Intro:

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, we just wanted to give a moment to the staff and
student organisers of Sha Tin College for making this event possible: Thank you for giving us
this platform to voice our personal beliefs and values.

One of the key global issues of not just Hong Kong but the contemporary world is the
problem of environmental sustainability - and this issue changes, it changes continuously.
And it’s part of what we're going to be talking about today, which is to have a sense of “get
up and go.” - A sense of taking initiative based on an epiphany, or a simple desire to act on a
greater cause - based on a personal metanoia.

I’m Ethan Yuen and this is Razeen Khan, and throughout our journey as global citizens and
comprehensive learners we are here today to talk about the theme of Metanoia, more
specifically how we acted on our personal metanoia and our personal change of heart
regarding Hong Kong’s environmental sustainability.

First of all, what is metanoia? Metanoia is a transformative change of heart - the very thing
we experienced as we opened our eyes towards the harsh and shocking reality of Hong
Kong’s environmental status. For us it was similar to a wake up call. After years of staying
dormant, under the safety and comfort of our own home during the time of online school, we
one day came across an SCMP article of our schools former environmental practices. This
got us thinking, has there been any notable environmental activities throughout the course of
COVID-19? Not really, at least none that were significant enough to make it to the SCMP or
be noteworthy enough to be acknowledged by others.

As we discussed this issue, it was quick for us to blame the pandemic, as it limited our
capabilities of partaking in physical and sustainable advocacy, but we was struck with the
sense of guilt and realisation right after. After all, action starts with us - regardless of the
presence of a virus or not. Sure, COVID had limited our capabilities, but it was us ourselves
that never took the initiative to step out of our comfort zone and act towards a greater cause.
And following this issue, we experienced our own metanoia, we decided it was time for us to
stop being lazy and take initiative. Staying passive and simply thinking about acting on any
issue is never enough - we had to prove our “get up and go” and to take initiative
immediately. This led us to demonstrate our “get up and go” by creating the youth
organisation EcoSol.

At the core of environmental sustainability is change. After centuries of unsustainable

practices throughout time, the root of the transition we are currently in and the transformation
we must undertake is change. Without the incitement to change, we will ultimately fail to
adopt more inconvenient practices that are ultimately essential to the future of our
environment. This is where the concept of metanoia is essential - the ability to change our
way of thinking, and adopt a different worldview allows for seamless integration of
sustainable practices in modern day society.

This “metanoia” changed our concept and our worldview regarding the environment. We
were able to change our attitudes and our core beliefs regarding the root of our problems,
which has allowed us to branch our way of thinking into different aspects of our lives. This
illustrates the importance of metanoia amongst people in our community.

Youth Learning Influence

Upon deeper consideration, we realised that we too were students of a continuous and
global learning process. Starting with our classes together in primary school, we had
already begun our transformation of becoming a global minded citizen. Now although we
were oblivious to it due to our innocence and young age, our primary school had also
brought their own metanoia upon us students - they were continuously attempting to
transform our way of heart and our way of thought, not just about the environment but about
the world around us on a macro scale.

Well, to be honest we were never explicitly told to open our eyes and acknowledge such
metanoia nor were we told to change the way we act. But instead, like many of you all sitting
here that have been through a similar education process, we were gradually exposed to
information that convinced us and spread awareness on the ongoing global issues of today's
world.

Significantly, as we take a walk down memory lane, one of the Global Contexts in the MYP is
"Globalization and Sustainability," which focuses on the interdependence of people,
communities, and the environment. Through this Global Context, us students were
encouraged to explore issues related to environmental sustainability, such as climate
change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion.

Throughout our primary school years, we were also emphasised towards interdisciplinary
learning, which encouraged us to make connections between different subject areas and
explore issues from a holistic perspective. For example, one of the mini projects we had in
year 4 together was to investigate the impact of human activities on local ecosystems by
conducting fieldwork in science classes, analysing data in maths classes, and exploring
ethical and cultural dimensions in language and literature classes.

Our journey together throughout our classes in the MYP program had subconsciously
encouraged us students to take action to address environmental sustainability issues.
Despite not being aware of such an issue nor what exactly we were learning, we were taught
to take on many forms of action, from individual actions such as reducing waste and
conserving energy, to community-based initiatives such as organising a recycling program or
advocating for sustainable policies.

All of this has helped us in creating a strong mindset and eagerness towards our action in
EcoSol, towards the HK community. By providing a framework for learning that emphasises
interdisciplinary, real-world exploration of issues related to environmental sustainability, we
went through our school's process of metanoia, and became informed, engaged global
citizens who are committed to creating a sustainable future.
Further Implications
By advocating to a wide audience that may know little to nothing about the state of Hong
Kong’s environmental wellbeing, our main goal is to incite metanoia in others as well. In the
same way that article prompted us to do something about the issues that hamper
sustainability in Hong Kong, we hope that - by advocating for sustainable practices amongst
the wider HK community, we are able to spark even a little bit of metanoia in others too.

Changing our attitudes towards the environment is crucial for addressing the many
environmental challenges we face today, such as climate change, deforestation, and
pollution. Metanoia can help us to shift our perspective and adopt more sustainable
behaviours and practices. Especially in the wider context of the world, metanoia is more
important than ever. This can be fostered through education, awareness-raising campaigns,
and community engagement initiatives. By educating people about the impact of their own
actions on the environment and pushing them to take responsibility, we can incite a change
of heart and way of thinking that subsequently leads to more sustainable behaviours.

Overall, by advocating for sustainable practices and leading by example, we hope to inspire
others to make more mindful choices and take action towards a more sustainable future.

In conclusion, as students who have acted upon their metanoia, showcasing their “getup and
go” for environmental sustainability, I believe that our efforts to promote sustainable practices
within the wider Hong Kong community can spark metanoia in others.

Ladies and gentlemen, Thank you for your time today.