EkoSkola Malta

We care about our present and our future

We care about our present and our future: A report. Eco- Schools 11th Young People’s Summit… © 2022 Nature Trust – FEE Malta Any part of the publication can be reproduced as long as the source is properly cited and credited. Citation: Nature Trust – FEE Malta (2022). We care about our present and our future: A report. Eco-Schools 11th Young People’s Summit. Listening to children’s voices for sustainability There was a time, in the not-so-distant past, that the notion of listening to and acting on children’s voices was unheard of and even frowned upon. Children were considered as incapable of making value judgements, of evaluating issues and propose solutions to problems unless they were told how to do it by adults. Most of the opportunities offering children a platform were mostly (at best) different forms of tokenism. Children were expected to listen to and uncritically absorb what adults had to say on issues and themes that had a direct relevance to the children’s present and future. Education for Sustainable Development seeks to empower individuals irrespective of age to become active citizens seeking to promote sustainable lifestyles and choices. Nature Trust – FEE Malta sought to actively facilitate this by implementing the international Eco-Schools Programme (locally called EkoSkola). The EkoSkola programme is mainly driven by student initiated and managed actions that start off at school, but then spill over into their households and their community. Since its inception in 2002, the EkoSkola program has worked hard to bring the voice of children to policy makers, both local and overseas. So, over the years EkoSkola has created different fora to achieve this, like: EkoSkola Parliament sessions, consultation meetings with various Maltese presidents and ministers; meetings with the main political party leaders during which they presented a memorandum prior to the General Elections; and countless meetings with mayors and councillors of different localities. Another forum that promotes children’s voices is the annual Young People’s Summit, during which primary and secondary school students discuss various sustainability issues and propose ways how these issues can be addressed. These issues are collated into a declaration that is then presented to members of parliament. There were even cases where these recommendations were also presented to international fora such as during the Informal Meeting of the EU Environment Council; during international conferences about sustainability, and to delegates attending the CHOGM 2015. As part of the COP 26 follow up, the British High Commission sponsored five mini sessions that explored Climate Change from various dimensions that were attended by students from 103 schools (63 primary and 40 secondary). During the 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. These proposals were collated in this special publication together with several other inputs from younger children in the form of drawings and craft projects. An interesting spin off from this series of mini summits, was an interest in learning what children from …

Eco-Gozo Resources

Various resources for schools available here

ESD Expert Net – Manual for teaching the SDGs

The Earth Dog Story – Earth Dog returns to Save the Environment

The Earth Dog Story, first published in 1992, returns as an app in iTunes and an eBook as part of the U.S. Department of Energy environmental outreach program with Weekly Reader. Earth Dog is a superhero who teaches kids about taking care of the environment.

Early Childhood Activities for a Greener Earth

This book by Patty Born Selly, Published by Redleaf Press helps to educate young children about the environment through experience and play. These activities encourage children to develop a sense of wonder, curiosity, and joy for nature.

How Green Are You? A personal action plan

Can you help to save the world? Yes, you can – if you’re 6 years old or more. You can save energy, protect wildlife, join in and help clean up the water and the air. It’s fun!! Conservationist David Bellamy and the Friendly Whale show you how,

If I Had A Car

A bunny wonders what it would be like to have a car, but after thinking over all the choices and the reasons for and against an electric car or a gas powered car he decides to trade-in his trike for a bike.

What’s It Like Living Green?: Kids Teaching Kids, by the Way They Live

These days,there’s a lot of talk about living green, but does anyone actually do it? In What’s It Like, Living Green? Kids Teaching Kids, by the Way They Live, you’ll learn how other kids live green