Africa

Water Issues in Africa
The Theme for this year's World Environment Day "Water-Two billion People are Dying for it"
is particularly relevant to Africa, where the event will be celebrated with activities taking place throughout the continent, involving governments, youth groups, school children, environmental groups, and the general public.

In Kenya, and more specifically in Nairobi, UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa, is organising the following activities:

• A one-day workshop on water management at the National Museum of Kenya, with the participation of representatives from local communities, youth and environmental groups, and government organizations.
   
• Essay, Art and Photographic competitions among school children throughout the country on Water themes.
   
• A "Water for Life" exhibition at the Village Market, Nairobi, from 2-7 June 2003, where exhibits will include the best entries from school competitions.
   
• A debate cum T.V show on water issues in Kenya targeting youth.
   
• A Green Parade / Walk in the city of Nairobi.
   
• A tree planting session in five schools based in rural areas in Kenya, in collaboration with Bamburi Cement Ltd, under the “ Green Schools Project”.
   
• An Environmental Family Day on Saturday 7 June 2003, which will include a Music extravaganza by Kenyan artists, GO-Karting and Swimming competitions.
• The Environmental Action Support Youth (EASY) at Bindura University of Science in Zimbabwe is organizing a clean-up effort in Bindura Town and they are also organising a campaign aimed at raising environmental awareness in the town.

Bindura University of Science, Zimbabwe
The Environmental Action Support Youth (EASY) at Bindura University of Science in Zimbabwe is organizing a clean-up effort in Bindura Town and they are also organising a campaign aimed at raising environmental awareness in the town.

For more information, please contact:
BRIAN MACHINGURA
Email: bmachingura@yahoo.com

Blantyre, Malawe
The Society for Friends of Environment and Technology (SOFET)
The Society for Friends of Environment and Technology (SOFET) in Malawe will be celebrating WED 2003 by organising a host of events that include presentations, public talks, discussions on WED themes, and also environmental walks, quizes, variety shows and a raffle draw.

For more information, please contact:
Luchin Mtika
Email: sofet@poly.ac.mw
URL: https://www.poly.ac.mw/sofet

Angola
Joventude Ecologica Angolana (JEA)
On 4 and 5 June 2003 the Joventude Ecologica Angolana (JEA) will organize the Fourth NGO and Youth Conference on the Environment entitled Water and Sustainable Development in Angola at the amphitheatre in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This initiative is part of the preparations for the first Global 500 African Network Congress, which is scheduled to take place in Luanda in September 2003. The conference, an initiative of JEA, is convened every year on the occasion of WED and its aim is to inspire, inform and enable activities of civil society at national, regional and international level. The Conference will bring together 65 delegates from national and Angola-based international environment and development NGOs, as well as youth groups and students.

Life and Love, Nigeria
WED celebration in Nigeria this year takes a whole new form with the coming together of artists to celebrate this important event in an effort to reach out to the world through music. An album is to be released later in the year.

For more information, please contact:
robertiboro@yahoo.com

The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), Nigeria
The Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) will commemorate WED 2003 with the organization of a writing competition for students in tertiary institutions. NES is also partnering with the Lagos State Government on various activities including radio and television programmes, a 'green float' to raise public awareness. In addtion, all of the Society's 12 chapters across Nigeria will hold lectures and seminars to mark the day.

For more information, kindly contact:
profjidealo@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.nes-environ.org

Benghazi, Libya
Libyan Society of Friends of the Environment
The Libyan Society of Friends of the Environment is celebrating World Environment Day with more than 10 activies ranging from drawing and photographic competitions on the environment to a one-day round table discussion and workshop involving all sectors of society.

For more information, please contact:
ms_hamouda@yahoo.com

Kenya
In Kenya, the World Food Programme (WFP) is organizing a number of activities in the Kakuma refugee camp, including:

Water-related campaigns to drain stagnant water that is a breeding site for mosquitoes and other vectors. The targets will be public areas such as markets and roadsides. This exercise will also involve re-filling holes created from brick-making activities in the camp.

A jerrican cleaning exercise is also proposed to sensitize the communities on the need to avoid practices that promote contamination of water during collection. This campaign will include rain water harvesting, and the water will be used for tree nurseries and vegetable garden.

