YOUNG Fermanagh Naturalist blogger, Dara McAnulty, was the keynote speaker at the recent Eco-Schools Teachers Conference, where he inspired the attending teachers to display ‘Eco-Leadership’ and empower their pupils to find a voice on environmental issues.

The event, which was organised by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and hosted at the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise, Greenmount, with support from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, was attended by 120 teachers and pupils from over 75 schools.

Dr. Ian Humphreys, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful chief executive, said: “It is inspiring to reflect on the fact that this Eco-Schools conference on leadership has been largely led by teachers and a 13-year-old keynote speaker, Dara McAnulty. Northern Ireland’s schools lead the way in this international programme that is helping schools change the world one action at a time, for example by banning plastic straws.”

Eco-Schools is the world’s leading environmental education programme.

It is a pupil-led initiative with the aim to make environmental awareness and practical action an intrinsic part of school life.

Eco-Schools is operated here by environmental charity, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

Schools work through a simple seven-step process towards achieving the internationally recognised Green Flag.

Every school in NI is now registered with the programme which is delivered with a range partners including most Councils and is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. To learn more please visit: www.eco-schoolsni.org