Publication of the Proposals from Students resulting from the Climate Change Mini Summits
The British High Commission partners with Nature Trust FEE Malta to support student empowerment.
As part of the COP 26 follow up, the British High Commission in Malta supported Nature Trust-FEE Malta through the EkoSkola programme to hold five mini sessions that explored Climate Change from various dimensions. Several students from a total of 103 Maltese and Gozitan schools attended the online sessions. The recommendations of the EkoSkola students were collated in a publication and presented to the British High Commissioner to Malta, Her Excellency Katherine Ward LVO OBE this morning in a ceremony held at St. Ignatius College, Ħandaq Middle School. Several Young Reporters for the Environment were also rewarded for their distinguished entries on the same topic: Climate Change.
Transport, Life on Land, Life below Water, Energy and Water, Production and Consumption Patterns were amongst the themes discussed throughout the mini summits. During these online summits, students discussed with local experts the various perspectives of the issues explored and proposed practical actions that could be implemented to address the issues. The proposals were collated in a special publication together with several other inputs from younger children in the form of drawings and craft projects. A soft copy of the publication can be viewed here: https://ekoskola.org.mt/resource/we-care-about-our-present-and-our-future/ . As is customary after each summit, EkoSkola students will be presenting their recommendations to the Members of Parliament in the yearly EkoSkola Parliament sitting later this year.
An interesting spin off from this series of mini summits, was an interest in learning what children from other countries are doing regarding climate change. Through the international Eco-Schools network, Nature Trust – FEE Malta brought together during an online meeting two schools from the UK and two from Malta to share their respective experiences of climate actions. The very positive vibes generated by this meeting have already resulted in the twinning of two schools and plans are already being discussed to organise similar meetings in the future.
Furthermore a total of 32 entries were submitted for the YRE competition, with students reporting on issues related to different aspects of Climate Change. There were a total of 4 winners from several categories including the best article, best photo, best video and best entry overall.
Nature Trust – FEE Malta has over the years been a trail blazer in the field of children empowerment and has inspired other organizations by its mission and initiatives to give children space. Nature Trust – FEE Malta remains committed towards providing further opportunities for children because it (like them) believes that they have every right to be involved in shaping the decisions that will affect their quality of life.
Climate Change Mini Summit supported by the British High Commission
In a renewed attempt to speed up local Climate Action, Nature Trust – FEE Malta in collaboration with the UK in Malta – British High Commission Valletta is offering a series of mini summits about various aspects of climate change. These online events provide students participating in the Eco-Schools programme with the opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions. The 1st summit Climate Change & Transport was tackled. Keep a look out for more summits in the coming days! The 2nd mini summit on Life on Land is due on 10th December.
An Educators’ Commitment for a Plastic-Free Mediterranean Sea
On 10th November 2021, Nature Trust – FEE Malta via its EkoSkola Programme launched an educational resource pack aimed at raising awareness and encouraging students’ actions towards sustainable living, responsible consumption, care for marine biodiversity, and the reduction of litter.
A recurrent theme at the COP 26 meeting, as well as other similar international events, was the need for a change in mindsets that would enable the effective decisions needed to change the way we live and the choices we make. However, a change in mindset is dependent on a well-planned educational process that does not focus only on the acquisition of knowledge, but more importantly on the development of skills, attitudes and values. This enables the learner – irrespective of the age – to develop the ability to take effective actions and become an active citizen bringing about change first in his or her behaviour and then in the community.
Covering more than 70% of our planet the sea is at the root of most of our activities and impacts our wellbeing directly by providing us with considerable supplies of food and indirectly by moderating our planet’s climate and sustaining a myriad of human activities.
Being a closed sea and a hub of a variety of land and sea based socio-economic activities, have rendered the Mediterranean Sea the most polluted sea in the world. One of the greatest culprits is plastic pollution that, besides taking ages to decompose, is killing millions of creatures who die as a result of ingesting plastic objects mistaking it for food or by getting entangled and suffocating in drifting waste. However, the damage doesn’t end there: the sun breaks down plastic into tiny fragments called micro-plastics that find their way into food-chains gradually unleashing poison in the bodies of the fish that ingest them … and finally ending up on our plates.
Faced with this alarming situation, the Prince Albert II Foundation of Monaco approached the Tara Ocean Foundation, the Surfrider Foundation Europe and the MAVA Foundation to embark on the Beyond Plastic Med (BeMed) initiative in March 2015. BeMed (www.beyondplasticmed.org) is committed to a plastic free Mediterranean Sea. BeMed’s mission is based on (i) creating and supporting networks of agencies committed to curbing plastic pollution; (ii) promoting research and sustainable solutions; and (iii) raising public awareness and disseminating good practices in the field.
