25/05/2023

TV Show ‘Ecological Hour’: Youth Activism in Preserving and Protecting the Environment (VIDEO)

As part of the project “Environmental Response to Mining Expansion in Timočka Krajina,” funded by the EU and implemented by the Association “Za Drinking Fountains” and partner organizations from Zaječar and Bor, education of young people about environmental issues and solutions is also included. Members of the “Children’s Center” in Zaječar, Selena Ristić and Marija Sebić, were guests on the show “Ecological Hour,” which is part of this project. They discussed how young people perceive their role and significance in the present and future regarding environmental protection.

“Ecology is not a boring topic for young people; it is, in fact, a social issue that has brought together all generations and different groups of young people who are united in recognizing pollution as a problem. What sets them apart is how aware they are of it and whether they know how they can make a difference or not, and if they know, are they willing to take action or not. Activism in this case depends on whether we provide young people with enough channels to express their opinions,” said Marija Sebić, a collaborator of the “Children’s Center,” at the beginning of the show.

“Activist awareness develops in them from an early age, but how much it will persist in individuals through growing up is another question. They are willing to explore and gather information that we later use for the texts of the plays we prepare,” said Selena Ristić, who works with elementary school students at the “Children’s Center.” These elementary school students, including members of the “L Down” Association, are involved in creating plays that will be premiered at Festival Nights as part of the project “Environmental Response in Timočka Krajina”. The first play, titled “Bestow a Breath,” was performed at the end of August 2022 in Bor, and this year at the Festival in Zaječar, the ecological play “Boy from the Water” will be performed.

As part of the project, a workshop on investigative journalism and training in digital activism and social media work was conducted with young people last year. This year, in addition to the second inclusive children’s play “Boy from the Water,” which is in preparation, five one-day workshops for young people will be conducted, during which they will visit some of the key pollution sites or, conversely, places with preserved biodiversity in the Timočka Krajina.

This show was produced within the project “Environmental response to mining expansion in Timočka Krajina” funded by the European Union, and implemented by the Association “Za Drinking Fountains”, the Association of Young Researchers Bor, Civic Library “Europe” Bor and Children’s Center Zaječar. The content of the text is entirely responsibility of these associations and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.