Youth from Pará participate in the IV State Youth Conference to boost environmental awareness and real solutions
The state event highlights protagonism and environmental awareness through care for the environment and the construction of innovative solutions.
More than 2,000 people, including students and teachers from various regions of Pará, participated in the opening of the IV State Youth Conference for the Environment (CEIJMA), organized by the State Government, through the State Department of Education (Seduc), on the afternoon of this Monday (2), at the Hangar Convention and Fair Center of the Amazon, in Belém. The program aims to present solutions to environmental issues, as well as to strengthen ecological awareness and youth protagonism.
“I am sure that Pará's example will be a national reference. Just as environmental education is already part of the state curriculum, I wish it would also be integrated into the national curriculum, so that all schools in Brazil address this theme. Environmental awareness should not be a focus only of the Amazon, but of the entire country, from Rio Grande do Sul to the Northeast, as we all suffer from climate change. May this event be more than a celebration; may it serve to discuss environmental challenges and environmental education, sharing Pará's knowledge with all of Brazil. Pará is changing its history, from a state seen as one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases to an example of sustainable transition, with practices that combat environmental degradation and promote resilient cities and communities. All of this depends on the awareness and training of responsible citizens, and schools are fundamental for this. Together, we are building a movement in favor of education and environmental awareness in Pará,” emphasizes Helder Barbalho, governor of Pará.
The vice-governor of Pará, Hana Ghassan, announced that five representatives from the conference will be chosen to take Pará's voice to COP 30, strengthening the state's presence in the global debate on the environment.
“Pará is experiencing a unique moment as the host of COP 30, the largest global event on the environment. This is an opportunity for all Pará residents to be the voice of Brazil at the event. With environmental education already present in schools, we are preparing our population to participate actively. Among the representatives of the conference, five people will be chosen to join Pará's delegation at COP 30, along with their legal representatives. This way, we ensure that Pará and Brazil have a strong voice to transform the life of the country and the planet. All participants have already stood out, and in their daily lives, they should reflect on the impact of their actions in building a sustainable future,” said the vice-governor.
During the opening of the IV State Youth Conference for the Environment, Rossieli Soares, Secretary of State for Education of Pará, highlighted the importance of education as a fundamental tool for social transformation and strengthening environmental awareness.
“We need to face the fact that education is and will always be the main agent of social transformation. It is by having education as the protagonist in discussions that we can advance in a concrete and permanent way, working at the base. Especially in this year of COP 30, the IV State Youth Conference for the Environment is, more than ever, the ideal moment to amplify the voices of our network, showcase the work being done, and promote qualified debates, especially considering the Amazonian and Pará reality, thus strengthening formative actions in the field of environmental education, so that schools become sustainable and resilient educational spaces. It is time for Pará to develop ideas and proposals to take to the national stage,” said the Secretary of Education.
The event encourages the school community to adopt a responsible stance towards socio-environmental challenges, promoting local actions to face climate emergencies, based on environmental education, equity, inclusion, and diversity. In this state stage, 160 delegates deepen the dialogues, and 19 of them will be chosen to represent Pará at the National Conference, to be held in October.
“I feel a great responsibility, but I also see an incredible opportunity to learn and inspire others. This experience helps us, students from the countryside, to value our culture and the peoples with more respect. At first, it was a burden, but now I feel lighter. The project helps us create environmental awareness and take better care of our environment, in addition to valuing the traditions of Pará,” highlights Carla Ferreira, a 9th-grade student from the Francisca Carvalho Conceição State School in Marapanim.
The meeting is a fundamental step for the selection of projects and delegates that will represent Pará at the VI National Youth Conference for the Environment (CNIJMA), promoted by the Ministries of Education, Environment, and Climate Change (MMA), and Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Workshops, cultural showcases, and plenaries focused on themes such as climate justice, innovation, environmental conservation, and socio-environmental governance enriched the program. Representing the Tessalônica State School from the municipality of Irituia, Julyana Pedreira, a 9th-grade student, shared her experience presenting the school's project at the conference.
