While the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) was held in Egypt and our friends from the Climate Action Network-International persistently sought effective solutions from government delegations in the field of climate change mitigation, global adaptation and climate finance, the CDN’s Member Organisation the Republican Center “Gutta-Club” also did not stand aside.
From November 5 to November 18, the organisation prepared and held a number of thematic events under the general title “Climate is changing. And you?”, with the support of the largest European network of youth environmental organizations YEE (Youth and Environment Europe), of which Gutta-Club has been a member for more than ten years.
On November 5, a training for young people took place, which was attended by students of the Chisinau lyceums named after I.S. Nechuya-Levitsky and A.P.Chekhov, as well as students of State, Technical, Pedagogical Universities and the Economic Academy.
Gutta-Club’s expert Irina Belous, PhD student, molecular biologist, presented an up-to-date overview of the climate situation in the world and in Moldova, spoke about the assessment of climate impact, vulnerability factors and risks, as well as about adaptation measures developed specifically for our country.
Anya Kimakovskaya and Nastya Gordeeva prepared a presentation on the problems of excessive consumption, and also offered the guys to take a test to determine their ecological footprint. The results were so unexpected that the discussion on “How many Planets like Earth will I need if I don’t shorten my eco-footprint” would have lasted until the end of the training, and maybe even longer. In order to have time for everything that we planned, we proposed to move the discussions to the family circle and develop steps to reduce the eco-footprint in each particular family. Think globally – act locally!
Pavel Kurkin and Alina Sandyuk shared their impressions of a recent trip to Poland, where members of the Gutta-Club team as part of an international consortium developed a climate project, and also visited a waste recycling plant, personally familiarizing themselves with all stages of waste-free production.
Then the role-playing game began. The participants were divided into teams and engaged in the development of climate startups on unusual topics obtained in the process of drawing lots. No one even imagined how unusual)) For example, the use of kinetic energy of swinging trees for street lighting of city streets. Or the secondary use of banana peel as fuel for subcompact transport. The guys laughed at first. Then they were puzzled. And only then the work began to boil) The time had to be extended several times. But when the teams were ready – the originality and thoughtfulness of the approaches, and also the fervor with which all the members of the groups promoted their offspring – could not leave anyone indifferent from the audience. Startup programs were presented by the jury, chaired by businesswoman Olya Sovko. The proposed product had to be evaluated according to the following criteria: the attractiveness of the idea, the amount of funding, the timing of the refund and the beginning of income generation, the number of jobs created, a positive effect on the environment. The jury members conferred for a long time and (just by the time the pizza was delivered), made their reasoned conclusions. As a result, all the teams received various kinds of support, both from business representatives and from donor organizations, the state budget and even the mafia) And also concluded partnership agreements with each other, since it is always more effective to work together.
After handing over certificates of participation (by the way, the certificate is the work of Anya Kimakovskaya), caps and books, a shared photo, the guys did not disperse immediately, they asked how they could become a Gutta-Club volunteer, how to go to trainings and seminars and how to continue studying abroad under the Erasmus Oficiul Erasmus+ Moldova program when the next meeting will be. Some even stayed to watch the rehearsal, which, taking advantage of the opportunity, was held for our teams leaving for Georgia, by professional dancers and volunteers Gutta Constanta Crave and Alina Cebotari.
And the next day Gutta-Club already received letters from parents and teachers, how the guys liked everything and how great it would be if such events were held more often. This is a very important and inspiring result for the entire training preparation team.
“When we met, we asked the participants to answer a simple question: “If you had a goldfish, what would you ask her for?” It turned out that it was not a new iPhone and not good bachelor’s grades (do not underestimate our youth), but something much more valuable – health and longevity to your loved ones, peace and prosperity to our common home – Planet Earth. It is wonderful! But a lot depends on us. From what exactly (here and now) we will do everything to change the world around us for the better. We came to the conclusion that we don’t need a goldfish, because we are our own goldfish. And, without putting it off, we decided to take part in gardening campaigns held in November throughout the Republic. Said and done. On November 12, our guys were already enthusiastically planting trees in the Chisinau park “Alunel”, as well as on the banks of the Dniester River in the village of Malovatoe, Dubossary district. Gutta cavat lapidem! A drop and a stone sharpens!”
And on November 18, the Gutta-Club delegation, consisting of Yaroslav Rudenko, Olya Sovko Arina Manzul, left for Bakuriani (Georgia) to participate in the international seminar “Let’s connect” under the EU Erasmus program, where, together with 24 youth activists from Armenia, Georgia, Spain, Portugal, Ukraine, Turkey and Bulgaria will present the successful experience of the Gutta-Club’s long-term activities, including climate projects, learn interactive forms of work with young people, exchange ideas, and establish partnerships.
A huge thank you to all the members of PrepTeam Centrul Republican
Gutta-Club says thanks to the prep-team members, the administrations and the teachers of the Chisinau lyceums Theoretical Lyceum Named after I.S. Nechuy-Levitsky, Lyceum named after. Anton Chekhov for the universal support of the initiative of our organization and for the active, caring youth, to our friends and partners from YEE – Youth and Environment Europe, Umbrella, Centrul Naţional de Mediu for productive and sincere cooperation.