The European Union Trinidad and Tobago Delegation collaborated with the NGO, BAFA Sports to organize the Delegation’s first ever EU 5K Run and Tree Planting.  The event was DelTT’s contribution to the #ForOurPlanet campaign, to raise awareness about climate change and biodiversity loss, in conjunction with the 2022 Montreal Biodiversity Conference (COP15) which is currently taking place in Canada.

The 5K, which was a competitive run, featured teams from schools around the city, including St Joseph's Convent, St Francois Girls College, Fatima College, Tranquility Secondary, Rainbow Rescue and the Queen’s Royal College.  The school participants ranged from 12 years to 17 years of age. Some teams were joined on the run by their teachers, while Ambassador Cavendish and other Delegation staff joined for the first leg.

The 5K competition was held in conjunction with a tree planting initiative to promote the key message that healthy lifestyles and a healthy environment can go hand in hand.  Indeed, the mission of event partners, BAFA Sports is to not only promote healthy lifestyles through increased physical activity, but also to raise awareness about the green agenda – SDG 13 – and educate participants on what they can do to protect the environment.

Ambassador Cavendish in addressing the participants ahead of the run, stressed that while the climate challenges facing the world are great, it is the simple actions, like planting trees that can save us.  He urged the young participants to not only get involved with their own simple actions to save the planet, but also to use social media to influence and encourage their peers to do likewise.