[08
FEB 99] COVENTRY CITY COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE
Childrens Parliament On The EnvironmentPupils
from seven Coventry schools will join battle at 10.45 am on Thursday 11 February in the
Council Chamber for the honour to represent the City in a national competition which could
see them speaking at the House of Commons in May.
Pupils will be addressing how we can improve quality of life now and in the future and
understand better the ways in which we affect out local and global environment.
Primary school pupils from across the country are competing to join the Children’s
Parliament on the Environment where the winners of local and regional competitions will
have the chance to debate with government ministers including the Deputy Prime Minister
and Secretary of State for Education.
The Parliament will draw up an action plan for Government to be presented to the Prime
Minister.
The Children’s Parliament is part of the government’s response to Agenda 21
– the international agreement about improving people’s quality of life in the
future without damaging the environment. Agenda 21 says that "each country should
include children’s concerns for environment and development".
The Lord Mayor of Coventry Councillor Mrs Maggie Rosher, one of the Panel members said:
"The competition is an exciting way to involve young people in the important
issues of citizenship and sustainable development. I am looking forward to hearing their
ideas on how we can care for the environment we live in and protect the natural resources
which we rely on.
"The Children’s Parliament will help children across the country get more
involved in decision making which is a priority for the City Council’s Education and
Agenda 21 programmes."
The Coventry Competition is being co-ordinated by Coventry’s Agenda 21 Team and
the Education Support and Advisory Service.
NOTES
The presentation by the seven schools will begin at 10.45am
on Thursday 11 February in the Council Chamber, The Council House, Earl Street and are
expected to last for just over and hour. The judges will retire and it is anticipated that
they will announce their decision at about 12.30pm. Following this, the winning pupils and
members of the Panel will be available for interview.
The debating competition in Coventry will select a team
from one school to represent the city at a regional final in March. Two schools will be
selected from each of the nine regional finals to make up the Children’s Parliament.
Children are also being selected for the Children’s
Parliament through an essay competition which is being judged nationally.
Entrants in both the essay writing and debating
competitions are addressing one of the four following questions:
- Looking 10 o 20 years into the future, what things in your
area do you hope will still be there, and what things would you hope to see changed or
improved?
- What can you and your community do to improve the
environment to ensure that everyone becomes healthier?
- What are the key issues for you about improving the
environment in your immediate surroundings and world wide? Why? What should be done about
them? What can you do?
- What must we do so that people living now, and those in the
future, can enjoy a better quality of life?
The Panel Members include:
Charles Barker, Deputy Editor, Coventry Evening Telegraph
Helen Chandler, Operations Store Manager, B&Q plc
Dip Donaldson, Owner/player, Coventry Crusaders Basketball
Althea Fuller, Community Safety Officer, Foleshill Area Co-ordination
Di Hatchett, Literacy Project Leader, Coventry Education Service
Councillor Maggie Rosher, Lord Mayor of Coventry
Betty Saltiel, Retired Teacher
The participating primary schools are: Allesley, Earlsdon,
Edgwick, Holbrooks, Howes, Little Heath, St Benedict’s.
The Coventry competition is being co-ordinated by the
Agenda 21 Team and Education Support and Advisory Service at Coventry City Council and is
supported by the Government’s Single Regeneration Budget.
More Information:
Adrian West, Agenda 21 Co-ordinator 01203 831805
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