By Gina Maka’a
Athletes from the Pacific including Solomon Islands took part in the Green Initiative Pacific Games 2023 Country representative tree planting at Saint Joseph’s Tenaru School today.
The activity highlights Oceania’s continuous fight against climate change that is affecting the Pacific Islands. The trees will be a landmark and a legacy that athletes will leave behind as they journey home.
Pacific Climate Change Centre the Pacific Climate Change Centre and Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECCDM) through its climate change division implemented the activity aimed at leaving behind a legacy of the Pacific Games using athletes who won medals in the Pacific Games to be used as climate change champions.
In an interview Andre Volentras,Project Manager of Pacific Ocean Litter Project said involving young people in such activities is important because they will be the next generation.
“At the end of the leadership has to change from our current generation to the youth and I think these are the kind of activities that install memories in the mindsets of these athletes.” He said.
Volentras added he hopes that the young people will do better in the future to protect our islands form sea level rise and climate change.
MECCDM Supervising permanent secretary Karl Kuper explained the tree planting event is a symbolic gesture where athletes show stewardship not only for our games only but also for our planet and challenges of climate change impacts, faced in the pacific.
Supervising PS MECCM Karl Kuper(L) Gold medalist(M), Andre Volentras(R)
“For us the pacific nations the two most resources we have are our human resources and environment and bringing them together doing such initiatives will contribute towards longer lasting legacies.” Kuper highlighted.
“It further shows that athletes not only are sports people but they are also stewards of the environment.”
He added the ministry is happy that athletes gathered together to plant the trees and hopefully it will continue to showcase the country’s continuous environment awareness.
New Caledonia Athlete Ludivine Breymand planting her tree representing New Caledonia For Northern Mariana Islands Athlete Bodybuilder -Pacific Games Bodybuilding model physique under 165cm gold medalist Christina Tudela expressed her gratitude for participating in the green initiative tree planting today.
“I’m really happy that the authorities came up with the initiative to conduct this activity.” She said
The tree planting activity is funded by the Secretariat Pacific Regional Environment Programme through the Pacific Climate Change Centre through the Australian Government.
A similar activity will be conducted at Solomon Islands National University (Kukum Campus) tomorrow.
