Kids’ ideas sought for roadmap to the future

Getting young people to share their ideas and dreams for the future is behind a new creative competition being run in Taranaki.

The Taranaki 2050 Creative Challenge invites children from across Taranaki to draw, write, film and share what they think Taranaki could look like as a low-emission economy in the year 2050.

“The Creative Challenge is part of the Taranaki 2050 Roadmap which seeks to capture the ideas of as many local residents as possible,” says Venture Taranaki’s general manager, transitional economy Justine Gilliland.

“As the emerging leaders of our region in 2050, we wanted to make sure the ideas, hopes and expectations of our youngest residents were captured, and the creative competition is a great way to bring those ideas together and share them.”

Early entries have predicted cleaner oceans, more cyclists and electric cars, and pest eradication measures so successful that kiwi will be so plentiful they can become domestic pets.

“The competition is aimed at helping kids think about a low-emissions future and about what matters most to them,” Justine says.

“The themes and ideas that emerge from the competition will be fed into the wider Taranaki 2050 Roadmap development process, and the entries will play a part in the national Just Transitions Summit in New Plymouth in May.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is launching the competition today with a recorded video, and entries will be in to win spectacular Taranaki prizes.

Link to launch video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w52EFPgXbCg&t=38s

Prizes on offer range from a chance to join the Prime Minister on a Youth Panel at May’s Just Transitions Summit to a guided night walk at Experience Pūrangi, a day experiencing how natural gas is produced to a flight in a plane followed by a ride home in a Tesla, a school visit by a Fonterra milk tanker filled with tasty treats to a trip to the top of Port Taranaki’s chimney, and much more. For the full range of prizes, head to Taranaki2050.org.nz.

“The incredible prizes and support made available by local businesses, and the opportunity to sit alongside the Prime Minister to discuss the future of our region, reinforce the significance of this project,” Justine says.

“Taranaki has an opportunity to proactively shape how our region looks in a low-emissions future. It’s vitally important that we share that opportunity with the region’s leaders of tomorrow.”

About the competition
The competition is open to Taranaki students aged 7-18, who are invited to create a picture, piece of creative writing, or infographic/diagram about what they think a low-emissions future looks like for Taranaki or what they would like Taranaki to be like in 2050.

Entries can be emailed to hello@taranaki2050.org.nz along with the student’s name, age, school and contact information, or your creation can be shared on social media with the hashtag #Taranaki 2050.

Entries close on March 28, 2019. Entries will be judged in three age brackets, 7-10, 11-14, and 15-18. Winners will be announced early April.

For full entry information, terms and conditions, prize and sponsor details, and judging criteria visit www.Taranaki2050.org.nz and click on Creative Challenge at right.

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