BeMed commissioned Nature Trust – FEE Malta to produce an educational pack that supports teachers by offering educational experiences about the marine habitat and the creatures living in it, the dangers that threaten this environment and what can be done to prevent its degradation.
The pack seeks to adapt to the various needs of learners in different school realities. Consequently, the pack provides a set of activities and resources that span various ages (3-16 years), learning abilities and curriculum subjects, while addressing the cross-curricular theme of Education for Sustainable Development. The pack was developed by teachers for teachers and is therefore sensitive to the needs and resources available at the grassroots hence improving the pack’s chances of implementation. The pack is being disseminated among all schools in Malta and Gozo and through the Eco-Schools global network. It can be accessed here: https://ekoskola.org.mt/resource/bemed-educational-resource-pack-clean-seas-by-eco-schools-malta/. Feedback, suggestions and comments are welcome on [email protected].
15th EkoSkola Parliament Session
The 15th Virtual Extraordinary EkoSkola Parliament took place today 4th June 2021, on the eve on World Environment day. Last year, COVID-19 restrictions have prevented the organisation of the traditional annual EkoSkola Parliament Session during which EkoSkola students meet Members of Parliament face to face to discuss ways of improving the quality of life in our schools and our country. However, true to our commitment to give voice to young people and in response to the request of the same students Nature Trust –FEE Malta has decided to organise a virtual edition of the EkoSkola Parliament using the same medium that students have grown accustomed to use during the pandemic.
Thank you to all the students speaking from St Margaret College Żabbar Primary School A, St Benedict College Għaxaq Primary School, St Theresa College Middle School Birkirkara, Gozo College San Lawrenz Primary School, St Clare College San Ġwann Primary School, St Thomas More College Tarxien Middle School, Our Lady Immaculate School Ħamrun, De La Salle College Junior School, St Dorothy’s Junior School Sliema, St Augustine College, St Margaret College Senglea Primary School and St Edward’s College representing all Eco-Schools in Malta. Thanks also go to Hon. Robert Cutajar, Opposition spokesperson for the Environment and Climate Change; Hon. Aaron Farrugia, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning; Hon Tony Bezzina, Opposition spokesperson for Transport and Infrastructure; Hon. Dr Ian Borg, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects; Hon. Clyde Puli, Opposition spokesperson Education and Sport; Hon. Dr Bernard Grech, Leader of the Opposition and Hon. Dr Robert Abela, Prime Minister who listened to the students’ proposals and replied to them.
Topics discussed were urbanisation, carbon neutrality and sequestration, sustainable food consumption, marine litter and loss of biodiversity. You can download all the student interventions in Maltese from here.
EkoSkola students audit the Office of the Prime Minister at Auberge de Castille
A group of six EkoSkola students from St. Ignatius College Middle School accompanied by their educators carried out an environmental audit at the Office of the Prime Minister and other areas within Auberge de Castille, including the quarters of Hon. Dr. Carmelo Abela, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister.
Accompanied by their teachers and the EkoSkola coordination team, the students toured and examined the building and audited various areas including; the front offices, the reception area, the Prime Minister’s office, the staterooms, the boardrooms, the kitchenettes, the bathrooms, the restrooms, the corridors, the fire exits, the waiting rooms, the terraces and various other facilities. The students also had the opportunity to interview staff members to further understand in which way the existing building design, operations and in-house policies are contributing to a more sustainable lifestyle.
The students were met by Hon. Dr. Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta and Hon. Dr. Carmelo Abela, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister. Vincent Attard, Executive Director of Nature Trust-FEE Malta and Prof Paul Pace, National Coordinator of EcoSchools Malta were also present for the occasion.
The students’ recommendations were collated and tabled into an action plan that was then presented to Hon. Dr. Robert Abela and Hon. Dr. Carmelo Abela in the presence of their staff. In a year’s time the EkoSkola students will once again visit the OPM to verify if any of the recommendations they put forward were taken aboard.
Similar audits have been carried out at various private institutions and government entities by various EkoSkola committees since 2012. These audits provide students with an opportunity to learn from and actively engage with real-life community-based sustainability issues and dilemmas.