Green-up exercise (tree planting)

The following areas were proposed for the exercise: agencies’ compounds, schools and pre-schools, and community administration centres

Each organization in the UNHCR set up would be issued with 50 assorted tree seedlings. All representatives of the various agencies will oversee the successful implementation of this exercise.

General Clean-up campaigns take place on 31 May 2003. The participants will clean-up public areas such as markets, streets and hospitals.

Awareness campaigns proposed as part of awareness creation campaigns include: essay and art competitions for schools, a sports tournament to commemorate the day, and a public address/megaphone campaign during the week preceding WED.
 

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Asia and Pacific

Mandaripur, Bangladesh
Awareness campaign
The youth from the Youth for Social Advancement (YSA) organization will visit people in rural villages to share with them information about clean and healthy life.

For more information, please contact:

Sayem Talukder
Youth for Social Advancement (YSA)
E-mail: unmad384@hotmail.com

Lahore, Pakistan
Clean up the city
The members of the Forehead Foundation will clean the streets and the industrial area from chemical wastes which are thrown into the open space and they will then bury them in a suitable place.

For more information, please contact:

Muhammad Bilal
Forehead Foundation
Lahore, Pakistan
E-mail: bilal96150@hotmail.com

Pakistan
National Contest Among School Children
The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Sub Programme "Pollution Control" of the National Environmental Action Plan-Support Programme is holding a declamation contest among the school children of Islamabad, Pakistan. This contest will take place in Islamabad on June 3, 2003. The theme of the declamation contest is "Water-Two billion people are dying for it". The school children will deliver speeches on this theme in Urdu language and two children will be selected on basis of their speeches for a national level contest, which will take place in Islamabad on June 5, 2003. Various children from Pakistan will participate in the national level contest, which will be organized by the Ministry of Environment. The speeches will be made in the Urdu language and the maximum duration of one speech is 5 minutes. The contestant should be school children from class 8th to 10th. A consolation prize shall be awarded on behalf of NEAP-SP & Pak-EPA to the participating students.

For more information, please contact:
neappc@isb.paknet.com.pk

Lahore, Pakistan
Nationwide Recycling Campaign
A massive nationwide recycling campaign themed, “PROUD PAKISTANIS RECYCLE,” will be launched in Lahore on World Environment Day 2003. The campaign is launched by Tetra Pak in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Local Government and Rural Development, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Green Earth Recycling Plant, Packages and Waste Busters. The campaign includes a collection of post-consumer Tetra Pak cartons from schools and market places for recycling. Furniture made from this recycled post-consumer cartons will be donated to a underprivileged schools in Lahore in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. Tetra Pak will also provide over 100 leading schools with waste collection bins made from post-consumer Tetra Pak cartons. Students will collect empty juice and milk cartons and put them in recycled waste bins from where these will be taken to Packages for re-pulping.

For more information, please contact:
rauf.hameed@tetrapak.com
 

Penang, Malaysia
Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society
For the 4th consecutive year, the Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society are hosting a mini-festival at the Penang Botanic Gardens. The members/University interns and willing volunteers will run childrens nature education courses, eco-arts and crafts, scouts competitions etc. using native, organic products where possible. This year's campaign is to raise awareness on plastic bag reduction and they plan to invite a local percussion band, Aseania to finish off the day!

For more information, please contact:
Katharine Chua
Friends of the Penang Botanic Gardens Society
Botanika Outreach, 673-A Jalan Kebun Bunga
Malaysia
E-mail: botanika@tm.net.my

Albury, Australia
Environmental awareness
At Charles Sturt University, 40 teacher training students, in association with local waste management and environmental protection agencies are planning to run environmental awareness workshops for primary school students.

For more information, please contact:

John Rafferty
Murray Education Unit
Charles Sturt University
E-mail: JRafferty@csu.edu.au

Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
All Washed Up!
The Government Parks Wildlife Service in Alice Springs is planning to undertake activities with 9 - 14 year old children in the local community to help safeguard water.

For more information, please contact:

Emily Findlay
Community Education Unit
Parks and Wildlife
P.O. Box 2130
Alice Springs NT
Australia 0871
E-mail: Emily.Findlay@PLMBAY.PWCNT.NT.GOV.AU

The North Coast Institute of TAFE, Australia
The North Coast Institute of TAFE will officially launch its Environment
Plan - 2002 and Beyond, to coincide with World Environment Day. With
over 38,000 students across 17 campuses, the plan represents the
Institute's public commitment to taking practical steps to meet the goal
of learning for a sustainable future. The event will involve local
environmental stakeholders, staff and students from the Institute. There
will be displays highlighting the sustainability practices the Institute
has adopted, parades of clothing made from recycled materials and the
opportunity to win a worm farm.

