FOR the second consecutive year, Recover Guyana, a non-governmental organisation in partnership with the Ministry of Education, has launched ‘SHOUT’ – a project aimed at promoting a shift in people’s perspectives about environmental conservation, especially among youths.

Speaking at the event, Founder and President of Recover Guyana, Dr. Dave Lalltoo, explained that Guyana has acknowledged the need to include the next generation in the “green discussion,” and as such, they have once again set out to find the country’s top young environmental speaker.

The essence of SHOUT, according to him, is rooted in education, serving as a pivotal platform for enlightening and inspiring the younger generation on the importance of environmental conservation.

“This initiative brilliantly leverages the power of competitive speaking and engages students in a drive into environmental issues, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to articulate their ideas and solutions.  SHOUT goes beyond the traditional boundaries of classroom learning, providing a dynamic and interactive forum that fosters critical thinking, research, and public speaking skills among participants,” he shared.

Dr. Lalltoo further explained that SHOUT is more than a competition; it’s a journey for all to take on together so that Guyanese can have a sustainable future. According to him, SHOUT 2024 unfolds through a carefully structured competition designed to ignite passion and innovation in environmental advocacy amongst students in Grades Nine and 10 in Guyana.

“Each phase is strategically crafted to elevate participants’ understanding, skills, and readiness to act for environmental sustainability. In the opening phase, schools are invited to dream big, crafting one-minute videos that articulate bold, sustainable changes within their environment, free from the constraints of financial barriers…after careful scoring, the top 30 schools advance to present their environmental speeches…narrowing to the top 10 in this phase test participants adaptability and depth of knowledge through impromptu speeches…In the climate of the top three schools, it is comprehensive questions that determine the National Youth Environmental Speaker for 2024,” Dr. Lalltoo explained.

Meanwhile, Assistant Chief Education Officer, Ag (Secondary) Mr. Sheldon Granville, in a quote by Robert Swan, said, “The greatest danger to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it…”

He related that environmental protection is crucial for human survival and development. According to him, “our lives cannot be done without air, water, and soil. It is very important for us to protect our environment so that we can continue to live on this planet in a healthy and safe atmosphere.”

He emphasised the importance of creating a space that allows children to develop an awareness of and find solutions to mitigate existing environmental challenges, adding that the Ministry of Education is grateful for the opportunity to once again collaborate with Recovery Guyana on Project SHOUT to raise awareness on environmental issues.

Also at the event was last year’s Guyana’s National Youth Environmental Speaker, Ms. Vasanna Persaud of Queen’s College, who received a prize package valued at $300,000 and an environmental award, a laptop, a health voucher from UltraCare Medical Centre Inc., among other prizes.

The Queen’s College winner explained how grateful she was for the opportunity and the impact that her contribution has on the environment and her school. She added that thus far, over 100,000 bottles have been prevented from polluting the environment.

The event was also attended by UK Ambassador to Guyana Jane Miller, representatives from ExxonMobil (the main sponsor), other members of the diplomatic community, and officials.