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Raised in Vancouver and Toronto, Severn Cullis-Suzuki has been camping and hiking all her life. When she was 9 she started the Environmental Children's Organization (ECO), a small group of children committed to learning and teaching other kids about environmental issues. They were successful in many projects before 1992, when they raised enough money to go to the UN's Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Their aim was to remind the decision-makers of who their actions or inactions would ultimately affect. The goal was reached when 12 yr old Severn closed a Plenary Session with a powerful speech that received a standing ovation.
Watch the document until the following passage: " … If you don't know how to fix it, please stop breaking it."
(2'36'')
Severn Suzuki:
The 12-year-old girl who silenced the world for 6 minutes
A. Discover
a. Look at the photos. Imagine where the girl is. Who is she speaking to? What about?
b. Make hypotheses about what she may have said to "silence the world for 6 minutes".
B. Listen and report
Matching.
c. Listen and write notes about her organization (ECO): How old are its members? What are they fighting for?
d. Listen again and list the things she is afraid of and why.
e. Pick up the four things she says the audience doesn't know or can't do. What is her final request?
C. Make it real!
You are one of your school's representatives and you deliver a speech in front of its board of governors to convince them to do something against "littering".
f. Introduce yourself, state the motives of your speech and say who you speak on behalf of.
g. Give a few arguments to take action. Deliver your speech to the class.
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