From Sharpeville to Yerevan
Five learners who captivated delegates at South Africa’s global flagship celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity are preparing to take their poetry, culture and call for environmental action from Sharpeville to the global stage in Yerevan, Armenia, following an appeal by Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Mr Narend Singh, for their voices to be heard at COP17.
General Manager: Biodiversity Information and Policy Advice, Mahlodi Tau with Dr Monica Mwale and biodiversity ambassadors at Yerevan Armenia.
The 2026 International Day for Biological Diversity event, hosted by South Africa on 22 May 2026, was the global flagship celebration that brought together government representatives, conservation practitioners, partners and other stakeholders. These learners from Lekoa Shandu secondary school and Tsoanang primary school in Sharpeville, Gauteng province, delivered a performance combining praise poetry, song, cultural expression and a passionate message about biodiversity.
With confidence and conviction, they spoke for forests under pressure, polluted rivers, disappearing species and the natural systems on which human life depends. Their performance did more than entertain. It gave a youthful, distinctly South African voice to a global challenge and emerged as one of the flagship celebration’s most memorable moments. Moved by their performance, Deputy Minister Singh appealed for the learners to be given the opportunity to perform at COP17 in Yerevan. His appeal opened the door for Keabetswe Kambule, Matlotlo Motaung, Itumeleng Magaqa, Itumeleng Motaung and Alice Mojaki to take their message to an international audience.
SANBI CEO, Shonisani Munzhedzi, with biodiversity ambassadors at COP 17 in Yerevan, Armenia.
They participate in the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, known as CBD COP17, which is underway in Yerevan, Armenia from 19 – 30 0ctober 2026.
Article courtesy of DFFE