About 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.
The theme for SEMBANG@WWF 2022 is Pathways to Net Zero Emissions. For the eighth edition of Sembang@WWF, we aim to:
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Encourage discussion & information dissemination between students, youths, and the public on how we could best achieve a net zero emissions target to combat climate change.
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Empower and inspire students and youth in educational institutions to participate in conversations and decision-making processes regarding sustainability.
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Influence individuals, communities, government, and businesses to adopt more sustainable consumption & production practices.
Sembang@WWF 2022 -
Pathways to Net Zero Emissions
Why is the theme this year Pathways to Net Zero Emissions?
In August 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its sixth assessment report with the main highlights of how climate change is widespread, rapid, and intensifying.
The big question now is, how does climate change affect our community and us? First, we see an increase in extreme weather locally and globally. Last month, we witnessed severe flooding and landslides in several parts of the country due to heavy rain. Two months earlier, the Malaysian Meteorological Department warned the country of a prolonged heatwave.
Globally, even some of the wealthiest European countries could not stop the wrath of nature and were hit by devastatingly heavy floods. However, these extreme weather conditions are not the only impacts of climate change. We are talking about rising sea levels, disturbance to food systems, and many more.
If we do not do something now to address global warming, we will experience more extreme climate events that will change civilisation as we know it. To combat climate change, WWF-Malaysia and many other organisations and scientists worldwide are putting together efforts to achieve net-zero emissions. We are advocating for the target of a 1.5° limit to the current rise in average global temperatures as agreed by the international communities via the Paris Agreement.
We need everyone on board in efforts to reverse the decline of nature and transforming the country into a sustainable nation by 2030. We see youth as important stakeholders. Their viewpoints and insights are crucial as we look into combatting climate change.
School / Campus level of Sembang@WWF 2022 is now OPEN!
Interested to get the ball rolling? Organise a school level SEMBANG and invite your students to participate as storytellers. Shortlisted storytellers will be selected to participate in the SEMBANG@WWF event on 23rd April 2022 in conjunction with Earth Day, an event organised by WWF-Malaysia (the Organiser).
Given the current situation with the global pandemic, SEMBANG will be a virtual/digital event, as we have adopted since 2020 during lockdown worldwide.
Topics for Sembang@WWF 2022 :
Pathways to Net Zero Emissions
All stories should be personal and from the heart. You are encouraged to share your thoughts about the topic, your personal experience, and what actions are being taken by you or your community.
If you want to include data and facts in your story, make sure you refer to credible sources, and double-check everything. Innovative ideas and solutions are also welcome, although we are strictly against plagiarising and copy-pasting ideas from the internet. The stories should be something you can relate to, perhaps ideas that have been implemented, or you are following up with related actions and something the audience can easily duplicate at home.
Please take note that topics in Category 1 are 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 (digital) school or campus
level Sembang@WWF 2022 :
Important : Only schools & campuses registered under Eco-Schools & FEE EcoCampus Programmes can participate in the school or campus level Sembang@WWF 2022.
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Organise your own SEMBANG@WWF at your school, with a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 7 storytellers. Remember, SEMBANG@WWF is a story-telling platform, not an elocution contest. It should be personal and the tone should be casual. (Please take note that place allocation for school/campus level Sembang@WWF 2022 is limited & is based on a first come first serve basis).
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The session can be conducted either in English or Bahasa Malaysia. Each participant is given an allocation of 10 minutes for their session. There will be no consequent Q&A from the audience.
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Topics will be provided by WWF-Malaysia. The participants have to choose one topic from all the topics provided based on their categories. However, if you would like to propose your own topic, please check with us beforehand.
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Participants could prepare for their session by going through the full narrative of Sembang@WWF 2022 as available above and looking into, but not limited to, the areas stated below.
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What is the issue and why is it happening
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Why do you care about this issue and how is it connected to your personal experience
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What am I doing to solve the problem?
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How can we do something to help
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Always end their sessions on a positive note.
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Shortlisted storyteller(s) will represent his/her school/campus as well as Eco-Schools/FEE EcoCampus Programme Malaysia to speak to the public (virtually) on the finale scheduled on 23rd April 2022.
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WWF-Malaysia will assist to prepare the shortlisted storyteller(s) in improving his/her script and presentation style for the digital event.
Important dates!
To make your planning better, please observe the timeline below :
This is interesting!
I want to sign-up my school/campus for
Sembang@WWF 2022.
Important : Only schools & campuses registered under Eco-Schools & FEE EcoCampus Programmes can participate in the school or campus level Sembang@WWF 2022.
Check out what went down during
Sembang@WWF 2021 !
Click on the posters below to watch the recordings from our sessions.
Contact Us
Please send your queries here & we will get in touch with you the soonest.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Programme
WWF-Malaysia