Look: School Children Celebrate Biodiversity and Inland Waterways with the UN in Indonesia

UN Resident Coordinator in Indonesia Valerie Julliand and FAO Representative Rajendra Aryal were among a delegation of UN and Indonesian Government officials who kicked off a half-day event at an elementary school in Depok, West Java, designed to promote the conservation or Indonesia’s biodiversity and inland waterways among school-aged children.

Some 60 students and teachers gathered to commemorate the UN’s global #Only One Earth” theme on June 16 at Sekolah Alam Matoa, a private elementary school that highlights Indonesian nature and biodiversity in its curriculum. The event, which was live-streamed across the UN in Indonesia’s social media channels, saw students plant trees, release fish, and join an array of FAO and UNESCO-led conservation-focused activities.

“Protecting the planet really starts with loving it and all the species that depend on it,” the UN Resident Coordinator told the audience of five to 12-year-olds seated on the school’s lawn. “And that starts with enjoying being outside in nature, feeling the earth breathe around us.”

Below is a selection of photographs from the UN in Indonesia’s visit to Sekolah Alam Matoa.