Eden Festival of Action 2019 : Greenpop and the Local Youth

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JULY, 2019

By Hanna Vinckers

Every year during the Festival of Action we plant thousands of indigenous trees, learn about natural building practices, brighten up schools with environmental murals, practice environmentally-conscious living, and learn about active citizenship.

Through the support of the Garden Route Rebuild Initiative, Knysna Municipality, Bitou Municipality, and Cape Nature, we were able to host 43 local students at the Eden Festival of Action 2019.

The students had an immersive experience and gained skills in local ecology, landscaping, permaculture, beekeeping, natural and eco-building, mural painting, sustainability practices, and environmental management.

In addition, they also practiced valuable skills like public speaking, communication, and teamwork. There was also time for personal development; through leadership and citizenship training and one-on-one and group mentor sessions.

Here is what our attendees had to say about their week at the Festival of Action:

Nangamso Barnes – Percy Ndala High School

Why did you apply to attend the Eden Festival of Action?

“I wanted to come to the festival to learn more about this part of the world, I wanted to learn more about planting. I wanted to ask questions from someone who knows better than I do.

What was your favourite part of the Festival of Action?

“My favourite part was planting trees, and when we had the morning dance-off in the dining hall.”

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Vuyolwethu Nqunqa – Murray High School

Why did you apply to attend the Eden Festival of Action?

“I want to know how to sustain the environment, and also I want to overcome and help restore after the fires”

What was your favourite part of the Festival of Action?

“My favourite part of the festival was planting 875 trees”

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Sahara Tagunna – Homeschooled

What was your favourite part of the Festival of Action?

“That’s a very hard question. Honestly, the entire experience was absolutely incredible. Just the sense of community and being so comfortable with everyone was just incredible.”

What did you learn at the festival?

“I learnt that together, we can make a very big difference and I think I also learnt in a way we are not really all strangers, we kind of know each other already – even though we don’t”

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Thank you so much to our donors!

Hosting these young people and inspiring them to become active about the future of our planet has been an amazing privilege.

Find out more about the Festival of Action at festivalofaction.com

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World Environment Day is organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and has been held annually since 1974. The goal of the day of action is to promote environmental awareness and draw attention to crucial concerns around our planet’s survival, that require active engagement and commitment. Today, the day represents one of the largest global platforms for environmental action, with millions of participants from around the world. Each World Environment Day focuses on a specific issue that reflects urgent problems and challenges of our time, such as climate change, biodiversity loss or pollution.