planning and hosting the Wind Summit was a very special experience for me” she explained. “I was proud to be the youngest Planeteer chosen to lead such an important event, and it really helped me build my confidence and believe more in my leadership dreams.” Nana also cited the training sessions by Team Planet in giving her the confidence to host, “I learned a lot and felt more ready to do my best.” 

While this was the first time hosting a Summit for some of these young leaders, others brought with them years of experience organizing large-scale events through their work with Planeteer Alliance. One such leader is Stephania Añazco, a member of the Planeteer Alliance Wisdom Council, who has hosted multiple Summits over the years. This year, she led an event that brought together 33 young people in Marcabelí, Ecuador.

“We also had a special moment when one of our guest speakers, who came from a nearby town, shared how inspired she felt by the event and expressed her interest in organizing a similar activity in her community of Balsas with local youth,” shared Stephania. “This kind of ripple effect shows that even small actions can create lasting motivation beyond our own town.”

These Summits not only offer youth the chance to engage in meaningful conversations and hands-on activities focused on environmental stewardship, but they also foster deeper community impact. Stephania emphasized the importance of local involvement, noting:

“It is the first time youth in my town have the opportunity to explore new topics, to participate in a workshop where their ideas are valued and heard, and to celebrate the ‘young era’ and the environment at the same time… Thank you [Planeteer Alliance] very much for giving youth from Marcabelí the opportunity to experience something different. We still have a lot to learn to engage more youth for the next time, but in the context of violence that is taking place in my country, this kind of safe and enriching space is the biggest wall of resistance we can build and support to protect youth and the planet!”

Stephania’s Summit is a powerful reminder of how youth-led initiatives can inspire broader change, not just within a single event, but across neighboring communities—and even entire regions.

Julius Dady Kirungi, Planeteer and Wisdom Council Member, hosted 61 young people at the 2025 WIND Summit in Musanze, Rwanda. During the Summit, participants tackled the pressing issue of poor waste management in their communities, where waste is often burned or littered due to a lack of separation systems. Together, they explored practical solutions and identified reuse—turning waste into new, useful items—as a key strategy to reduce pollution and protect their environment.

“The work we did at the summit will have a lasting impact because it helped young people see that they have the power to bring change in their own communities,” shared Julius, “Many participants left the Summit with new knowledge and practical ideas, especially about how to manage waste in creative and sustainable ways.”

These youth leaders are not only confronting urgent environmental challenges—they’re also driving bold, community-driven solutions grounded in circularity and sustainability. Powered by the Captain Planet Foundation’s Planeteer Alliance, these Summits go beyond single events—they are catalysts for change, demonstrating that when young people are equipped with knowledge, resources, and support, they can lead transformative progress for their communities and the planet.