SPREADING THE CONSERVATION VIRUS TO THE YOUNGER GENERATION WITH PANDA MOBILE & AIESEC PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY
By: Gabrielle Natalia (Volunteer Panda Mobile)
"I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way." These lyrics from Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" describe the activities of the Panda Mobile-WWF Indonesia team on Monday and Tuesday, July 24-25, 2017 at SMPN 4 North Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java. During the two-day activity, the Panda Mobile team invited exchange participants or international students who participated in the AIESEC President University program.
Entering the SMPN 4 Cikarang Utara area, the Panda Mobile and AIESEC teams received a lively welcome from students who were very enthusiastic about what would be shared with them. Beginning with a presentation by the AIESEC team themed "Life Below Water", the students gained knowledge about the state of the sea and the species in it.
The Panda Mobile team also had the opportunity to introduce WWF and the six umbrella animals that are the focus of WWF-Indonesia's conservation efforts. In addition, Panda Mobile's volunteers and AIESEC participants explained and gave examples of the #30ClapsChallenge campaign initiated by WWF-Indonesia.
The #30ClapsChallenge campaign is a movement to encourage the public to reduce the use of paper towels after washing their hands and make it a new habit and spread it to others. By using less paper towels, we are not only saving the forest, but also the animals that live in it such as elephants, tigers, and orangutans. In addition, saving the forest means saving lives.
Panda Mobile and AIESEC President University's two-day activity drew the attention and enthusiasm of the students, especially grade 10. They asked many questions about the environment and animals. They were also interested in joining WWF-Indonesia and asked about how to become a Panda Mobile volunteer. This was welcomed considering the importance of instilling concern for the environment from an early age.
The lyrics of the song "Greatest Love of All" make us realize that young people are the next generation of the nation. It is from their hands that the improvement of the world, especially the environment, can happen. Good knowledge and awareness of the importance of protecting what has been given to living beings must continue to be developed and familiarized from an early age. Caring and truly contributing is the best way to make a positive change for the environment and ecosystems that are the Greatest Love of All from God to His creation.