Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources (front, in green top and white pants) posed for a wefie with the 150-strong combined school choir at the Youth4Climate Concert.
CDL
Nurtures
Future Green
Champions At
Youth4Climate
Festival
Over 2,000 youths, their families and friends, and members of the public, were at the Youth4Climate Festival 2019 at Singapore Botanic Gardens, learning how to take meaningful climate action.
Now in its second year, the Festival is one of CDL’s flagship environmental outreach programmes. It was held in conjunction with the Singapore Ministry of Environment and Water Resources’ Climate Action Week, in support of Singapore’s Year Towards Zero Waste, and also celebrated the Singapore Botanic Garden’s 160th anniversary.
The Festival kicked off with a Youth4Climate Treasure Hunt, where participants visited historic locations within the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Along with playing traditional games, they also learnt about the Garden’s history and simple ways to reduce waste and be environmentally friendly.
Participants at the Youth4Climate Treasure Hunt played traditional games such as life-sized carrom (left), and learnt different ways to be more environmentally friendly (right).
Over 1,000 guests were treated afterward to a series of climate-themed performances at the Youth4Climate Concert. The line-up included a 150-strong combined school choir from four primary and secondary schools, a drama skit by Kuo Chuan Primary School, and song performances by youth musicians Uber Duber and local singer Ms Jo Tan.
Speaking after the concert, guest-of-honour Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Environment and Water Resources, said, “I am heartened that CDL has supported our Climate Action Week. While the government has a holistic climate action plan, we need all hands on deck to effect changes. I hope this event will encourage our youths and everyone present to care for and protect our environment, and formulate solutions for Singapore to address climate change.”
“The world is facing grave climate emergency,” said Ms Esther An, CDL Chief Sustainability Officer. “Immediate action is needed, especially by our youths who will be the next generation of leaders to drive change. For many years now, we have been engaging youths to raise their interest in environmental issues. Ultimately, we want to nurture future green champions.”
Guests gathered at the Symphony Stage at the Singapore Botanic Gardens for the Youth4Climate Concert which featured song and dance performances from schools and youths.
CDL E-Generation Challenge 2018 winner Ms Anna Oposa shared her marine conservation experiences with the workshop participants.
On the second day of the Festival, about 20 youths who are passionate about the environment and keen to learn how to run a successful eco campaign attended a climate action workshop. They were inspired by two young and successful young eco champions, Ms Anna Oposa, CDL E-Generation Challenge 2018 winner, Chief Mermaid and Co-Founder of Save Philippine Seas, a non-profit focused on protecting and restoring the Philippines' coastal and marine resources, as well as Ms Samantha Thian, founder of Seastainable Co. which channels retail business profits to support marine conservation in Singapore and around Southeast Asia.
The Festival drew to a close with about 1,000 members of the public treated to a free movie screening of the climate-related Disney movie Moana, with free flow of popcorn and candy floss.
