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World’s Largest Living Animation: 1,500 Dutch children convey crucial messages to world leaders

Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum

Hundreds of children from Schouwen in the southwestern Netherlands came together to form the world’s largest living animation ahead of November’s COP26 summit in Glasgow, to demand world leaders take climate action right now.

1,500 students form world’s largest living animation

The largest living animation in the world was recorded on the morning of Friday 10 September, in Zierikzee. Nearly 2000 primary and secondary school pupils from Schouwen, in the southwestern Netherlands, came together for the ‘Act As One‘ campaign to draw attention to the climate crisis. 

All children were given a book with different coloured pages, which they had to turn over on command. The animation video was filmed from above, so that the colours changed in one smooth movement to, among other things, a large white heart. "It will be a video clip with music by the Zeeuws Orkest and the Middelburg band PEER," René Bosma of Act as One told Omroep Zeeland.

"It will be a film with a message, a film in which we show how important it is to take good care of the earth, that we have to get CO2 emissions down, actually to zero and that it is a call to the world to deal with that.”

After the event, the books were distributed between the participating schools to have another life in the crafts departments.

photo: Omroep Zeeland
Almost 2000 young people participated in the climate message in Zierikzee. photo: Omroep Zeeland Source: OmroepZeeland.nl
After the event, the books were distributed between the participating schools to have another life in the crafts departments.
All children were given a book with different coloured pages, which they had to turn over on command. After the event, the books were distributed between the participating schools to have another life in the crafts departments. Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
The grain silo in Zierikzee was previously painted for ‘Act as One’. Source: ActAsOme.nl
Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
The earth is warming, our summers are getting hotter and drier, biodiversity is declining, there is a lack of fresh water and we are increasingly experiencing heavy and irregular precipitation. The sea level is rising faster and faster as a result of our CO2 emissions. With all the ecological and economic consequences that entails. High time to take action. That's why ACT AS ONE!
Why? The climate changes at a rapid pace. The earth is warming, our summers are getting hotter and drier, biodiversity is declining, there is a lack of fresh water and we are increasingly experiencing heavy and irregular precipitation. The sea level is rising faster and faster as a result of our CO2 emissions. With all the ecological and economic consequences that entails. High time to take action. That’s why ACT AS ONE! Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Together with 2,000 students and adults, a unique animation is being made that will go all over the world.
What do Act As One do? Demand attention for climate action! Together with 2,000 students and adults, a unique animation is being made that will go all over the world. Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
It was an initiative of the residents of Schouwen-Duoveland, Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands, united in a project group. They work with various companies, foundations and many schools. Together with pupils from almost all primary and secondary schools in Schouwen-Duiveland, they are involved in the Act as One project.
Who participated? It was an initiative of the residents of Schouwen-Duoveland, Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands, united in a project group. They work with various companies, foundations and many schools. Together with pupils from almost all primary and secondary schools in Schouwen-Duiveland, they are involved in the Act as One project. Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
As part of the project, primary school children are organising a charity campaign to collect money to plant standard fruit trees, both on Schouwen-Duiveland, where each core will have an orchard, and in Bolivia.
Charity. Collect money for high trunk fruit trees. As part of the project, primary school children are organising a charity campaign to collect money to plant standard fruit trees, both on Schouwen-Duiveland, where each core will have an orchard, and in Bolivia. Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Zeeland is famous for its massive delta works aimed to protect the netherlands from storms and sea-level rise.
These children live in the Dutch coastal province called Zeeland. Zeeland is famous for its massive delta works aimed to protect the netherlands from storms and sea-level rise. Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
This makes it the world's largest living animation that we know of.
The children received a ‘book’ with different coloured pages which they had to flip through when a command was given. This makes it the world’s largest living animation that we know of. Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
To prevent future floods they demand the world leaders to take climate action now.
During the floods in 1953, previous generations witnessed the death of almost 2,000 people. To prevent future floods they demand the world leaders to take climate action now. Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Source: YouTube/Watersnoodmuseum
Make an Impact

SCIENTISTS WARN WE ONLY HAVE 12 YEARS TO HALT CLIMATE CATASTROPHE, BUT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER!

12 years isn’t a long time, but what humanity has managed to achieve in the past 12 years is good cause for hope and optimism. Here’s what you can do.