10th Edition of the Eco-Schools Young People’s Summit
We care about our future
Nature Trust FEE-Malta holds the 10th edition of the
Eco-Schools Young People’s Summit
14th May 2021
Thirty schools participated in the virtual edition of the Eco-Schools Young People’s Summit. The 10th edition of this Summit was organised by Nature Trust – FEE Malta through its ESD international programme EkoSkola.
The event provided students participating in the EkoSkola programme with the opportunity to voice their concerns about several current issues namely; Marine pollution and loss of biodiversity, Urbanism, Sustainable food consumption and Carbon Neutrality & Carbon Sequestration. The Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Robert Abela also addressed the attendees during the opening of the summit.
In the days preceding the summit, the students together with their teachers carried out research about the respective themes. They teased out the key areas they wanted to address and together listed a number of concerns. Discussions focused also on the effect of the imposed COVID measures.
On the day of the summit, EkoSkola students were assigned to virtual rooms according to their preferred theme and together with students from other schools presented and discussed their main concerns. At the end of the session, each group presented a list of suggestions to address the common concerns that had been identified.
The students’ concerns and recommendations will be collated into a declaration that will eventually have to be approved and endorsed by the EkoSkola student representatives. The declaration will then be presented during an online Parliamentary sitting of the EkoSkola Parliament that will be held on the 4th June 2021. This will be the 15th EkoSkola Parliament session since the programme’s inception in 2002.
Photos: Prime Minister Dr Robert Abela addressing the attendees before they split up for the various virtual workshops.
Green Flag Awards hosted by the President of Malta
Hybrid Green Flag Award Ceremony 2021
44 schools receive the internationally acclaimed Green Flag Award
Resilience in times of pandemic
In a ceremony presided over by the President of Malta, H.E. Dr George Vella a total of 48 schools received recognition for bringing a marked positive change in their school communities. Gozo College Secondary School, Gozo College Xewkija Primary School, Maria Regina College Naxxar Primary School, QSI International School of Malta, and St Nicholas College Baħrija Primary School were awarded the prestigious international Green Flag Award for the first time. St Joseph Mater Boni Consilii School Paola and St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda received the 8th consecutive Green Flag marking their 16 years of commitment towards sustainability. The ceremony was held at San Anton Palace in a hybrid set-up under strict Covid-19 measures.
The programme which is locally managed by Nature Trust – FEE Malta empowers students to adopt an active role in environmental decision-making and action in their school and community. These awarded schools can now boast that they have received international recognition that they are implementing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as outlined in the National Curriculum Framework.
However, as expected like any other institution, schools were hard hit by the pandemic during the past months. Like their foreign counterparts, EkoSkola students adopted a different strategy to keep the programme running by re-adjusting to the new realities. The new Covid-19 measures ushered practices that are in conflict with the various sustainability practices and progress students had made in various areas particularly in single-usage plastics. The schools’ response was immediate and notwithstanding the fact that schools were closed, work continued via online meetings and campaigns involving all those who were homebound making it even more effective.
Since the onset of the pandemic, several campaigns were launched by EkoSkola spearheaded by FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) which is the international organisation running the programmes. Amongst these were EcoSchoolstaysactive, Trash Hack, WASH-(Water Sanitation and Hygiene).
In the meantime work continues on all fronts mostly on climate change mitigation and adaptation, addressing environmental pollution and halting biodiversity reflecting FEE’s strategy for the coming years. This student-led whole-school approach methodology is not only an opportunity to assist in the holistic development of the 
child, but is also serving to meet international commitments our island nation has as signatories to various treaties and conventions, not least the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). Students investigate issues pertaining to these goals and take informed decisions to try and address them in the best way they can at the school level, at the community 
level and also at the national level. With Malta also being a member of the European Union, EkoSkola students are strengthening their resolve to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent as embodied in European Green Deal.
