2017 - 2018 was another record year for YRE (young reporters for the environment) Malta, with a total of 251 local projects submitted, and 4 International Awards Achieved. YRE Malta was also re-included in the Wrigley Litter Less Campaign, through which schools were, for the first time, given funds to promote less litter and raise awareness through a Community Action day. Another first for this year was sending a local student to the International UNESCO workshop in Portugal. Martina Mifsud is now the local YRE Ambassador.
Videos, articles and photo reportages included themes such as waste, litter, water, human trafficking, light pollution and the building boom amongst others. Students disseminated their work in the local media.
Two of the local YRE videos were also submitted to other competitions. Clean Seas from St Augustine College placed with the winners of the Instagram video competition ResponSEAbly, a programme that promotes enjoying the sea without littering. Litter is Money from St Monica B'Kara is with the finalists of the BGreen Ecological Film Festival Competition. The latter are currently attending the awards ceremony in Porto.
At the same time, 17 of the local projects competed internationally with 33 countries, both in the Litter Less Competition and the YRE Competitions. A photo from MCAST (light pollution) and an article from St Edwards College (Trash around us) got an Honourable Mention, while the videos Greasy Trash from ALP (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9GUO9SKlbc) and Waste Bin Story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI2yWin3gj8) from the University of Malta - Erasmus programme placed 1st in the Litter Less Campaign. The official PR from FEE Malta has been issued on World Environment Day - https://mailchi.mp/fee/yre-newsletter-1342905?e=52ae1c4d1c
During a local workshop students had the opportunity to debate and question a panel of local experts. Ms Antonia Micallef, journalist, Dr Clyde Falzon - WasteServ Malta, Mr Ramon Deguara - Cleansing Directorate, Mr Andrew Schembri- Zibel and Mr Vince Attard - Nature Trust Malta were the panel representatives. Student posed questions related to journalism, the situation of litter in Malta, the power of the media, the role of NGOs and the needs of a cleaner Malta amongst others.
YRE is an international programme run by FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) and represented locally by Nature Trust - FEE Malta. The main aim has always been to embed ESD principles in school communities and now even more than ever a means to address the United Nations' 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
For more information and participation log in to; www.yremalta.org or visit Facebook page