Green School’s environment symposium a first for NZ
Students from Taranaki, Whanganui and Tararua were at the Green School in Ōakura yesterday to learn about the environment and being a global citizen.
Green School New Zealand (GSNZ) was the first school in Oceania to host the Beyond COP21 Symposium, which is for intermediate and high school students to learn about climate change and the United Nations sustainability development goals.
GSNZ’S head of learner experiences and wellbeing, Di Hoskin, said 180 children from 17 schools attended the oneday event.
“We’re hoping we’ve created a bit of a network for all the learners to keep connecting.”
She was thrilled at the opportunity to bring the wider community into the school. This included inviting people to host workshops, and setting up an expo area for businesses and schools to “showcase their environmental initiatives”.
Nick Rowe, also of GSNZ, said few people in New Zealand had heard of the symposium.
“It’s only really pockets of passionate people who are already walking this journey,” he said.
“Some schools are prepared to travel so far because individual teachers are passionate about this mahi.”
There were 13 workshops on topics including Greenpeace, growing your own kai, and recycling stationery.
Another was titled “Next generation conversation”, Rowe said. “That’s what this is about. There’s more of a push in our wider community to hear inspired and rarked-up youth voices.”
The event was aimed at students in years 7, 8 and 9, but older students who were school environment leaders were also invited, he said.
He expected the youth panel to be the “most powerful” session of the day.
Tusi Faoagali, 17, is in year 12 at New Plymouth Girls’ High School and took part in the youth panel.
Faoagali and her friend Fiapito Seufale, 17, already had green credentials after having marched for action on climate change. “We thought it was important for our country and the next generation,” Seufale said.
Yesterday, they both attended a workshop and learned about climate action and justice.
“I chose justice and peace because it’s important to spread kindness and care for the environment,” Seufale said.
Green School student Lyla Baudino, 12, took part in a felt workshop and said the symposium was “amazing”.
“I learnt a lot about the environment and some of the sustainable development goals.”
Beyond COP21 was first launched in Dubai in 2016, and has since been held in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America.
GSNZ head of school Caroline Rennie said the school was proud to host a world event that aligned so cohesively with its own values in environmental, economic and social sustainability.