The Earth Focus initiative began in 1992 at a primary-school campus of the International School of Geneva.
The older students role-played a discussion on the future of the rainforest in a mythical country. They dressed up as miners, dam builders, indigenous people, environmentalists and members of a large financial institution and ran a heated debate for the future.
After this event, the students wanted to publish a newspaper.
It was agreed with the Bellerive Foundation (now part of the Aga Khan Foundation) and the Founder, the late Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, who firmly believed in giving youth a voice, to encourage the students in this project.
A simple newspaper was published raising awareness about many environmental and humanitarian topics. After several issues, a professional magazine publisher agreed to circulate the students’ work as a polished magazine, printed four times per annum working with a professional team.
The magazine has grown to include a greater number of students of different ages and nationalities, working together to produce, select and finally send the contents and artwork to the print manager.
The translation, into French, is done by the students at the Translation School of the Sorbonne in Paris.
Circulation is to individual subscribers, schools and organisations worldwide.
The readership is typically young people of all ages, as well as teachers, parents and others concerned with educational, environmental, humanitarian and citizenship issues.
The content addresses a comprehensive range of themes that aim to educate students on sustainable development, the environment, human rights, population, health, peace, consumer issues and the relationship of these topics with the youth of today.
A paper publication has been chosen because many of our readers do not have access to modern technology.
