Eight-year-old Liyanange Kithmini Wickramasekra amazed the crowd while narrating her story on Climate Change. Princess Ovalau Liyanange of Sri Lanka, who currently residing in Suva, is a student at Mahatma

by ashna kumar, suva

Climate Change

Eight-year-old Liyanange Kithmini Wickramasekra amazed the crowd while narrating her story on Climate Change.

Princess Ovalau Liyanange of Sri Lanka, who currently residing in Suva, is a student at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Primary School, presented her ‘Climate Change: Tell Your Own Narrative Story’ at the Vodafone Hibiscus Festival in Suva yesterday.

She said there was no other time better than the festival to draw the attention of all Fijians to the effects and importance of climate change.

“It is no secret that Fiji is spearheading the fight against climate change in the Pacific,” she said.

“Fiji is becoming the world leader in the fight against climate change. I come from the island called the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, and I reside in the paradise of the Pacific Ocean, Fiji.

“Unfortunately, both of these astounding nations are affected by climate change.

“In 2004, almost 35,000 people’s lives were devastated in the massive Tsunami wave and it left more than half a million people homeless in Sri Lanka.

“In the year 2016, Tropical Cyclone Winston left this Paradise Island devastated with the damage estimated to have cost US$1.4 billion (approximately FJD $2.83 billion),” Liyanange said.

She said to all Fijians: “Climate change is as real as everyone.”

Edited by Naisa Koroi

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