January 2026 witnessed a transformative gathering of climate champions as the CVF-V20 Secretariat hosted a series of fellowship retreats and a residency to equip youth and mid-to-senior-level officials from the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations with co-learning and networking opportunities necessary to advance ambitious development-positive climate action.

From 17 to 24 January, Ubud in Bali became a hub for knowledge exchanges and strategic planning. The sessions included the First Residency for the Third Cohort of V20 Climate Prosperity Fellows (January 17-21), CVF Youth Fellowship Retreat (January 19-22), and the V20 Climate Prosperity Fellows Retreat for First and Second Cohorts (January 21-24).

The residency and the retreats combined intensive workshops on international negotiations, communications, and climate finance with collaborative strategy sessions facilitated by the CVF-V20 Secretariat and Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center. Youth fellows explored avenues to amplify their voices in global decision-making spaces, while mid- to senior-level officials from ministries of finance deepened their understanding of international governance structures and the global financial architecture to identify openings for reform and economic cooperation, critical to advancing national climate agendas.

A key highlight was the development of actionable strategies on fiscal space, mobilizing domestic and regional resources,  and improved access and efficiency in the use of international climate finance, all grounded in the lived experiences and institutional realities of CVF-V20 nations. Participants left with renewed skills, stronger networks, a shared commitment to driving climate-resilient development pathways at home, and closer bonds across hemispheres.

“These sessions are not just about knowledge exchanges. It’s about empowering leaders to translate that knowledge into practice and innovation,n and to learn how we can become a more effective global force to protect global public goods,” said Nazrin Camille D. Castro, Director for Membership and Partnership Coordination of the CVF-V20 Secretariat. “The fellowships provide an accelerator for our nations’ climate ambitions, ensuring that the priorities of the most vulnerable are not only heard but acted upon at every level of policy-making.”

The Bali gatherings are part of a broader effort to mobilize international support and strengthen the resilience of nations most threatened by climate change. The exchanges in Ubud underscored a clear message: while the climate crisis is urgent, bold, informed, and collaborative action remains within reach.