PETALING JAYA: Children should be given the space not just to adapt to the future, but also to help shape it, says O-Earth Founding Schools Circle lead Chan Quin Er.
“Too often, adults speak from the stage while young people sit below, take notes and listen.
"But when the discussion ends, they are not necessarily involved in deciding what happens next,” she said in a radio interview with 988FM on Tuesday (Oct 20).
Chan said children needed more than academic knowledge and technological skills.
They also needed opportunities to develop empathy, make responsible choices and understand how their actions affected others and the natural world.
“Children are constantly absorbing knowledge, but we also need to give them space to reflect, to breathe and to discover their own potential,” she said.
These ideas will be explored at O-Earth 2026, themed “A New World Movement”, a two-day gathering scheduled for Nov 14 and 15 at the Shih Chung heritage site in George Town, Penang.
The event aims to bring together students, educators, parents and business people from different generations through discussions and hands-on experiences centred on sustainability, education and wellbeing.
Chan said O-Earth was built around three interconnected ideas - loving people, loving life and loving the Earth, which could be practised through everyday actions rather than treated as abstract ideals.
“Love does not have to begin with grand gestures. Sometimes, it is as simple as putting our phones aside at the dining table and being fully present with our families.
“When we care about where the food on our plates comes from, we are also learning to appreciate life. And when we extend that care to our oceans, forests and the natural world, we are putting our love for the Earth into practice,” she said.
Chan, who will lead Journey 7 at the event, said the session would examine whether children were being equipped to become creators and problem-solvers, and whether the education system gave them enough room to develop those abilities.
She said learning should make space for curiosity, creativity and exploration, with teachers acting as facilitators who help students recognise their potential rather than merely transmit knowledge.
The programme will feature 10 themed journeys taking place simultaneously at different locations around Penang on the second day.
Participants will choose one based on their interests before returning to the 0main gathering to share their reflections and possible action plans.
Activities discussed in the interview include repurposing old clothing and preparing food without a recipe. These are intended to encourage participants to examine their habits, creativity and approach to problem-solving.
Chan said the gathering was intended not simply to impart information, but to encourage participants to bring what they learnt back to their schools, workplaces and communities.
“We want people to return to their daily lives with a deeper awareness of how they treat others, how they relate to other living things and how their actions affect the Earth,” she said.
She added that the event would be a starting point for continued collaboration among schools and other participants, with the longer-term aim of developing practical ideas that could be applied in their respective communities.
For more information on O-Earth 2026, registration and participation opportunities, visit www.oearth.org or email love@oearth.org.
Registration for students participating through the schools programme closes on Oct 31.
