Jean Lambert MEP will be interviewed by school children from the City of London Academy in Bermondsey in a unique Question Time event as part of their project on the urban environment. The youngsters will be grilling the London Green parliamentarian about Europe, the environment and how young people can help change the world at the Roots and Shoots centre on Walnut Tree Walk, off Kennington Road, Lambeth from 4.30pm on Monday 28 January.
The 14 to 16 year olds, who have been keeping a regular web blog, will also present their research into children’s attitudes to the environment and politics. This event will precede a trip to the European Parliament in February when they will take their report to the European Commission and Parliamentarians. The Just Cities project, commissioned by Jean Lambert MEP, also involves students from Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam and is being coordinated by Southwark-based youth organization Capacity Global 1.
Jean Lambert, who taught modern languages in Walthamstow before becoming an MEP, said:
"I am delighted to be supporting this project and giving these dedicated students an insight into the decision-making systems that shape their lives. Many young people feel powerless to change the world and can become disengaged from their local communities. That is why we need to find new ways to turn our youngest generation onto politics.
"I hope that following this project all those involved will feel confident to participate in politics because they have the knowledge and tools to effect change. I would like all young people to understand the systems that govern them and how they can exercise their democratic powers to improve their local communities and influence wider international debates."
Last year, Jean Lambert worked on another project with young people from Newham and Hackney. The students produced a DVD entitled EU4U! which looked at the operation of the European institutions and how legislation developed there affects their local environment. The DVD has been used as an educational tool in many schools around the country to support GCSE Citizenship education.