Students from State-funded public schools, donning the role of global leaders of G20 nations, put across their demand for a clean and healthy environment for future generations.
It was a day full of debating issues, consensus building and voting on real-time global issues for the students of Zilla Parishat High School in Karakambadi village near Tirupati, who were part of the ‘Yuvamanthan’ model G20 summit (YMG20), organised by the State School Education department in association with National Green Corps (NGC) and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
The students displayed a great sense of statesmanship while donning the role of the heads of nations. Raising their voice against the indiscriminate use of natural resources and the havoc wreaked on the environment, the students demanded that the policymakers across the spectrum of twenty nations focus on undoing the damage.
As presidents and prime ministers, the students narrated their country-specific challenge and also offered solutions. Nandini, a Class-10 student who donned the role of Indian Prime Minister, announced, “Protecting the environment is the responsibility of every citizen, and we will take a decision on the issue in this summit. I feel thrilled to have got an opportunity to don this role.”
Similarly, Class-9 student Gnana Sandesh Yaji, who enacted the role of European Union (EU) President, said he had studied the EU’s history to portray this role.
“It is not merely a role play, as we thoroughly created awareness and instilled confidence in the students to take up the model G20 summit,” said NGC State coordinator P. Neelakanta, who coordinated the event.
