RESULT: UGANDA competition, 2024
On Saturday 13 April 2024, St Mark’s College, Namagoma, Uganda (www.stmark.sc.ug), hosted the first-ever Speaking 4 the Planet competition in Africa. The college invited participation through its many clubs, and the competition theme was, Use your philosophy as a club to address environmental challenges.
Students aged 12-20 participated. Participation was free.
11 clubs participated with over 200 participants from all clubs. They set up interactive booths and displays to showcase their activities. Every participant received a certificate of participation and the outstanding participants got golden medals.
Clubs ranged from academic – Debate & Writers, ICT, Maths, Entrepreneurship, Swahili (EAC) and Science – to creative – Art, Cultural – to community service – Wildlife, Interact, Red Cross, Patriotism.
Each participating club presented four items:
• Junior speaker (12-15yrs old): Maximum time 4 minutes
• Senior speaker (16-20yrs old): Maximum time 4 minutes
• Art: One person speaks for maximum 1minute about the artwork.
• One other item chosen from Drama, Dance, Poetry: Maximum time 4 minutes.
The winning club was the Science Club. The club was awarded a Goat. Every club received a certificate of participation as a club.
Students and teachers alike engaged in hands-on activities, demonstrations, and performances such as tree planting, art & crafts, knitting, recycling, making tangible items like dust bins from dumped bottles, and others.
As a result of this successful event, the school’s Director proposed that May 1st (Labor day) of every year be Clubs Day.
“Environmental sustainability is not just a moral obligation, but an economic imperative. The health of our planet is crucial for the well-being of our businesses and communities.”
Wildlife Club
“We must recognize the intrinsic value of nature and take action to preserve it for future generations. Sustainability is not a choice, it’s a necessity.”
EAC club
