First Plant-for-the-Planet Academy in Moscow!

The first Academy in Moscow took place on 29 April 2017 in park Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo. The event was held in frame of third Moscow’s student ecological festival VuzEcoFest (Russian: ВузЭкоФест-2017). We want to express our sincere gratitude to VuzEcoFest Moscow team, especially to Anastasia Evseeva, director of VuzEcoFest-2017 and Milana Karaeva, VuzEcoFest project manager without whom it would not be possible to make this event happen.

The Academy began with welcoming words of Adelya (main moderator from Plant-for-the-Planet) and Milana (VuzEcoFest project manager). Then the attention of the children and parents turned to the presentation “Now we children save the world!” given by Plant-for-the-Planet Russian speaker – Artem. Complex topics such as sources of CO2, global warming, photosynthesis, the climate crisis and global justice were presented in a suitable way for children. During the presentation, the participants had the chance to ask remaining questions.

For the following part the children were divided into small groups to learn about global distribution and global justice in the World Game. In order to get active for their future, the children need to learn how to make a presentation and improve their speaking skills. Therefore the participants prepared and presented short messages from the opening presentation they had listened in the morning.

After a lunch break, it was the turn of the most awaited and exiting part of the Academy day – tree planting in park Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo! For the planting event VuzEcoFest has invited the dedicated students, who has helped and guided young participants. Thanks to joint efforts of young participants, students, volunteers and organizers it was planted an alley with about 60 trees and bushes in the park (Spiraea, Prunus, Lilac).

Returning back after the planting event, children have the possibility to work on their own project during World Café module. Children got together in groups and planned a specific project that could be realized after the academy which they have presented to each other, parents and guests. Organizers and guests were very impressed by the performance of the children. Now children can proudly call themselves as the Ambassadors of Climate Justice and being a part Plant-for-the-Planet global network extend its ideas and teach other children.

The Academy was made possible thanks to outstanding organizational work of VuzEcoFest-2017 team and its partners as Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Mospriroda. We would like to express a special thanks to the administration of park Pokrovskoye-Streschnevo. And of course huge thanks to our volonteers – Zlata, Nastya, David and Vika from the Moscow State Technical University (Mytyschi branch). Without that support the Academy would not have been possible. Year 2017 is declared as a year of ecology in Russia, which is a kick start for many new ecological projects and it’s was the great time to start with Plant-for-the-Planet Academy in Russia.

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