“For me, it has been an incredible experience. I never imagined being here, but when this opportunity arose, we embraced it with much love and care. We are presenting our project, and it has been very rewarding, not just for me, but for everyone at our school. I think this project is very essential for people to learn to preserve the environment. As we talked here, human interference is destroying our green areas and agroforests. That’s why this project helps to open our eyes to take better care of nature,” says the student.
The Conference also alludes to World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5. In addition, it celebrates the third year of implementation of the largest public policy in state schools, the Environmental Education component, which has been made mandatory at all stages of education.
The implementation of the policy has made Pará a pioneer in guaranteeing a mandatory curricular component of sustainability, encouraging the participation and engagement of students in discussions on fundamental agendas for the state.
About the National Conference - The VI National Youth Conference for the Environment mobilizes Brazilian schools with classes from 6th to 9th grade of Elementary School to develop pedagogical journeys in defense of climate justice. In light of climate emergencies, the initiative encourages dialogue and training in Environmental Education. School communities participate in the process through research and the production of knowledge aimed at adapting territories, contributing to the construction of more sustainable, resilient schools committed to equity, inclusion, and diversity.
The process begins with national preparation, which includes the development of materials and the mobilization of state commissions. The central stage is the conference at school, where students and educators develop projects and reflections. Optionally, regional or municipal conferences may occur to deepen the debates. At the state conference, delegations and proposals are selected to participate in the national conference, the most prominent moment of the process. After the event, delegations return to schools to implement projects and strengthen local environmental engagement.
Towards COP 30 - In a symbolic moment, as Brazil prepares to host COP 30 (United Nations Climate Change Conference) this November, the CNIJMA integrates the federal government's efforts to mobilize society around the climate agenda, as well as reinforcing the commitment to the UN's 2030 Agenda. The VI CNIJMA contributes especially to SDG 4 (Quality Education), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 13 (Climate Action), and 18 (Ethnic-Racial Equality).
Check out the program aimed at schools:
Day 2 – 03/06 (Tuesday)
Morning
08h: Registration
08h30: Opening of Parallel Activities and Ecofalante Film Showcase
08h30 – 09h30: First Cycle of Workshops (Multi-purpose Rooms):
Identification of Recyclable Waste and Sustainable Practices
Photography with Cell Phone: The Amazon Through Our Eyes
Maker and Sustainability: Balloon-Powered Cars
Aquatic Insects as Indicators of Environmental Quality.
09h30: Socialization of Conference Projects
10h: Break
10h30 – 12h: Second Cycle of Workshops:
Education and Artificial Intelligence
Climate and Rights: Who Feels the Environmental Crisis More?
Mission: World Cleanup Day
Digital Games: PON! The Armadillo Island
Educommunication for the Environment: Live Podcast
Afternoon
13h: Cine Debate – Film Quentura / Ecofalante Institute
14h30 – 17h: Simultaneous Plenaries:
Technology, Innovation, and Sustainability to Overcome the Climate Crisis
Conservation of Forests and Amazonian Sociobiodiversity
Governance and Youth Participation in Socio-environmental Discussions
17h: Closing of the event
Parallel Activities - The event will feature parallel activities and booths focused on environmental education and sustainability. The “Guardians of Nature” campaign will bring educational projects, while the “Ecofalante Environmental Film Showcase” will screen free films on the subject. The “Robotics and Creativity Showcase (Ciseb)” will highlight the technological innovation of students and teachers. The “Seeds of Hope and Action” exhibition will address the SDGs and COP30. The “Ecoar Station” will focus on the conservation of the Amazon, with the 2nd season of the podcast, produced by Seduc, Instituto Mondó, A Concertation for the Amazon, and iungo. There will also be the “Environmental Pedagogical Coordination Booth,” with educational actions, and booths from institutional partners linked to the environment, science, and technology.
The IV State Youth Conference for the Environment (CEIJMA) is promoted by the Government of Pará, through the Department of Education (Seduc), and has the support of the Brazilian Network of Creative Learning (RBAC), the Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises (Sebrae), the Alana Institute, the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), the Directorate of Development of Public Management and Educational Policies of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV DGPE), and the Ministries of Education, Environment, and Climate Change (MMA), and Science, Technology, and Innovation.
