From March 27 to 28, the YCYW Beyond COP21 Symposium was successfully held at YWIES Tongxiang. As the first event of its kind hosted at a school in China's Mainland, it was not only deeply anchored in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but also served as a high-caliber "all-English practical exercise." 

Immersed in an academic English environment, YWIES Tongxiang students utilized a global language to discuss the Beyond COP21 agenda, successfully transforming macro climate issues into tangible and actionable bilingual practices on campus.

BEYOND COP21

Our Mission: Empowering the Real Changemakers of the Future

"Science and Technology is the way in which we will connect with our future, while Love and Charity is the way in which we connect with and preserve our planet." As Mr Parras Majithia, Head of Academics at YWIES Tongxiang, noted, the All-English symposium perfectly aligns with the school's educational mission: "We aim to enable our students to be agents of change for the planet and the world that they will be living in in the future."

Over the course of the two-day immersive symposium, the global perspective and empathy demonstrated by the students were truly remarkable. Haslina, a Grade 12 student, shared a profound insight: "I think environmental protection and climate change go hand in hand and they are all interconnected, because the issues that we're facing nowadays in climate change also affects our sustainable development goals, for example, food hunger and poverty."

Mr Peter Milne, Founder of the Beyond COP 21 Series, also expressed his admiration: "I think what's impressed me the most is firstly the students' ability to communicate so clearly. Through a series of workshops and activities, they were able to express their personal feelings about what's happening to the planet."

BEYOND COP21

Knowledge into Action: From Everyday Habits to Hands-on Practice

Confronted with massive global climate challenges, Yew Wah students refuse to be mere bystanders. Grade 8 student Elsa delivered the most powerful response: "We're not just talking about what we can do. We're doing what we can."

Ms Shannon Morgan, the coordinating teacher for Beyond COP 21 at YWIES Tongxiang, noted that the differentiated workshops brought abstract environmental concepts off the page and brought them to life, transforming them into tangible actions that students could literally get their hands on.

In the Primary, students became "young eco-innovators," turning collected plastic waste into "eco-bricks." This hands-on process did more than just show them how discarded plastics are being used globally to build structures capable of withstanding hurricanes and earthquakes. By learning through making these bricks themselves, the children gave real, tangible power to the concept of "reducing plastic."

Meanwhile, the students translated their environmental pledges into the smallest details of their daily lives. 

Grade 7 student Justin promised to "start with daily small actions like turning the tap off when it's not in use and turning lights off." 

Grade 5 student Addison advocated for saving water by "taking short showers or using less water to not waste them." 

Grade 9 student Sky called on everyone to play their part by "throwing straws into the recycling bin... or not using plastic straws." 

Grade 3 student Violin even thoughtfully pointed out: "I think we can protect bees, they can help us to bring clean waters."

BEYOND COP21

Art as a Voice: Expressing Green Pledges Through Color

Environmental protection goes beyond science and logic; it is a profound emotional resonance. During the collaborative art session, Artist-in-Residence Ms Philippa Wearmouth guided students and staff in creating a powerful graffiti-style eco-mural. "We decided to make a graffiti style artwork... because in graffiti style, it's strong and bold and impactful," she explained. "So we've got messages of recycling or smart cities etc, and then the students... and even some staff could all write their strong messages."

This creative endeavor served as more than just an emotional outlet; it was a perfect embodiment of SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

BEYOND COP21

Passing the Baton: Youth Taking the Lead for the Future

"I think students have taken on a greater environmental responsibility," Mr Peter Milne concluded at the close of the event. "Because they understand a lot more about what's happening to the world, they feel that they really care about it and they want to do something ultimately about it."

"I would like to use my voice to influence others; I will encourage my family and friends to save energy and go green." The words of Grade 7 student Bella echoed the shared sentiments of all participants.

At the finale of the event, YWIES Tongxiang officially passed the Beyond COP21 baton to the YCYW Somerset Cultural Centre and Kyoto International School. While the two-day All-English symposium has drawn to a close, the climate action here has only just begun.

Moving forward, YWIES Tongxiang will continue to embed sustainable development education into everyday learning. Our goal is to ensure that excellent bilingual communication skills, coupled with a "green and low-carbon" mindset, become a lifelong habit and way of life for every student.

Towards a greener future, we march forward with purpose! 🌱