19 October 2023, Rome – School children had the fantastic opportunity to learn about forests and biodiversity from the Forest Kids video game, shared through an interactive station for the annual School Assembly event hosted by the World Food Forum (WFF) Education Track and the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA). For this WFF Flagship event, students from Italy and around the world gathered at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy, and online to learn how food choices can enhance climate action from international leaders and youth activists.

The Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) team represented FAO’s Forestry Division with an engaging activity to raise awareness on healthy forests and to help current and future generations benefit from the Earth’s forests and its resources. Approximately 600 school children attended the event at FAO headquarters in Rome, exploring the span of FAO activities at divisional booths with the guide of a map. It was through this journey that the children were able to discover, enjoy and learn from the Forest Kids game.

“The immense enthusiasm of children and adults alike with the Forest Kids game at the World Food Forum emphasized the value of amusing and educational games that make learning fun and highlighted the broad interest of children to engage with forestry” said Anssi Pekkarinen, Senior Forestry Officer at FAO.

Forest Kids video game

With a noticeable gap in online information for children on biodiversity and forests, the Forest Kids game was created as an entertaining way to reach younger generations and teach them about the importance of forests and forestry. This game was launched by FAO with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Avoin Ry and was funded by the European Union (EU).

Forest Kids guides children on an expedition around the world to explore four types of forest – boreal, tropical, temperate and arid. Virtual travellers can spot flora and fauna, match pairs of animals within their biomes and sort non-wood forest products as they go. It is an educational video game designed to captivate new generations and raise awareness on the value of trees and forests to life on Earth. As a product of the joint aim between FAO and ESA to inspire children to explore and protect our planet, Forest Kids offers foundational knowledge in monitoring the Earth from space and sustaining it from the ground with the guidance of ESA’s Earth-loving mascot, Paxi.

Children from all around the world are invited to play Forest Kids, currently available in six languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish and Russian). Forest Kids is available to download from Google Play and the Apple Store, as well as to enjoy online at  https://www.fao.org/forest-resources-assessment/ForestKids/. Explorers and learners of all ages are encouraged to play Forest Kids today!

Learn more

• Video game: Forest Kids – Biodiversity

• Website: ESA Kids

• Photo album: Forest Kids at the World Food Forum 2023 | Flickr