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Teaching Resources

Forest of Promises Activity

In November 2021, world leaders came together in the UK to plan how to tackle the urgent threat of climate change. Thousands of schools got involved and helped a forest of promises take root for COP26. Although COP26 has come to end, the fight for fair climate promises continues!

At the end of this activity, you’ll have a striking ‘Forest of Promises’ display for your school which will start a conversation about the changes needed to address climate change. Students will have the opportunity to create a banana, cocoa or coffee leaf with a powerful message to hang on the tree.

Create a tree of promises in your school

Follow these steps to create your Forest of Promises display…

Step 1: Make a leaf

Choose from the banana leaf, cocoa leaf or coffee leaf templates on the right-hand side of this page. You could also get creative and draw your own leaf shape, or find a fallen leaf from a favourite tree. Make sure it’s big and strong enough to write on!

Step 2: Write your #PromiseToThePlanet on one side

It could be as simple as promising to choose Fairtrade bananas to ensure banana farmers can effectively fight the climate crisis affecting their farms.  Or you could go further, and promise to try and bring about a bigger change in your community by talking to your local MP or school management, or starting a local club or campaign. You could even join the Fairtrade Schools programme – a movement where young people learn that, whatever their age, they have the power to make a difference in the world.

Step 3: Write a promise you want world leaders to make on the other side

During COP26, the Fairtrade Foundation called on politicians coming to the COP26 UN Climate Summit to be fair with their climate promise. We are continuing to ask politicians to invest in the expertise of the communities who see the realities of the climate crisis every day. To ensure a fair future for farmers and our planet, what promise would you like world leaders and politicians to make?

Step 4: Share your leaves with the world using #PromiseToThePlanet 

Share your leaves with the world using #PromiseToThePlanet before hanging your leaf on your school’s Tree of Promises. Why not invite the wider community to contribute to your display?

 

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