More photos below Awards List… (photos provided by San Anton Palace)
List of Awards:
| Name of School | Award | |
| 1 | St Joseph, Mater Boni Consilii School, Paola | 8th Green Flag |
| 2 | St Joseph School, Blata l-Bajda | 8th Green Flag |
| 3 | San Ġorġ Preca College, Paola Primary School A | 7th Green Flag |
| 4 | St Benedict College, Kirkop Primary School | 7th Green Flag |
| 5 | St Ignatius College, Siġġiewi Primary School | 7th Green Flag |
| 6 | St Thomas More College, Tarxien Middle school | 6th Green Flag |
| 7 | St Benedict College, Mqabba Primary School | 6th Green Flag |
| 8 | St Francis School, Birkirkara | 6th Green Flag |
| 9 | St Francis School, Sliema | 6th Green Flag |
| 10 | Maria Regina College, Mosta Secondary School (Lily of the Valley) | 5th Green Flag |
| 11 | St Benedict College, Qrendi Primary School | 5th Green Flag |
| 12 | St Benedict College, Safi Primary School | 5th Green Flag |
| 13 | St Dorothy’s Senior School | 5th Green Flag |
| 14 | St Edward’s College | 5th Green Flag |
| 15 | St Joseph School (Junior Section), Sliema | 5th Green Flag |
| 16 | St Joseph School (Senior Section), Sliema | 5th Green Flag |
| 17 | St Monica School, Gżira | 5th Green Flag |
| 18 | St Theresa College, Birkirkara Primary School | 5th Green Flag |
| 19 | Gozo College, Sannat Primary & Special Unit | 4th Green Flag |
| 20 | Maria Regina College, Mellieħa Primary School | 4th Green Flag |
| 21 | Maria Regina College, Young Adult Education Resource Centre, Wardija | 4th Green Flag |
| 22 | St Benedict College, Għaxaq Primary School | 4th Green Flag |
| 23 | St Francis School, Victoria | 4th Green Flag |
| 24 | St Jeanne Antide College, St Joan Antide School, Gudja | 4th Green Flag |
| 25 | St Margaret College, Żabbar Primary School A | 4th Green Flag |
| 26 | Gozo College, Middle School | 3rd Green Flag |
| 27 | National Sports School | 3rd Green Flag |
| 28 | San Ġorġ Preca College, Valletta Primary School | 3rd Green Flag |
| 29 | St Aloysius College, Secondary School | 3rd Green Flag |
| 30 | St Elias College | 3rd Green Flag |
| 31 | St Ignatius College, Żebbuġ Primary School | 3rd Green Flag |
| 32 | St Nicholas College, Dingli Primary School | 3rd Green Flag |
| 33 | St Theresa College, Middle School, Birkirkara | 3rd Green Flag |
| 34 | Sacred Heart College, Junior School | 2nd Green Flag |
| 35 | Maria Regina College, Mosta Secondary School (Żokrija) | 2nd Green Flag |
| 36 | St Aloysius College, Primary School | 2nd Green Flag |
| 37 | St Benedict College, Kirkop Middle School | 2nd Green Flag |
| 38 | St Michael Junior School, Pembroke | 2nd Green Flag |
| 39 | St Nicholas College, Rabat Middle School | 2nd Green Flag |
| 40 | Gozo College, Secondary School | 1st Green Flag |
| 41 | Gozo College, Xewkija Primary School | 1st Green Flag |
| 42 | Maria Regina College, Naxxar Primary School | 1st Green Flag |
| 43 | QSI International School of Malta | 1st Green Flag |
| 44 | St Nicholas College, Baħrija Primary School | 1st Green Flag |
| 45 | St Dorothy’s Junior School, Sliema | Silver Award |
| 46 | St Thomas More College, Fgura Primary School B | Silver Award |
| 47 | Verdala International School | Silver Award |
| 48 | St Nicholas College, Mġarr Primary School | Bronze Award |
Newsletter 65
Liam’s Swim – Keep the Sea Plastic Free
Liam Daly is a special nine year old boy who attends the Green Flag Eco-School Gozo College Rabat Primary otherwise known as The Happy School. Liam, a Year 6 primary student, is an active and determined Shamrock Stars athlete. He attempted with success to cross the Malta to Gozo channel swimming: a 5.5km swim on Monday 19th October 2020. He did this in just over two hours. Liam did this as a campaign to raise awareness about the danger of plastic in our precious seas. All funds collected will go to Nature Trust – FEE Malta to support it in its efforts to protect the environment.
A big thank you and super well done to Liam! Keep it up!
If you want to support the cause, you are still in time to donate through IRevolut or BOV on mobile: 00356 99424975 or through paypal on https://paypal.me/shamrockstars.
Eco-Schools Malta launches BeMed Project
BEMED – A COMMITMENT FOR A PLASTIC-FREE MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Nature Trust-FEE Malta, with the support of BeMed, is embarking on a Clean Seas by Eco-Schools project to raise more awareness on marine litter and microplastics and the dangers and damage related to them. Besides embarking on more beach clean-ups and related investigations involving students in schools and the community in general, Nature Trust-FEE Malta is going to create an educational resource pack aimed at different student age groups/levels and covering various curriculum subject areas to support teachers who wish to tackle issues related to microplastics and marine litter.
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