(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles' National Botanical Gardens Foundation is for the first time this year hosting an international schools debates organised by the Trust for Sustainable Living.

Raymond Brioche, chief executive of the foundation, said the debates, which will focus on the world's oceans, will be held July 2-7 and will see the participation of around 90 international delegates. 12 Seychellois will also be participating in the debates. 

“These will include students as well as champion teachers and they are from all over the world. The event will also see local participants compete in the debate to be held at Savoy Hotel,” said Brioche.

According to Brioche, the National Botanical Gardens Foundation “is hosting the event as a partner of the Trust for Sustainable Living.  We signed a memorandum of understanding in 2014 and through which our staff has benefited from exchanges at the Living Rainforest centre.”

Participants in a debate surrounding climate change held in Seychelles in 2014. (Seychelles Nation) Photo License: CC-BY

The trust is a global education charity, based at the Living Rainforest Centre in West Berkshire, United Kingdom. The former Seychelles High Commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Marie Pierre Lloyd, is a trustee of the charity.

Its mission is to inspire more people to work towards a sustainable future. The charity also runs the Living Rainforest Centre, which is home to over 700 plants and animals including rare and endangered species of global conservation value.

The Living Rainforest Centre receives 100,000 visitors each year, including around 26,000 children who visit on school trips. Visitors can experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a lush tropical rainforest environment and explore how plants, animals, human needs, economies and cultures are all linked.

The international schools' debates have been organized since 2011 and are a learning opportunity for children and teachers.

Brioche said “this year’s theme is about oceans. Primary schools children will explore the theme “we can save the world’s oceans, seas and marine resources by2030” whilst secondary students will debate on why they believe the targets of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is about oceans, is achievable.

“It is such an appropriate theme as Seychelles is pushing its blue economy agenda.  The debate will be held over three days. On the fourth day, there will be a children oceans conference,” added the chief executive.

The conference is being organised in partnership with the blue economy department in the Vice President’s office, the ministry for education and human resources development as well as with different not for profit organizations.

During the one-day event, participants will be introduced to the blue economic concept being championed by Seychelles – an archipelago of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean.

Outstanding students of the primary and secondary schools debate will also take part in a panel discussion with leading marine experts.

Apart from the debate, the Trust for Sustainable Living also organizes an annual international schools essay competition.

The delegation for the Trust for Sustainable Living international schools debate will arrive on the island nation on June 30. The competition will be held at the Savoy Seychelles Resort and Spa at Beau Vallon in the north of the main island of Mahe.