Activist AnnMary Raduva Dedicates Award to All Young Eco-Champs
We speak the same language when we talk about sea water rise, relocation, missing school because of flooding and severe cyclones, depleting fish stock due to global warming and ocean acidification and other climate related issues AnnMary Raduva Climate activist and 2022 Fiji Children’s Award recipient
The response from the young eco champions is very important to me and it is these young champions that add fuel to my activism.
Award-winning climate activist AnnMary Raduva made these comments after being one of the recipients of the 2022 Fiji Children’s Awards.
She was nominated by her teachers from Swami Vivekananda College (SVC) in Nadi. The 2022 Fiji Children’s Awards took place in Suva recently.
AnnMary was recognised for her advocacy on climate change, sustainable and environmental work. “This Fiji Children’s Award for 2022 is dedicated to all the children in Fiji who have contributed to the climate movement in their own communities and spaces,” said the Viwa, Bau, Tailevu lass.
The 19-year-old has maternal links to Malha’a in Rotuma. She has been an activist since 2013.
“I was 10 years old when I joined climate change warriors on the Greenpeace ship in 2013 in Suva when it called in for a port call. While on board on a public tour of the Esperanza, we were told of the arrest of 30 Greenpeace activists and journalists on board the Artic Sunrise by the Russians,” she said. “I knew that I had to sign the international petition to free these environmentalists, climate warriors and journalists and I didn’t just sign the petition, I also wrote hope messages, and this experience sparked my passion to advocate on issues that matter and I have no regrets joining young activists to speak of our climate crisis.
“I was a Year 4 student back then and I remember trying to know more about climate change, activism and campaigning, global warming, underwater or seabed mining and drilling and small steps in saving our planet.”
In 2018, AnnMary made a bold step to raise awareness on balloon releasing, calling on the Fijian Government to revise and amend the Fiji Litter Act 2008 and to classify balloon releasing as littering. “When I started talking about balloons, I was bullied and challenged by businesshouses and adults to give them an alternative to using balloons and was even mocked online when I launched my ‘Say No To Balloon Releasing’ campaign,” she said.
“I took the challenge and turned to mangrove planting and fought back by walking the talk. So instead of using balloons to mark a special milestone or an event, I encouraged people to plant mangroves or plant native trees and to explore other environment-friendly alternatives. “It wasn’t easy, but my parents taught me to put my campaign activities up in prayer and I am very blessed that praying helped me to stay focused and I have no shame in praying at any mangrove planting site or at an international speaking space.”
Fiji Children’s Award 2022
“My teachers at Swami Vivekananda College (SVC) nominated me and I am grateful,” she said. “This Award is dedicated to all the students of SVC and the young eco champions who have planted mangroves with me in Suva and Nadi. This award is a recognition of all the effort, passion and sacrifice these young eco champions do in their own communities to mitigate the climate crises and challenges they face every day,” said the Year 13 SVC student.
She also said young people and children’s voices on climate issues belong in the spotlight and that the best reward is when young children are recognised and acknowledged in spaces traditionally guarded by adults.
“I am not hoping to educate an entire population because I know I can’t, but it doesn’t mean
I shouldn’t talk about issues that matter to me and my generation,” she said.
“Talking about our environment, ocean sustainability and climate change is a way of keeping alive hope for a better world and a brighter future for us. And walking the talk is something very dear to my heart as a young activist.”
Dubbed the “Greta of the Pacific”, the soft-spoken teenager said indigenous climate activists have an authentic story to tell when it comes to climate change and climate justice.
“The power behind youth voices is triggering shock waves in the climate movement and when we,
indigenous activists are given the space to speak, perform or share our stories, we are a force to reckon with.
“We speak the same language when we talk about sea water rise, relocation, missing school because of flooding and severe cyclones, depleting fish stock due to global warming and ocean acidification and other climate related issues. “I am grateful for the support I receive from school. SVC has a rich culture and tradition of supporting students in all levels and I acknowledge the college principal and staff for allowing me to continue my campaigns here at SVC.”
She represented SVC in the CocaCola
Games in August and won a bronze medal in the Senior Girls Shot-Put grade.
In the spotlight
When AnnMary was 15-year-old she was amongst the Top 10 Fijians in 2018 for her passion, commitment and her consistency in pushing for a ban on balloon releasing and planting mangroves as an alternative to using balloons.
In 2019, she joined the international climate justice movement in New York where she met global environmental law academics and experts. “I was very blessed to be invited to New York to observe and be part of international climate justice and it triggered a yearning to reset my career path and studies towards International Relations and climate justice and security,” she said. “I also met Her Majesty, the Queen of Jordan in New York at one of the events and I admire her passion for green initiatives and her very down to earth approach to everyone in the climate justice space.” AnnMary is also recognised as a young woman leader.
She was invited by the then-British High Commissioner, Melanie Hopkins in 2020 to shadow the High Commissioner in Suva.
“I was the British High Commissioner for a day in 2020 and I thank the High Commission for this experience and diplomacy is a field I would like to explore in future. My parents will tell me to pray over it,” she said.
“And meeting the New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern on her visit back in 2020 has really inspired me to move forward and to be an inspiration to young girls and my siblings.”
Hopes for the future
Her dedication to her campaigns, social work and studies have rubbed off on her two younger siblings.
In the height of COVID 19 lockdown and cyclones, AnnMary and her siblings, Faith (15) and Eunice (4) fundraised and distributed sanitary kits and pads to women and young girls throughout Fiji. Earlier this year, the sisters held a sanitary drive for young girls in Tonga.
Her sister Faith spearheads the “Ending Period Poverty” campaign and has distributed more than 10,000 sanitary kits to women and young girls.