The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s (SDSN) Global Schools Program (GSP) was in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), or the COP16. GSP partnered with the G20 Global Land Initiative to host two events, both focused on integrating land restoration into school curricula and empowering young people to become active participants in environmental conservation.
The events, titled “Roots of Tomorrow: Planting Nature Restoration Labs in Schools,” introduced the “Nature Restoration Labs” initiative — which aims to help schools educate the next generation on land restoration through hands-on, community-based learning and positively impact local ecosystems — and showcased models successfully implemented in schools. The events also provided a platform to strengthen partnerships among NGOs, educators, and policymakers, while facilitating knowledge exchange to ensure the widespread implementation of effective land restoration education.
In the Blue Zone, the first event began with opening remarks from Dr. Muralee Thummarukudy, Director of the G20 Global Land Initiative Coordination office (UNCCD-G20 GLI) and Amanda Abrom, Director of GSP. A panel discussion followed, featuring Abhilasha Singh, Principal of Shining Star International School; Boyoung Kang, Director of the Climate Change International Cooperation Team in South Korea’s Ministry of Environment; Mauricio Camacho Suarez, Founder and CEO of Junglo; and Batoul Smari, an educator at SEK International School Riyadh. Speakers shared their insights and experiences working with young people on planting initiatives and other ecosystem restoration projects. Finally, the audience was engaged in an interactive question and answer session, moderated by Lukwesa Burak, a news presenter at BBC News.
In the Green Zone, the second event showcased the role of education in fostering sustainability and environmental stewardships. Moderated by Amanda Abrom, students from the SEK International School Riyadh showcased their efforts to integrate sustainable development into their school community through waste-reduction programs, clean water initiatives, peer-to-peer-education, and more. The student presenters included: Faris Albrahim, Almudena Gonzalez, Rowan Taheri Olofsson, Kate Coffey, Agniman Ganguli, Adam El Hakawati, Zain Alamoudi, Sara Abdallah, Khaled Al Naser, and Enkh-Amar “David” Aguilar. A panel discussion preceded the student presentations, moderated by Joann Lee of UNCCD-G20 GLI and featuring Song Hee Nam, Director General of the International Forest Affairs Bureau at the Korea Forest Service; Phillip Dunn, Senior Manager for Sustainability, Education & Culture at Expo City Dubai; Nouf Youssef, STEAM Coordinator at Dar Jana International School; and Abhilasha Singh and Mauricio Camacho Suarez.
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