The European Union (EU) Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives launched its “Let’s Go Green” campaign in October 2023. Over the last six weeks, the campaign has showcased examples of what responsible green behaviour means in practice.

“Now more than ever, our growth has to become green to be sustainable. In Sri Lanka and Maldives we are committed to continue working with our partners in support of this transformation towards green and inclusive growth”” said H.E. Carmen Moreno, EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. “We wanted to do this campaign to show the public that going green begins with changes in our daily routines at home and at work. Besides big public investments, research and innovation, there are changes in our behaviour, as individuals, that are essential for a successful transition.”

The campaign included a series of competitions and challenges for school and university students to discuss and innovate.

In the spirit of creating a platform for students to discuss and debate some of the world’s most pressing climate and environmental issues, the EU organised the Let’s Go Green Inter-school Debate Competition in partnership with the Debaters’ Council of Sri Lanka, bringing together 27 debate teams from 17 schools across Sri Lanka. Similarly, the EU encouraged children to demonstrate their own green actions through the “Eco-Heroes Green Mobile Competition”, where young children below 12 years of age submitted videos talking about how they carry out green actions in their homes, such as recycling, composting, and reducing energy consumption.

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To encourage innovative ideas to solve Sri Lanka’s environmental challenges, the EU organised the “Sustain-Able Climate Action Challenge” together with Dilmah Tea and Genesis: Dilmah Centre for A Sustainable Future. Highlights of this initiative include ideas such as producing disposable cutlery using natural raw materials and inventing a ‘smart’ recycling bin that can segregate waste. Participants will be mentored by industry experts as they finalise their innovations and present prototypes at the upcoming Demo Day, to be held in December.

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The business community also plays a significant role in Sri Lanka’s green growth efforts. To create a platform for companies to discuss circular business practices, the EU, together with partners Good Life X, GIZ, and Expertise France organised Sri Lanka’s first ever Private Sector Unconference. The event brought together a diverse group of over 70 participants from sectors such as ICT, apparel, construction and agriculture to discuss how companies can integrate holistic solutions from the core of its operations.

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In addition, the campaign also brought attention to the outcomes and activities of various EU-funded projects around green recovery. This included the opening of 3ZERO House Lanka - an incubation platform that will facilitate local solutions on Zero Carbon emissions, Zero Exclusion and Zero Poverty; the design thinking boot camp ‘3ZERO House Lankathon’ supporting youth’s innovative businesses on waste management issues in Sri Lanka; as well as additional events dedicated to energy efficiency in the industrial sector.

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