Venta school plants tree for UN event:

By SARAH TRANT

West Carleton Review (Friday, September 26, 2008)

 

Last Monday, West Carleton's Venta Preparatory School was one of a group of 1,000 schools around the world that observed Global Tree Planting Day, an event introduced by the United Nations as part of its Billion Tree campaign.

Guests of honour for the occasion were Lithuanian Ambassador, Her Excellency Ginte Damusis, who arrived with with Dr. Agatha Sidlauskas, a fellow Lithuanian, who founded the school in 1981 and whose educational expertise is recognized the world over.

In a short speech, Damusis told the students the day had been chosen because it is the fall equinox when we have 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness.

As the sun moves around the earth, trees will be planted in Asia, Europe, Africa and America; ending in the islands of Samoa.

"Today," said the ambassador, "you join with thousands of other children the world over, in commemorating a day that stands to remind each and every one of us of our responsibilities in safe-guarding the health of our planet."

Damusis then told the assembly "I'm here because of a very special link that my country has with your school. Dr. Sidlauskas, a fellow countryman who is with me today, founded your school. She founded it on principles she had established as an educator. Principles that have been recognized and earned her respect and honour across the global field of education. I am so happy and so very proud that she is able to be with me today."

After the ambassador, Dr. Sidlauskas, and school representative Justice Iris, who calls Bermuda home, had completed the formalities of spading earth around the fir, the ceremony ended with grades 1 and 2 singing a song with lyrics written especially for the occasion.