A day filled with presentations, panels and films by people who are making the changes in the world we all want to see.

Green School’s first Conservation Conference brought the change makers and DOers to the stage on June 15th. Over 40 speakers and moderators, from Bali and abroad, collaborated with Green School to create an unforgettable day filled with engaging presentations, critical discussion panels, and significant films, all speaking to the topic of conservation, be it the environment, wildlife or community.

Critical discussions were raised about the topics of marine conservation and the importance of working with local communities, forest conservation and sustainable livelihoods, and orangutan conservation.

With three separate venues, all offering something great, it was hard for guests to choose where to spend their time. The gym was also a popular spot to check out as it was filled with vendors selling eco-goods and NGOs providing important information for people to get involved in their projects.

No one expected the lunch time spectacle as more than 20 Dayak dancers, dressed in traditional attire took to the field to demonstrate their own cultural dance, which very few are able to see in Bali. The audience was in awe of the beauty and grace of all the dancers and many participated in the excitement by learning some new moves.

Within every session was woven the important thread of youth involvement and empowerment. We were pleased to have three Indonesian Youth Champions, from the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Earth Hour competition, join the conference. Each youth boldly sat on a discussion panel, representing an important voice within conservation.

We are very proud of our 2 Green School students, who started the Bye Bye Plastic Bag campaign, whom also sat among a panel, which discussed the connection between waste management and conservation. Panel and audience members were impressed by the poise and knowledge the teens were able to produce.

The turtle classroom which had been transformed into a movie room was bursting at the seams with all the people watching the special screening of the film, ‘Rise of the Eco-Warriors,’ which was being shown for its first time outside of Australia. This screening was followed by a special Q&A session with 2 of the film’s producers and 2 of the eco-warriors from the film.

As the clock struck 4:30pm, the lovely Dr Goodall took the stage to close out the Conservation Conference with her lecture ‘Where the Hope Lies’ followed by a book signing.

Guests left the event feeling inspired and motivated by the day. The energy was high and everyone was hungry for more.

We thank all of those speakers, moderators, and film makers who collaborated with us on this remarkably inspiring day. We look forward to working with all of you again soon, especially in collaboration with our students and future Conservation Conferences.

Check out the full list of speakers and panels here

Read Green School student, Shanti Pockell’s blog on the impact Dr Jane had on her