The noise the excited children made as they ran around the cleared space in the middle of the classroom almost drowned out the music. One of the hoops in the centre was quickly removed by the teacher.

The music stopped and the laughing children rushed into the remaining hoops. Two children furthest from the hoops did not make it in time and had to retire from the game.

The hoops represent habitat which is under constant threat from destructive human activities such as development, climate change, and over-exploitation.

The children’s game is part of a lesson focusing on biodiversity that forms part of Dinja Waħda, Birdlife Malta and Bank of Valletta’s education programme for primary schools, which is carried out in collaboration with the Directorate for Quality Standards in Education.

Over the past few decades, biodiversity has declined at an alarming rate. This trend continues even today throughout the EU, which has failed to stop this decline despite the Birds and Habitats directives, some of the world’s most effective wildlife conservation legislation.

All species, no matter how small, have a role to play in the environment. Healthy biodiversity is an indicator of a healthy environment, and this is why it is important to stop the current biodiversity decline.

Organisations worldwide are taking this decline very seriously. The United Nations declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, and the European Commission has set deadlines to stop this loss of biodiversity in the EU.

To celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity, Dinja Waħda is this year placing special emphasis on teaching children about biodiversity in Malta.

Through Dinja Waħda, schools are given an action guide with 30 activities teachers can carry out with students. These consist of lessons and games teachers can use to bring alive different aspects of the environment. Activities focus on a wide range of issues, ranging from climate change to waste management and pollution.

There are other activities that children can carry out indoors, including games. Other activities take place in biodiversity-rich sites around Malta, such as the Simar Nature Reserve in Xemxija, Foresta 2000 in Mellieħa, and around Gozo’s coastline. Through these activities, children get to experience the beauty of nature and see the threats to habitat and biodiversity for themselves.

Dinja Waħda has grown to encompass 97 participating schools out of the 105 in Malta.

This enthusiastic implementation of the programme makes it clear that schools have made teaching their students about the environment a priority.

During the Dinja Waħda launch last month, Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said everyone shares personal responsibility to preserve the environment.

Dinja Waħda aims to ensure children truly feel responsible, and empowered, to take action in order to preserve the environment.

Mr Saliba is Birdlife Malta Campaigns Coordinator.