International aid agency, GOAL, is inviting primary school pupils from Dublin to share their local actions for global change through its exciting new Changemakers Award launched today (Thursday, September 26th).
The Award aims to show young people that a sustainable and fair future is achievable through the right actions. It will introduce children to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and ask them to share the actions they are taking to contribute to creating a better world.
Speaking at the launch of Changemakers, GOAL’s Global Citizenship Manager, Nina Sachau, said: “As a humanitarian aid agency GOAL is acutely aware of the challenges the global community is facing into the future – climate change, poverty, migration, and global injustice – and hearing about this can be a bit overwhelming, especially for young people.
“We have to make sure young people believe a sustainable and fair future is achievable and equip them with the tools to help contribute to the future. With the new Changemakers Award we want to introduce the Sustainable Development Goals to the classrooms and celebrate, broadcast and share the great ideas primary school pupils are already putting into action to create a better world. We are lucky we have a generation of incredibly well informed, open minded and active young people and educators, doing so many things every day to bring about change.”
The Award is open to 3rd, 4th, 5th and to 6th primary school classes who are being invited to get to know the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to share the local actions they take that contribute to their achievement.
As part of the competition teachers will be provided with curriculum linked lesson plans that introduce children in an engaging and fun way to the SDGs. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were signed by all United Nations members with the aim of ending poverty, inequality, stop climate change and protect our oceans, flora and fauna by 2030.
Competition details:
- Entries can be everyday local actions classes are taking to contribute to fulfilling the SDGs, ranging from giving a special welcome of refugees in school, to organising beach clean ups, or planting trees.
- Entries should be a simple description of the idea through a submission form plus either pictures, a video or poster.
- The ideas will be shared with other schools and the public all over Ireland, to foster learning exchange and inspire others to take action for a sustainable and fair future
- There will be four regional winning entries. The winning group of each province will be invited to a sustainable development themed workshop.
- Every participating class will receive a GOAL Changemakers Certificate of Recognition.
- Entries to be submitted online via email to goalchangemakers@goal.ie or by post by sending it to GOAL, by the 20th of December 2019.
- On January 22nd at noon the winners will be announced and contacted along with all the project ideas uploaded on www.goal.ie/goalchangemakers and publicised on national media
The judging panel is:
- 12-year-old climate activist and student, Flossie Donnelly
- GOAL Deputy CEO Mary Van Lieshout
- Children’s author Sarah Webb and
- Presenter and broadcaster Johnathan McCrea.
