Youths bear responsibility of environment care

Youths bear responsibility of environment care

JAKARTA (JP): Young people around the world must be committed
to preserving the environment today and be involved in decision-
making processes if we are to achieve a cleaner, more
environmentally-sound world, United Nations Secretary General
Boutros Boutros-Ghali says.

Speaking in front of some 1,000 students at Saturday's opening
of the National Youth Forum on Environment, Boutros-Ghali called
on young people to play a major role in order to achieve
sustainable development.

"You, and young people across the world, will suffer if
current trends continue. You will bear the brunt of the current
generation's failure to act," he said during the ceremony, which
was held at the Wiladatika Recreational Park in Cibubur.

He said that unless trends are reversed, the world's youths
will inherit a damaged earth and their chances for good
education, health and productive employment will dwindle.

"You, and young people everywhere, are an untapped resource in
the struggle to save the global environment. That is why this
Youth Forum on the Environment brings hope to all who care about
the environment."

The students, aged between 15 and 19 years old, came from
various senior high schools across Java and Bali.

From the total number of 1,000, 250 are "core group" members,
meaning that they were carefully selected based on their active
involvement in various environmental programs in their
neighborhoods. The remaining 750 were guests selected at random
from various senior high schools in Jakarta.

The National Youth Forum on Environment is a joint initiative
between the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and PT SC
Johnson & Son (Indonesia) Ltd.

Wisconsin-based SC Johnson & Son, Inc. was the sole sponsor
for the 1993 and 1994 Global Youth Forum which brought together
young people from all over the world concerned with environmental
issues.

"Core group" members participated in the forum's first
meeting, which began on Friday and lasted for three days.

Wearing uniform T-shirts and matching tote bags with the
inscriptions "Kita Peduli Indonesia" (We care for Indonesia),
they gave an enthusiastic reception to Boutros-Ghali, who was
accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas, State
Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and Minister of
Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro.

Boutros-Ghali, who yelled in Bahasa Indonesia, "Kita peduli
Indonesia" three times before his speech and twice afterwards,
said world leaders at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992
had already recognized the need to involve the younger generation
in the efforts aimed at sustainable development.

"They declared that...the involvement of youth in environment
and development decision-making and in the implementation of
programs is critical to the long-term success of Agenda 21,"
Boutros-Ghali said.

Young people make up nearly 30 percent of the current world's
population.

"This forum sends a message to young people everywhere. You
must become involved. Your voice must be heard. You can publicize
problems and help develop and carry out the strategies. With your
participation we can put our world back on a sustainable path,"
he said followed by loud applause from the students.

Ten students read in turns a "commitment towards the
environment", which voiced their understanding, concern and
intention to act towards the sustainable utilization of natural
resources, biodiversity, the atmosphere, water and energy.

Many of them are also committed to reducing, reusing and
recycling waste, supporting a sustainable lifestyle and promoting
cooperation, education and action.(pwn)