Africa-Press – Seychelles. The Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Seychelles, Vincent Degert, the Ambassador of France to Seychelles, Olivia Berkeley-Christmann and the Director of the Alliance Française des Seychelles, Mrs Carla Jorge, met yesterday morning at the Docklands Auditorium for a joint action to raise awareness of ocean protection for schools.
The Minister of Education, Dr Justin Valentin was present at this event which also saw the participation of representatives of the Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy and civil society actors engaged in actions in favor of protecting the oceans.
The Ambassador of France to Seychelles, Ms Berkeley-Christmann said that “the oceans constitute more than 90% of the habitable space on the planet, one of the main reservoirs of biodiversity in the world and are essential in our fight against climate change. Young and old, young and old, we must do everything, as today in the Europe team, to make everyone aware of this, from an early age through fun activities or educational games, and thus encourage the older number to protect them: “Let’s move forward together for our oceans! »
Minister Valentin, meanwhile, stressed that the sea is the center of our lives. “I invite you to love the sea and also to discover the sea. When you meet foreigners, it is you children who must talk about the sea, the beaches and the ocean. I also invite you to learn about all the species that live in our ocean. With today’s activities you will be able to discover the treasures of the sea and also get to know the objectives of this project better and to pass on what you have learned with other comrades who are not there.
According to the director of the Alliance Française of Seychelles, Ms. Carla Jorge “education about our environment is essential to become aware of the threats and to change behavior. This awareness of ocean protection means allowing students to become actors in the ecological transition and to communicate around these issues. The Alliance Française des Seychelles is involved and collaborates with NGOs and schools in setting up cultural activities. Today, we applaud the students of the school of Mont Fleuri and the classes of CM1 and 6ème of the French School of Seychelles who have worked all year on issues related to the environment”.
The Ambassador of the European Union, Mr. Vincent Degert, who took advantage of his last official mission to the Seychelles to launch the idea of this awareness-raising action, declared: “I am a diving enthusiast and like all of us I believe, I love the sea. The sea and the ocean are essential for our life on Earth. However, they face multiple dangers: global warming, pollution, overexploitation of resources, among others. We must therefore all act at different levels to deal with all of these dangers, whether it is a question of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, of reducing pollution, including plastic pollution, of better regulate activities at sea, especially fishing, and restore marine ecosystems. Each of us has a role to play: authorities, the private sector, civil society, scientists, citizens. You too have a role to play. Dear students, do not underestimate your power! The planet needs you”.
Protecting the oceans is a priority for Seychelles as well as for the European Union and its Member States. The European Union delegation, in partnership with the French Embassy and the Alliance Française of the Seychelles, have decided to organize, as Team Europe, an awareness-raising action for children in the context of the World Day of the ocean (celebrated on June 8).
The objective of this action, which brought together 80 students from the Ecole Mont Fleuri and the Ecole Française des Seychelles and their teachers, is to raise awareness among young people about the protection of the oceans. They were thus able to listen to messages on the role of the ocean, the dangers that affect the marine ecosystem as well as the actions of the European Union and its Member States for healthier and more sustainably managed oceans.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of the educational game ‘Beach doctor: I heal my beach with Tikoulou’. This board game designed in 2020 by VIZAVI editions in partnership with the European Union and the non-governmental organization Reef Conservation Mauritius is the result of an idea from the delegation of the European Union, which then wanted to develop a awareness for young people.
A total of 80 game boxes will be distributed in the coming weeks to schools by the Alliance Française des Seychelles, which is already implementing several awareness-raising actions on environmental protection.
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