Hello Berlin, goodbye plastics
A group of students from Kalpitiya visit Berlin as part of a joint venture to fight marine pollution
Kalpitiya, famous for its water sports and beautiful sunsets, is also plagued by marine pollution and a huge issue of plastic waste…
A tide of hope however is on the rise, with schoolchildren being encouraged to address these issues while driving towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For four youngsters who had their own project called Goodbye Plastics, that aims to utilise the plastic washed ashore on the beach of their village Kandakuliya to create useful products, the opportunity to see the greater potential for their effort came last month on a visit to Berlin. The visit was a first for the youth from Kalpitiya and a giant step ahead.
The story begins in 2019, when Dilsiri Welikala, owner of the hotel Kitesurfing Lanka founded ‘the Inter Municipality Partnership Project’ with Gianna from Merijaan, an anti-plastic crusade based in Germany. They linked local authorities like the pradeshiya sabha and the education department of Kalpitiya, and the town council of Berlin Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.
The partnership instigated Education Box #2030, a tool used to educate students aged 12-16 in Kalpitiya and Berlin about marine protection, cutting down on plastic waste, and about SDGs. Six schools from Kalpitiya linked hands with four schools in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf.
It was from among many projects from the six schools that Goodbye Plastics was chosen. The children who decided to bid adieu to the ‘sea-monster’ were from Kandakuliya Sinhala Vidyalaya and the Kandakuliya Muslim Maha Vidyalaya.
The delegation organised by Kitesurfing Lanka that went to Berlin comprised Zainab Haifa, Fathima Sana, Sanoj Waranakulasooriya, and Sona Waranakulasuriya accompanied by Dilsiri Welikala (co-founder of Kitesurfing Lanka) Mangala Ramanayake (Pradeshiya Sabha Secretary, Kalpitiya), Thakeisha De Silva (Project Coordinator), Saheela Vijeyaratnam (Principal) and Kasun Dewpura (Teacher).
Says Thakeisha de Silva: “The 10-day trip to Berlin, meticulously facilitated by the Municipality of Berlin CharlottenburgWilmersdorf, offered a multi-layered experience
for the students. The first five days were dedicated to the International Youth Conference, where they presented their project ‘Goodbye Plastics; Building a Plastic-Free Future for a Sustainable Fishing Village of Kandakuliya, Kalpitiya’ on an international stage alongside participants from Italy, Germany, Denmark, Turkey, and Poland.
“During this time, they engaged in workshops on specific water-related topics, fostering connections and networking with likeminded youth aged 12 to 21. The remaining five days, included visits to three partnering schools in the district of Charlottenburg Wilbersdorf. During these visits, the children showcased their efforts, learned about sustainability practices in the Berlin schools, and laid the groundwork for future collaborations.”
The products made in the Goodbye Plastics project are sold in the local community to generate income, supporting the primary objectives of the project, which include raising awareness, actively engaging community members, advocating for change with local authorities, and collaborating with like-minded organizations to create new and sustainable policies.
The children imbibed so much, says Thakeisha, that they are well on their way to be future leaders able to actively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.