Shalvi Shakshi’s diary from COP23 in Bonn, Germany
In Fiji I took part in the oratory contest and the topic was on climate change.
My schoolteacher told me about the competition, and that the winner would be going to Labasa. We did the competition at my school and lots of children entered. I won my school competition and then I went to Labasa College to give my speech. From the first day when I took part at school I thought I would go to Germany.
I felt excited giving my speech at Labasa College.
At the division event I also thought “I will be going to Germany.”
I went to Suva after winning the divisional final, and at Sukuna Park I gave my speech – the Prime Minister was there. UNICEF and the Minister of Education, and also the Attorney General of Fiji.
We came by plane to Suva. It was a special day because I said my speech and message to everyone. 2000 people were there that day. I found out when my schoolteacher told me that I was going to Germany, and said congratulations. I was so excited.
I had to go shopping to buy warm clothes and warm shoes for the trip and jackets.
The first time I went on a plane was to Sukuna Park for the competition. My ears hurt on the plane and it was so high I felt dizzy.
To get to Germany I had to travel from Labasa to Suva and then Suva to Nadi, Sydney, Singapore and Zurich before we got here. Nadi to Sydney was four hours. Sydney to Singapore eight hours, Singapore to Zurich 13 hours. I slept a little bit on the plane.
When I arrived I thought it is very cold!
The next day we went to the Pavilion in Bonn city. I was wearing my dress with flowers and in the middle there was the Fiji flag. I gave my oratory speech.
I was the youngest on the stage and I could not get on my chair, it was so big.
At my speech the Prime Minister and Attorney General of Fiji came to listen and lots of people listened to my speech. Ambassador Khan also said hello to me and hugged me.
My speech was on climate change – leadership, action and COP23.
I was asked questions on stage. I told them about the drought in my community and the water problems in my district.
We clean the environment at home by planting flowers. When the cyclone came to my community, some people had to go into my school as it was used as an evacuation centre.
I also spoke to some journalists from Fji in the Pavilion.
We went to the Pavilion and met some people from Fiji. Then we met Kristen from UNICEF and I did some questions on video about climate change. We danced and told people about the superhero we are looking for to save the plant.
On Saturday we came to Cologne City for the weekend.
We went on a big red bus to the zoo. I saw penguins, frogs, leopards, a crocodile, lots of snakes and really big elephants. I also saw giraffes. It was raining and cloudy and cold. The zoo was so stinky but it was lots of fun to see the animals.
We are going to go and look at the Cologne City too. There are big buildings here. In Bonn and Cologne people are eating different meats such as beef and sausages. I do not eat beef because it is part of my Hindu religion. There is a huge river here – the Rheine River.
We will go to COP23 Pavilion again tomorrow so Timoci and I can tell people about my home and climate change.