Sophie Smith, the inspiration behind Mitre 10 Takahe Rescue and a previous YHA New Zealand Young Conservationist of the Year Award winner leaves tomorrow (Saturday 19 April) to attend the 2008 Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the Young Agenda 21 Foundation of Norway.

The conference will bring together 1,000 people (700 children and 300 chaperones), between 10 and 14 years, from over 100 countries. The Tunza conference will run from 17 to 21 June 2008 and will be held in Stavanger, Norway.

Sophie’s trip to Tunza has been made possible through key sponsor’s Mitre 10 and YHA New Zealand in a move that reinforces both organisation’s commitment to the environment and New Zealand’s native wildlife. YHA New Zealand have also ensured that Sophie and her family enjoy accommodation through their sister organisation in Norway.

According to Mark Wells Chief Executive, YHA New Zealand, ”Sophie’s passion for the environment and native species is an inspiration to all organisations who demonstrate a commitment to a sustainable planet”. 

Sophie is one of two children from New Zealand who have been invited to attend the conference. Sophie will use the opportunity to heighten awareness of one of New Zealand’s renowned flightless birds – the takahe. 

Sophie’s profile within New Zealand’s conservation movement came under the spotlight when, as a ten-year old, she wrote seeking a major sponsor to support the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) recovery programme for the takahe. Her letter emphasised the close relationship she had built as a young volunteer helping to hand rear fluffy black takahe chicks at the DOC Te Anau Burwood Captive Rearing Unit.

Sophie’s letter led to Mitre 10 signing a three-year sponsorship contract and $200,000 being dedicated to takahe rescue and advocacy. Sophie’s campaigning efforts for takahe plus her regional school social studies awards were a decisive factor behind her YHA New Zealand win.

Mitre 10 has also used Sophie as the face of Takahe Rescue throughout New Zealand. The Mitre 10 kids art competitions have, each year, attracted thousands of entries. Sophie has continued to dedicate her time to increasing awareness of takahe including undertaking a guest appearance on a BBC’s Really Wild Show and some guest lecturing at Otago University.

According to Sophie, ensuring takahe survive in the Murchison Mountains where they belong and building a place for takahe in the hearts of all New Zealanders is her special hope for the future.

Sandra Geange, General Manager, Marketing Mitre 10 said “Sophie’s role in establishing Mitre 10 Takahe Rescue is living proof that the passion of a young person can lead to tremendously worthwhile partnerships between business and conservation”.

Editorial Note: Additional information on TUNZA

The United Nations Tunza Programme, endorsed in 2003, is a comprehensive six-year strategy to promote the participation of children and youth in every part of the world in environmental activities. It focuses on four thematic areas: awareness building, capacity building, information exchange, and facilitating the involvement of young people in environmental decision-making

The Conference is a follow-up on the decision adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, in Johannesburg, South Africa, which states that views of the children’s should be incorporated in decisions regarding environment. 

The Conference’s aims to increase the children’s understanding of environmental issues by providing them with a forum to share experiences and opinions and to collectively voice their concerns for the environment. It will also inspire them to initiate and implement community environmental projects in their school and community.