Climate Crisis is very burning issue nowadays in the world and influences multiple aspects of life in unexpected way. In this regards Pakistan Youth Parliament for Water organized a Plant-for-the-Planet Academy with almost 80 Young Climate Justice Ambassadors in collaboration with Gomal Daman Area Water Partnership (GDAWP) on Monday 22nd April 2019 at The Lynx School in Islamabad. The main purpose of this activity was to engage and empower the young students in Climate Crisis resilience.
Administrator of the school warmly welcomed team and kids and expressed gratitude to the program coordinator for selecting their school for this Academy.
Then the Program Coordinator explained the agenda of the Academy and its scedule with highlighting that Academy will have different series of activities based on student interaction and some fun especially Planting Party and World Café. He furthermore provided a detailed Introduction of the Plant-for-the-Planet mission and vision.
There was a proper short interactive speech on Climate Crisis and importance of tree planting which was mostly conducted by President of Gomal Damaan Area Water Partnership (GDAWP). During this speech he interacted with young students and asked them interesting questions like either they know about CO2, photosynthesis and ozone layer.
He further added that Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries to acute impact of Climate Crisis.
World game was a vital part of Academy and main purpose of this activity was to develop strong interest of the students to know more about the high carbon emission countries, less populated and higher income states.
Student were divided into different groups and were provided with world maps, different colourful markers, candies, balloons as well as some informative cards like most populated countries, most carbon emission countries, income of different countries, countries/regions that are most affected by Climate Crisis.
This activity help them to know more directly about the carbon emission, population of the world, continents, oceans, islands while working on the maps. Shortly the students really enjoyed this activity.
It is much worthy to train the young generation so they could express their views, share their knowledge and declare their voices. Students were very ambitious and energetic to learn more and express their views when they were giving public speeches. So program coordinator provided some more informative cards to each group and asked them to read, and discuss the details with your group fellows, teachers and after some time present to other students. So with the support of the facilitators of groups and program coordinators; students came on the stage and delivered their presentation on different topics like carbon emission, photosynthesis, reasons of Climate Crisis, weather variations.
In World Café each group of students was assigned to one facilitator and each group was fixed with one of four different themes entitled: Media, Adults, other Children and Planting Events. Groups moved clockwise while the facilitator remained static and each group shared their experiences and views to topics.
All the groups worked different topics and they had good amount of time to design their flip charts for the presentation on the stage to other students.
The main goal of this Academy was to mobilize the kids for the protection of ecosystem and develop their interest in the tree planting. Mr. Wasif shared that now they going to plant trees and that every student would plant at least one tree.
Each student promised to look after it till their schooling in the institute. Teachers, and guest Mr. Aslam Khan (president GDAWP), administrator and other teachers also provided their assistance to students in planting trees.
During the plantation students also requested teachers and guests to plant more trees in other areas and organize the meat free days in households to reduce the level of carbon emissions.
Students made pictures with adults with motto “Stop Talking. Start Planting”. Program Coordinator also motivated students to continue planting trees to save the planet for next generation.
The Administrator of School is expressing her energetically thanks to Mr.Wasif Bashir Babar and President of Gomal Damaan Area Water Partnership Mr. Aslam Khan for the organizing Academy in her school. She promised co-operate further in organising planting partys. Mr.Wasif expressed his gratitude to all the students and facilitators as well as teachers for providing a chance to work with them and arranging Academy. He furthermore added that such kind of activities will be arranged again.
In order to see the rest of the pictures from the Academy click here!
And if you would also like to become a Climate Justice Ambassador, apply here.