The Mayor of the County of Cork, Fianna Fáil councillor Gillian Coughlan, was the guest of honour at a ceremony for 100 students from six Cork schools participating in the Global Children’s ‘Our Future Our Planet’ designathon.

Organised by the Green-Schools Programme, the six schools are the first in Ireland to take part in the global initiative, which seeks to introduce students to the concept of design thinking with a focus on climate action and restoration of ecosystems.

The six schools involved were Muinefliuch NS; Gaelscoil Mhainistir na Corann; Scoil Mhichíl Naofa, Bere Island; Schull NS; Holy Well NS, Carrigaline; and Scoil Chlochair Mhuire.

Each had a ‘designathon’ workshop delivered at their school by Green-Schools and were then inspired to research problems and then: ideate, sketch, and create prototypes of their solutions around ecosystem restoration and climate action.

At yesterday’s ceremony, joint first place went to two class groups from Holy Well NS, Carrigaline; second place went to Schull National School students and Gaelscoil Mhainistir na Corann students came in third place.

Ms Coughlan highlighted how “Greta Thunberg started listening to scientists aged eight, and now aged 19 is one of the most famous environmental activists in the world”.

She added: “It is wonderful to witness the participation in the Global Children’s ‘Our Future Our Planet’ designathon, because it is your future planet, and all of us adults need your passion to influence us to change our behaviours and in turn become better global citizens.”

Dr Michael John O’Mahony, director of An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unit, said: “It is fantastic to witness the fruits of the designathon process here today with this group of students and their teachers.

“Rather than just tell them what the problems are, this process has given the students the tools to create real solutions, and they have given us real prototypes here today — solutions that could someday very soon help our climate and our ecosystems.”