Dr. Verónica González Landaeta on WTC Radio Business and Music and on Más Mujer

Mónica (Interviewer): Welcome Verónica González to our More Woman Program!

Verónica: Thank you, Monica for this extraordinary opportunity, for granting me the privilege of enjoying these minutes talking with you and a big greeting for all our listeners.

Mónica:  Thank you Verónica for accepting our invitation and greeting all those who listen to us in Venezuela and around the world. Tell us about the POP Movement that you coordinate, and we know it was born this year here in our country, in Venezuela.

Verónica: I am starting as you mentioned since February 14 of this year when the POP Movement was born in Venezuela, let me tell you that the Movement has been founded worldwide four years ago by Dr. Rajendra Pachauri and his son Dr. Ash Pachauri. POP is an international movement that today is present in 55 countries of the world and that aims to make young people worldwide take the reins of leadership regarding the challenge of climate change.

Mónica: Is climate change the main issue that the POP Movement addresses?

Verónica: We not only address the issue of climate change, but everything that has to do with the environment. In Venezuela, we decided to create a campaign for public knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. These 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) frame a series of affects that have to do with the improvement of the work system, with the system of principles and values, with the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities, priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean; we are also talking about conservation of marine and terrestrial species, among other important points. It is necessary for people to know that this roadmap exists, it was drawn up in 2015 and signed by 193 Member States of the United Nations and it has as a priority: the development of people on the planet, prosperity and peace and the alliance as a central role of these Sustainable Development Goals.

Mónica: As I understand Verónica, the POP Movement Venezuela was born as the main support for climate change and the Environment, but you are also supporting the Agenda 2030 of the United Nations and its SDG’s, correct?  Yes.

Mónica: How many members does POP Venezuela currently have and what ages?

Verónica: We have people from 14 years old and one who is 33, means that anyone who wants to work is welcome, youth has no age. Our main mission is the training of young students from school and university. We currently have 21 students who are participating in radio interviews like this one in which we are given the opportunity to talk about POP Movement Venezuela and on Instagram with live programs about relevant topics such as the Mining Arc (Arco Minero) and the oil spills in Venezuela.

Mónica: What can you tell me about the Arco Minero?

Verónica: With the support of POP Venezuela, we have been denouncing it, because Mother Nature, in this case the Venezuelan soil, we have not treated as a mentor; it means that we cannot take from nature everything we want indefinitely, without any order, without any control or specific purpose, everything we extract has to have a sense of frugality or moderation and this is precisely what is happening with the Arco Minero. We are polluting the waters and we have an enormous possibility of losing a large part of the Venezuelan Amazon. Other topics covered are animal abuse, gender equality and the protection of rights, including the case of animal rights; this topic has been discussed in POP Venezuela since animals worldwide suffer from mistreatment, sexual abuse, violence and indiscriminate hunting, among other circumstances.

Mónica: As POP Venezuela, you have raised complaints and reported what is happening, as in the case of the Arco Minero?

Verónica: We are an inclusive international movement and as you know, there is enormous inequality in the world, related to SDG 5. Within the framework of this objective, POP Venezuela has direct work in the Amazonia region with the 8 countries that make it up and we receive complaints from indigenous youth who are carrying out a strong activity to publicize the problems that are occurring with this issue and what come daily. We are willing to be part of this effort to stop inequality, the indiscriminate extraction of natural resources and above all to stop the destruction of the planet that depends solely and exclusively on us.

I take this platform to mention that the issue of climate change is nothing more than global warming, considered as the result of the action of all of us who inhabit the planet, we cannot blame the government, because we are the ones who have the planet in our hands so we have to see what our responsibility to the world is. Climate change has a strong impact on our life system with major problems such as floods, fires, loss of crops, migrations and increased deforestation. For this reason, I invite your listeners to approach our movement to ask us about your doubts and concerns, to know what you can do and how to stop climate change and change world conditions. The POP Movement will have in the month of December, on the 3rd and 4th the International POP Festival in which environmental problems in the world will be raised through workshops, conferences, music, ecological theater and very important work to curb climate change. Due to the pandemic, the Festival will be presented in virtual format and all young people are invited to participate with their work to stop climate change, or as attendees.

Mónica: Does the POP movement have a government channel with whom it communicates?

Verónica: We are a Movement that is just beginning and what we are doing for now is consolidating the leadership of young people, we are in the training stage and we carry out our mission, which is education and awareness that is the future of tomorrow and doing the work to exercise youth leadership. We are happy because this is what is supporting the basis of the Venezuela POP Movement.

Thank you very much Monica, Dr. Ash, our Lead Mentor and I thank you so much for giving us this opportunity.

Monica: It can be said that the POP Movement is an organization that is not only supporting climate change and promoting knowledge about the SDGs, but also providing highly valuable content such as preparation and fostering the leadership of young people, which is very important. I congratulate you because it is an invaluable work and it also goes far beyond its purpose, for the fact of sowing that seed of consciousness and preparation of the young people who are the new human beings of tomorrow, “the contribution to building a better world”.

I wish you the greatest success in the world and I feel very proud to belong to the POP Movement with so many values and also to rescue them. Thanks, Verónica.

Verónica: It's like that Monica, you couldn't summarize it in a better way. Dr. Pachauri our Worldwide Principal Mentor and I thank you immensely for this opportunity.