Students from nine different schools gathered at Buskett to discuss their ideas for a better environment with Environment Minister Miriam Dalli and the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA).
The activity followed similar ones held last year, in which Minister Dalli and schoolchildren agreed to continue meeting every year to discuss new proposals and assess progress on several green initiatives.
The children talked about different topics, including urban greening, sustainable transport, access to natural sites, groundwater, marine litter, climate change, waste management and energy efficiency. Among different ideas, they proposed organic farming on roofs, more family picnic areas, information campaigns on the impacts of littering, increased greenery in classrooms and adventure zones in parks, such as the recently opened obstacle course race (OCR) area at the San Klement Park.
Students from St Thomas More College Santa Lucija Secondary School, Sacred Heart College, St Ignatius College Qormi San Gorg Primary School, St Nicholas College Rabat Primary School and Dingli Secondary School, Maria Regina College Mosta Secondary School, St Margaret College SengleaPrimary School, San Andrea School and St Benedict College Kirkop Secondary School participated in the event, which was hosted at Ambjent Malta’s new educational centre, within the grounds of the Buskett Woodlands.
Minister Miriam Dalli thanked the students for accepting ERA’s invitation to share their ideas on the environment.
“Last year we met and discussed many interesting ideas. ERA presented an update on how Malta is implementing many of them as part of our shared mission for a more sustainable future. I encourage children and youths to continue to come forward and join in the public debate about our environment. Your ideas are very important to us. All institutions must make sure to listen to what you have to say, as ERA is doing with these meetings. I look forward to meeting you again next year,” Miriam Dalli said.
ERA Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mercieca also emphasised the importance of listening to younger generations during the development of long-term plans and strategies which will address the future of the environment. “The views, opinions and proposals offered by children and youths give us food for thought in shaping a future which will be most fitting for their wellbeing and quality of life,” he said.
Following the discussion, Ambjent Malta guided the children to an educational walk at the Buskett Woodlands, where they also participated in a hands-on session on sustainable Christmas crafts. The event was also supported by Ekoskola, a Nature Trust – FEE Malta initiative across all schools in Malta and Gozo, to empower students to appreciate the environment and seek sustainable actions in their lives.
ERA Chairperson Vince Cassar and Ekoskola coordinator Paul Pace and other educators and officials also participated in this event.
Studenti jiltaqgħu mal-Ministru għall-Ambjent biex jaqsmu l-ideat ambjentali tagħhom
Studenti minn disa’ skejjel iltaqgħu l-Buskett biex jiddiskutu l-ideat tagħhom għal ambjent aħjar mal-Ministru għall-Ambjent Miriam Dalli u l-Awtoritàgħall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi (ERA).
Din il-laqgħa segwiet oħrajn simili li saru s-sena li għaddiet, u li matulhom il-Ministru Dalli u t-tfal kienu qablu li jkomplu jiltaqgħu kull sena biexjiddiskutu proposti ġodda filwaqt li jsegwu l-andament ta’ diversi inizjattivi ambjentali.
It-tfal tkellmu dwar ħafna suġġetti, fosthom it-tħaddir tal-lokalitajiet, trasport sostenibbli, l-aċċess għall-kampanja, l-ilma tal-pjan, l-iskart fil-baħar, it-tibdil fil-klima, l-immaniġġjar tal-iskart u l-effiċjenza fl-enerġija. Fost ideat differenti, ipproponew l-użu tal-bjut għall-biedja organika, aktar żoni għall-picnics, kampanji ta’ tagħrif dwar l-impatti tar-rimi illegali tal-iskart, aktar pjanti fil-klassijiet u żoni t’avventura fil-parks bħaż-żona tal-obstacle course racing (OCR) li għadha kif infetħet fil-Park ta’ San Klement.
Studenti mill-Iskola Sekondarja ta’ Santa Luċija tal-Kulleġġ ta’ San Tumas, il-Kulleġġ Sacred Heart, l-Iskola Primarja Qormi San Ġorġ tal-Kulleġġ ta’ San Injazju, l-Iskola Primarja tar-Rabat u l-Iskola Sekondarja ta’ Ħad Dingli tal-Kulleġġ ta’ San Nikola, l-Iskola Sekondarja tal-Mosta tal-Kulleġġ Maria Regina, l-Iskola Primarja tal-Isla tal-Kulleġġ ta’ Santa Margerita, l-Iskola San Andrea u l-Iskola Primarja ta’ Ħal Kirkop tal-Kulleġġ ta’ San Benedittuħadu sehem f’din l-attività, li saret fiċ-ċentru edukattiv ġdid ta’ Ambjent Malta fil-Masġar tal-Buskett.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli rringrazzjat lill-istudenti li aċċettaw l-istedina ta’ ERA biex jaqsmu l-ideat tagħhom dwar l-ambjent.
“Is-sena li għaddiet iltqajna u ddiskutejna ħafna ideat interessanti. L-ERA ppreżentat aġġornament dwar kif Malta qed twettaq ħafna minn dawn l-ideat bħala parti mill-missjoni kollettiva lejn futur aktar sostenibbli. Inħeġġeġ lit-tfal u ż-żgħażagħ ikomplu jersqu ’l quddiem u jieħdu sehem fid-diskussjoni pubblika dwar l-ambjent. L-ideat tagħkom importanti ħafna għalina. Kull istituzzjoni jeħtieġ li tisma’ x’għandkom x’tgħidu, bħal ma qed tagħmel ERA b’dawn il-laqgħat. Inħares ’il quddiem biex nerġgħu niltaqgħu s-sena d-dieħla,” qalet Miriam Dalli.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ ERA, Kevin Mercieca tkellem dwar l-importanza li l-vuċi ta’ ġenerazzjonijiet iżgħar tiġi meqjusa fid-deċiżjonijiet dwar pjanijiet ambjentali u strateġiji fit-tul li ser jaffettwaw il-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri. “Il-fehmiet, l-opinjonijiet u l-proposti tat-tfal u ż-żgħażagħ jġegħluna naħsbu sew waqt it-tfassil tal-politika ambjentali sabiex din twassal għal futur li jiżgura ambjent tajjeb u kwalità tal-ħajja aħjar għall-ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ warajna.”
Wara d-diskussjoni, Ambjent Malta iggwidat lit-tfal għal mixja fil-Buskett, fejn setgħu ukoll jieħdu sehem f’sessjoni prattika dwar artiġġjanat sostenibbli b’rabta mal-Milied. Il-laqgħa mat-tfal saret bl-appoġġ ta’ Ekoskola, inizjattiva ta’ Nature Trust – FEE Malta madwar l-iskejjel kollha f’Malta u Għawdex, sabiex tinkoraġġixxi lill-istudenti biex japprezzaw l-ambjent u jsegwu ħajja aktar sostenibbli.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ERA Vince Cassar u l-Kordinatur ta’ Ekoskola Paul Pace, flimkien ma’ edukaturi u uffiċjali oħrajn, ukoll ħadu sehem f’din l-attività.
