Kent College Canterbury was delighted to host the COP 21 Symposium, continuing the journey from Kyoto International School before passing it on to Reigate Grammar School.
The event began with an inspiring and thought-provoking talk from Peter Milne, who challenged students to think deeply about climate change, sustainability and the role they can play in shaping the future. His message set the tone for a purposeful day of discussion, reflection and action.
Students then took part in a carousel of activities and workshops, offering a wide range of perspectives on environmental responsibility, sustainability and global citizenship. These included Professor Jeff Allan’s hydrogen powered cars, which gave students the opportunity to see innovation in clean transport and engineering in action. Professor Allan is a chartered engineer and CEO of Jeff Vehicles Ltd, a company developing electric and hydrogen solutions for road and rail vehicles. His work helped students consider how technology and engineering can contribute to more sustainable futures.
Chris Turner also joined the the Symposium, from Edukid — a UK charity that works to remove barriers to education for children living in poverty and conflict around the world. Edukid’s work in countries including Cambodia, Uganda and Peru helps young people access education and wider opportunities. Chris’s session encouraged students to think beyond their own context and consider the links between education, poverty, sustainability and global responsibility.
Alongside these sessions, students visited an exhibition featuring a range of local organisations, including Canterbury Climate Action Partnership, East Kent Climate Action, Canterbury Food Bank, South East Water and Deal With It, among others. The programme also included a powerful ‘Climate Change: Expressing Emotion workshop, which gave students the opportunity to explore their personal responses (grief, rage, fear, hope) to the climate crisis through a creative lens.
A key part of the day was the student panel, led by Year 12 pupils. The panel raised thoughtful and challenging questions, including the need for greater education around climate change, the importance of active role models within schools, and the environmental implications of artificial intelligence. Their reflections showed not only a strong awareness of the issues, but also a clear desire to see schools take a more active and visible role in climate education and action.
The impact of the day was clear in the feedback from students, with comments such as, “You have really inspired me” and “I thought I would enjoy it, but I didn’t expect it to be so good.” The symposium provided a valuable opportunity for young people across the partner schools to learn, question, collaborate and consider how they can contribute to positive change.
EKST is proud to play a part in the COP 21 journey and looks forward to seeing how Reigate takes the work forward.