THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Goethe-Zentrum Trivandrum is joining the students of the Trivandrum International School to revamp the market at Pothencode as part of ‘Greening with Goethe’ - a national-level Green initiative of Goethe-Institut India."The market is a busy one but the surroundings are filthy. Waste water is stagnating, causing the growth of mosquitoes and flies,’’ Goethe-Zentrum director Syed Ibrahim said in a statement.Solid waste is dumped inside the market itself, causing air and water pollution. Food products are being sold in an unhygienic manner. There is a well, situated in a corner of the market, where plastic and other kinds of waste are being dumped. As a result, the water in the well is unfit for consumption. The whole area is so dirty that there is a constant foul smell emanating from the market, resultantly disturbing ordinary life."At the end of this project, we intend to give a complete ‘green’ makeover to this busy and important marketplace,’’ he said.Goethe-Institut India is collaborating with Indian schools to offer students the opportunity to participate in an environmental project "at their own doorstep".Youngsters can be made aware about environmental protection - especially when they experience it first-hand. This is exactly what ‘Greening with Goethe’ aims to do. The project, initiated by the Goethe-Institut in cooperation with the Centre for Environmental Research (UFT) at the University of Bremen, Germany, involves about 30 Indian and German schools.The project has barely begun, but it has already been recognised by UNESCO as a major contribution to the UN Decade 2011-12 of the World Decade of the United Nations Organisation. This international initiative aims to spread awareness about the principles of sustainable development, simultaneously attempting to make it a part of the school curriculum.The time frame of 2005 to 2014 has therefore been declared as world decade of ‘Education for Sustainable Development’. To be noted is the fact that this relatively ‘young’ project, ‘Greening with Goethe’, has been acclaimed at its outset.In December 2011, a Youth Conference will be held in Bangalore, hosted by the Delhi Public School South, a partner of the Goethe-Institut. Young delegates will present their ideas and compile them into a catalogue of action for each area selected, thus making a personal commitment.Interestingly, much of the conference will be conducted in German, as all participants are German language students.
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