Sembang@WWF 2020 (ref phase 1)

Sembang@WWF

About Sembang@WWF

What is Sembang@WWF 2020?

About Sembang@WWF

What is Sembang@WWF?

Storytelling connects us to humanity because it helps us relate and empathize. With the magic of storytelling, we created a platform called ‘Sembang@WWF’ in our youth programme. The session gives an opportunity for students to speak on various environmental issues. It aims to engage and transport the students’ mind to stories on poverty, haze, wildlife poaching, shark finning and many more.

Sembang@WWF is an instrument for us to listen and share ideas on what we can do as individuals to make a change for a better environment. Through this platform, our programme aims to build youth leaders who are fluent in the concepts of climate change and are aware of its unprecedented threat to our planet. We need them to empower everyone with the knowledge to inspire action in defense of environmental protection.

The idea hinges on one of the steps advocated in the strategies of ESD - informing and involving society in their on-going sustainability initiatives in their respective schools, teacher education campuses, universities and even communities.

Sembang though it alludes to a laidback sentiment in Bahasa Melayu, will be the total opposite of its linguistic meaning in execution. The word was chosen because it embodies the spirit on inclusivity of ESD. It also symbolises aesthetic value and traditional knowledge promotion, which are among the core values of ESD.

Sembang@WWF 2019 speakers. Last year's Sembang@WWF was held at

Soka Gakkai, Kuala Lumpur.

Sembang@WWF 2020

Sembang@WWF 2020 -

New Deal for People and Nature: Mobilising Youth for 2030

Why is the theme this year

New Deal for People and Nature : Mobilising Youth for 2030 ?

Nature. It provides us with everything from fresh air and clean water to the food we consume for our survival. Without nature, not only our basic needs are threatened but our environment, economic, social and health will also be affected. In a report presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we have approximately 12 years before facing irreversible damage caused by climate change. A rise of temperature beyond 1.5 Celsius would cause damage across many aspects. Yet, we are still utilising natural resources faster than the Earth can replenish. Our current consumption pattern globally would need 1.7 earths to sustain.

Human activities have reached a remarkable development and civilisation throughout all these years. However, due to human actions, wildlife are killed in significant numbers or have lost many of their habitats. Natural habitats globally continue to be destroyed due to agriculture, mining, development, pollution and lately, climate change. Wildlife populations have fallen by 60% since 1970, according to the Living Planet Report. Species continuously decline due to unsustainable consumption from hunting or fishing, not forgetting human wildlife conflict factor as well. Oceans, forests, rivers, peatlands, and drylands are facing continuous destruction and degradation. Our consumption patterns, especially in the way we consume and produce food is taking a toll on the environment. From polluting water sources, depleting and loss of land and species, to greenhouse gases emission, more and more natural resources are being used at an accelerated rate. On the other hand, half of the world is also facing food shortages with a third of food produced is being wasted.

Therefore, business cannot be as usual. Loss of nature is continuous despite efforts to reverse it. Besides that, the Aichi targets set by the Convention on Biological Biodiversity will end in 2020. We need a New Deal for Nature and People(NDNP) for both humans and nature to co-exist and thrive. Business, government sectors, individuals and civil societies need to be part of the transformation, urgently. NDNP serves as a global commitment to stop and reverse the decline of nature by 2030.

The NDNP which is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals targets to:

Locally, we have the National Policy of Climate Change and Malaysia’s National Policy on Biological Diversity 2016-2025.

In response to the global NDNP and Malaysia’s climate change and biodiversity policy, we would like to invite Malaysian youths to come together and have an open sharing on their personal views on the New Deal for People and Nature at our SEMBANG@WWF 2020.

School / Campus level of Sembang@WWF 2020 is now OPEN!

Interested to get the ball rolling? Organise a school or campus level Sembang@WWF 2020 & invite your students to participate as speakers. Shortlisted speakers will be selected to participate in the national level Sembang@WWF event on 18th April 2020 (Saturday) in conjunction of Earth Day.

Topics for Sembang@WWF 2020 :

New Deal for People and Nature : Mobilising Youth for 2030

The topics provided below look at different aspects of climate change and how it is related to our economy, environment and social aspect of our lives. Speakers should craft their story in relation to the topics and how can we play our role as an individual and society in the new deal for people and nature.

Please take note that topics in Category 1 is only open for Primary School students. Category 2 is open for both Primary & Secondary School students while Category 3 is open to Secondary School & Tertiary Institution students.

Guidelines on organising a school or campus

level Sembang@WWF 2020 :

Important : Only schools & campuses registered under Eco-Schools & FEE EcoCampus Programmes can participate in the school or campus level Sembang@WWF 2020.

Organise a Sembang@WWF 2020 at your school/campus, with a maximum of 7 participants. Remember, Sembang@WWF 2020 is a story-telling platform, not an elocution contest. (Please take note that place allocation for school/campus level Sembang@WWF 2020 is limited & is based on first come first serve basis).
The session can be conducted either in English or Bahasa Malaysia. Each participant is given an allocation of 15 minutes for their session. There will be no consequent Q&A from the audience.
Topics will be provided by WWF-Malaysia. The participants have to choose one topic from all the topics provided based on their categories.
A small grant for organising the school/campus level Sembang@WWF 2020 is available from WWF-Malaysia. Please take note that there are terms and conditions applied for the grant.
Participants could prepare for their session by looking into, but not limited to, the areas stated below.
- What is the issue and why is it happening
- Why do you care about this issue and how is it connected to your personal experience
- What am I doing to solve the problem
- How can we do something to help
- Always end their sessions on a positive note.
Participants can choose from the topics provided by WWF. However, if you would like to propose your own topic, please check with us beforehand.
Shortlisted speaker(s) will represent his/her school/campus as well as Eco-Schools/FEE EcoCampus Programme Malaysia to speak to the public on the finale scheduled on 18th April 2020.
WWF-Malaysia will assist to prepare the shortlisted speaker(s) in improving his/her script and presentation style.
WWF-Malaysia will provide accommodation to shortlisted speaker(s) who are travelling from a different state. Transportation costs will be provided or reimbursed (with issuance of official receipts).
WWF-Malaysia can provide a small grant (maximum RM500 for refreshment only) for your school to organise the selection SEMBANG in your schools/campus. .

Important dates!

To make your planning better, please observe the timeline below :

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I want to sign-up my school/campus for

Sembang@WWF 2020.

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Important : Only schools & campuses registered under Eco-Schools & FEE EcoCampus Programmes can participate in the school or campus level Sembang@WWF 2020.

Sembang@WWF 2020 topics