Seedgeen 2.0 was launched on Friday, 24 June, 2022 at the Malta Enterprise offices in Pieta`. Below is the speech delivered by JCI Malta President 2022, Giselle Borg Olivier.

Honorable Minister, distinguished guests, dear friends…

It is with great pride that I am here as National President of JCI Malta launching Seedgreen for another year. It’s encouraging that, an idea developed during a JCI Malta Planning Weekend in 2020, has flourished into a flagship project, that has been embraced by the Ministry into its portfolio.

As an organisation that focuses on developing enterprising young leaders, at JCI Malta we offer Seedgreen participants a platform where they can hone their leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

Seedgreen is important on various levels. The obvious one is finding solutions to climate and eco problems – and we sure have many problems there. However, it goes beyond that. It allows young people to launch their project, to devise a solution to a real-life problem, to really make a difference in the world.

The problems with climate change came about because of people, so it’s up to people to solve it. The United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated

“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.”

The oceans and seas are absorbing the excessive heat that is being produced, which is leading to negative effects on marine life such as coral reefs dying.

It could become too hot to live in many places by the end of the century that will affect 3 billion people! We won’t be around to experience that, but we are around now – at a time when something can be done about it.

We are ruining our home planet, and time is running out – fast. If we don’t seek eco-friendly solutions, take decisions that promote a healthier lifestyle, and generally care about the world that we live in, the consequences are going to be dire. Not just from an environmental point of view, but also from an economic one. It will cost more on a global GDP level to do nothing, than it would if efforts to combat climate change were actually actioned.

And this is the point of Seedgreen.

Innovation, motivation, and commitment are three key characteristics that we look for in Seedgreen participants. We will provide you with the tools and resources that you will need to devise, develop and launch your solution; however, the passion has to come from within.

Therefore, I invite all young people aged 18 to 40 who want to live on a better planet to sign up for Seedgreen and be part of the world’s solution to climate issues.

For further information and to apply for Seedgreen 2.0, visit www.seedgreen.org