Celebrating World environment day
World Environment Day is expected to be celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world on June 5, 1996, focusing global attention on environmental action and awareness.
As stated by the UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali in his World Environment Day message, "This day is an occasion to reflect on the state of our fragile environment. It is an observance that draws attention to some of the ominous ways in which humanity is imperiling its own habitation. It emphasizes the urgency of changing our attitudes and behavior, through responsible practices and actions."
Each year, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the UN agency responsible for coordinating World Environment Day activities, chooses a theme and selects a city as the main venue for the international celebrations.
"It is appropriate that in the year of the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II), the theme "Our Earth, Our Habitat, Our Home" has been chosen for this year's World Environment Day," says Elizabeth Dowdeswell, UNEP's executive director.
"The fate of cities will determine more and more not only the fate of nations, but also of our planet. If cities are to continue to be the engines for economic growth, as they have been throughout human history, their future development has to be based on considerations that are environmentally sustainable," explains Dowdeswell.
The international celebrations commemorating World Environment Day will be held on Sunday, June 9, in Istanbul, Turkey, and hosted by UNEP and the government of Turkey with a full program of activities. The events include a parade displaying environment-friendly textile products and the presentation of UNEP's Global 500 awards to 21 environmentalists from around the world who have made outstanding contributions to the protection of the environment.
The main event will be attended by the president and prime minister of Turkey, the chairman of the Turkish Parliament, the country's minister of the environment, and UNEP's executive director.
World Environment Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972, is a people's event, with governments and communities organizing clean-up campaigns, tree plantings, street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essay competitions in schools, recycling efforts and much more.
In many countries, this annual event is used to enhance political attention and action. Heads of state, prime ministers and ministers of the environment deliver statements and commit themselves to care for the Earth. More serious pledges are made which lead to the establishment of permanent governmental structures dealing with environmental management and economic planning. This observance also provides an opportunity to sign or ratify international environmental conventions.
World Environment Day is also a multimedia event which inspires thousands of journalists to write and report enthusiastically or critically on the environment. It is a visual event with television documentaries, photo exhibits and poster displays. It is also an intellectual event for those who organize and participate in seminars, round-table meetings and symposia.
"Each time an individual stands up for the environment or acts to improve it, there is a tiny ripple of hope. On this World Environment Day, let us rededicate ourselves not only to conserving the environment, but also to spreading the message of global environmental citizenship. The ultimate solution to every environmental problem, from deforestation to pollution, lies in each of us taking the responsibility for our own acts," says Dowdeswell.
"World Environment Day is a call for conscience, and a call for action. On this day, let us enlighten ourselves, not only for the benefit of our own lives, but also for the well-being of generations to come. The environmental crisis allows no time for delay. Action is needed now," states Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.
Special awards
UNEP has recognized the extraordinary contributions of 21 individuals and organizations to environmental protection by electing them to the prestigious ranks of its Global 500 Roll of Honor.
These distinguished environmentalists from around the world will be officially honored on June 9, 1996, at a special award ceremony in Istanbul during the Habitat II Conference, which is part of this year's World Environment Day celebrations.
Among the laureates who will be recognized and/or receive their award from UNEP's executive director, Elizabeth Dowdeswell, are the late Ken Saro-Wiwa of Nigeria, who led the resistance of the Ogoni people against the pollution of their delta homeland, and Nobel Prize winner Paul Crutzen of the Netherlands, for his significant contributions to environmental research which has lead to enhanced environmental protection measures.
Other recipients include: Lalita Balakrishnan of India, who spearheaded her country's woodstove program, bringing self- employment and energy savings to the homes of several thousand rural families; Garanti Bank of Turkey, for its commitment to conserving Turkey's natural assets; Carlos Roberto Hasbun of El Salvador, whose environmental activities have been undertaken at the grassroots level without publicity or fanfare; Professor Akio Morishima of Japan, a leader in environmental law and policy development; Bahuddin Hi Pabbite of Indonesia, for his lonely struggle to preserve the Maleo Bird; Sonia Regina de Brito Pereira of Brazil, for bringing to international attention the destruction of forests in the Amazon: and Tatyan Stepanenko of Russia, for funding ways to limit waste dumped into the Newa River system and the Baltic Sea.
The Global 500 Youth Environment Award laureates, who have demonstrated that one is never too young to make a difference, go to young environmental activists from Herederos del Planeta, a young people's organization from Colombia; A High School Student Group of Junior Journalists for Environment from the People's Republic of China, for raising students' sense of responsibility to the world around them; Wahn Lee of the Republic of Korea, for raising environmental awareness through a children's book; and Fatih Yilmaz from Turkey, for his dedicated efforts to beautify both his school and his village.
"In honoring these environmentalists, UNEP seeks to encourage individual and community action in defense of the environment. They gave all, not because they want recognition but because their concern comes from deep within," says Dowdeswell.