Communities need youth to be the driving force behind social and environmental changes, where they work towards equality and care for the marginalised and those who are disadvantaged. We need them to pave the way toward shaping a better future, one where we consume and act responsibly. The Niko Ketskhoveli School Premier semi-finals has revealed those who are at the forefront of this change and works to acknowledge their hard work and dedication.
August saw 150 schools compete in the semi-finals of the nationwide environmental school competition known as the Niko Ketskhoveli School Premier! The competition was founded back in 2015 by CENN with the financial support from the Austrian Development Cooperation.
This year, an unprecedented 700 schools registered for the competition, with each of the schools implementing a range of environmental and social activities year round, earning them accumulated points for the competition!
The competition aims to encourage youth to make a positive changes for their communities in regard to social or environmental issues. These activities all correspond to sustainable development goals.
Some of the outstanding activities initiated by the participant schools include: cooperating with the mayor’s office to close down illegal dumpsites; organising environmental conferences involving environmental organisations, running information campaigns, greening territories, opening a dialogue about ethnic minorities, setting up greenhouses, supporting local women by linking them to women’s organistions, and supporting persons with disabilities in distance learning.
This year, 30 schools made it to the final round from a total of 12 regions of Georgia.
The Niko Ketskhoveli School Competition is co-organised by the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Georgia; the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, and the Parliament of Georgia.
