Knovva Interview with Marshal Z., an MG20® Alumni

Our EdTech company and host of the Model G20 high school leadership program had a chance to interview our exceptional delegate, Marshal Z. and talk to him about his experience at the event. Marshal was delegated the Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development for India during MG20, which is fitting because he has a passion for environmental protection.

Read his full interview below, and learn more about attending the Model G20.

Knovva Academy: Congratulations on your amazing accomplishment! Let’s start with a rundown: What’s your name, where are you from, what year are you in school… and what’s a silly, fun fact about you?

Marshal Z.: My name is Marshal and my Chinese name is Qingqan. I’m from China!

I’m a Senior 1 student — that means I’m in middle school. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever done anything really silly because I will think a lot before what I want to do. But I have a lot of fun things such as bike riding with my classmates, diving, and so on.

KA: How did you become interested/involved in climate change and sustainability?

MZ: I enjoy going on field trips, learning new knowledge through practice, and sharing this knowledge with others through discussion or group work. Also, I have been to a lot of countries, and have a partial understanding of the culture, economy, terrain and environment of different countries.

KA: How does sustainability influence your decisions? To what extent does your interest in climate change inform your goals (perhaps for a future career, or simply in how you purchase/consume/behave) or who you are as a person?

MZ: At present, many countries are making adjustments to energy and environment issues. An environmentally friendly and sustainable society is very important for a country or a region. This is not only related to our modern life, but also related to the life of our future generations. For their future, environmental protection is of vital importance. I really hope that our offspring can have a bright future. So that’s the reason why I decided to focus on climate change and sustainability.

KA: What advice do you have for other students who may be interested in following a similar path toward environmental friendliness and mindfulness?

MZ: I think field trips are a particularly good way to get a multi-sensory feel for the things or places that you’re studying (if you have an opportunity). This not only allows us to learn from the fun, but also helps us remember the information better. Much better than searching for information on the Internet!

KA: What were some key takeaways from your experience at the climate change summit?

MZ: Thinking about a problem in many ways, and learning from others’ strong points to offset one’s weaknesses.

KA: What was your favorite part about the summit?

MZ: I think the country round table meeting was my favorite. Communicating with members from other countries can make us friendlier, and communication also improves our skills. At the same time, we can exercise our critical thinking skills. This part felt like real brainstorming.

KA: What do you do for other extracurriculars?

MZ: I play the piano and erhu (a traditional Chinese instrument). I swim, play basketball, soccer, ping-pong, and tennis. I also study some academic-based stuff about math and economics!

KA: Looking ahead, how do you hope to use the skills and experiences you’ve gained at the Model G20® summit in your career or future schooling?

MZ: I would like to choose mathematics, economics and finance in the future, so that I can practice my ability to calculate and analyze when collecting information about the countries I represent. I will continue to use these abilities in my daily study.

KA: If you could invent something that would make life easier for people, what would you invent?

MZ: A brain container, which can easily record everything in a very short time.

KA: Fill in the blanks. The wisest thing anyone ever told me was ___ and this has helped me to ___.

MZ: There is no success without hard work, and it helped me to study hard and make progress every day.

KA: What is one goal you would like to achieve in the next five years (personal or professional)?

MZ: I want to be admitted to my ideal university, protect the environment every day and volunteer with others working toward the same goal, and preview some subjects that I will begin to study at university.

KA: Do you have any other opportunities for leadership in your life? If so, what is your perspective on good leadership? What does it mean to evolve as a leader?

MZ: I am a monitor for one of my classes now. I think good leadership should do the right thing in the right place, be active when you should be active, be serious when you should be serious. Wonderful organizational skills are also essential. A leader should have good relationships with classmates, too, which will convince the class of him or her.

KA: Any college plans laid down yet? Intended major or minor? Dream school?

MZ: Mathematics and economics. No ideal school in mind…

KA: What might people be surprised to learn about you?

MZ: Probably, my ability to make friends. I am very outgoing and like to make friends with people. I have a lot of friends. When I walk on the campus, I often say hello to my friends, my classmates are all surprised that I know so many people.