For more information, please contact:
Email: Lyndal.Harper@det.nsw.edu.au

Jakarta, Indonesia
Sustainable Livelihoods Forum
A communicty-based forum on sustainable livelihoods will be held in Jakarta in celebration of WED 2003. The forum, organized by GEF's Small Grants Programme, brings together producers and consumers of earth friendly products in an attempt to initiate a dialogue on sustainable livelihoods among policy makers, consumers, and industrialists. The forum will offer an opportunity to listen to children's ideas about environmental practices and sutainable consumption.

For more information, please contact:

Avi Mahaningtyas
avi@ybul.or.id
www.undp.org/sgp

Pathumthani, Thailand
AIT, Student Union Environment Committee (SU_EC)

At the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), the Student Union Environment Committee (SU_EC) intends to organize the following events for 5th June:

1. A working seminar with speakers from leading regional organizations in Asia concerned with delivering water supply to the poor. The focus shall be on small- scale providers and service to the urban poor, taking action to achieve the MDGs in Asia. [Some possible speakers are from ADB/ East Asia and Pacific office of WSP, The World Bank/ GWP secretariat located on campus and others that you may suggest.]

2. Revive the nature trail along the water paths on our campus in participation with the AIT child center's environment club (children in the age group of 5- 12).

For more information, please contact:
Shagun Mehrotra
AIT, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120
Thailand.
Website : http://www.ait.ac.th/
Email : st027062@ait.ac.th

Matafele. Samoa (Western)
O le Siosiomaga Society Inc.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY TENTATIVE 3-DAY PROGRAMME June 6 - 7 2003:

• THURSDAY 5TH JUNE 2003: - LAUNCHING OF WORLD ENVRIONMENT DAY (Tooa Salamasina Hall) - PUBLIC SEMINAR ON WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY THEME: "WATER - 2 BILLION ARE DYING FOR IT" Resource by Coordinator O le Siosiomaga Society Inc, Department of Environment & Conservation, Samoa Water Authority, Health Department & Watershed Management experts. (Tooa Salamasina Hall) - World Environment Day Social Nite (Venue to be confirmed) (Tooa Salamasina Hall)
• FRIDAY 6TH JUNE WATER SERVICES (OPEN DAY) (Tooa Salamasina Hall DISPLAY OF WATER ACTIVITIES IN SAMOA (GOVERNMENT, NGOS, & PRIVATE SECTORS) (Tooa Salamasina Hall WATER - LIVE TALK BACK SHOW (1HR) ON NATIONAL FM RADIO INTRODUCTION OF W.E.D FUNWALK
• SATURDAY 7TH JUNE PARTICIPANTS LEAVE TOWN on charter buses EARLY MORNING FOR LAKE LANOTOO HIKE, LE PUPU PU E COASTAL CLIFF HIKE. Mountain Tops & Togitogiga/Le Pupu e National Park PRESENTING OF AWARDS END OF WED 2003 BBQ & PICNIC (TOGITOGIGA WATERFALL OR TAFATAFA BEACH) Itinerary prepared by O LE SIOSIOMAGA SOCIETY INC (OLSSI) 04/21/03 BY WED COORDINATOR SAMOA 2003.

For more information, please contact:

Fiu Mataese Elisara-Laulu or Dion Ale
Phone: +685 25897
email: ngo_siosiomaga@samoa.ws
URL: http://www.fspi.org.fj/FSPI_website_prototype/affiliates/samoa.htm

PNG Eco-Forestry Forum, Papua New Guinea
PNG Eco-Forestry Forum is putting together a Media campaign on the importance of water, in celebration of WED 2003. School visitations and lectures on on topics related to water will also be among the highlights of the celebrations.

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Europe

Turda, Romania
Recycling activities
The Potaissa Foundation will organize some special events (exhibitions, games etc.) to promote recycling activities with young people.

For more information, please contact:

Rosca Alin
Potaissa Foundation
Turda Romania
E-mail: ecocerc@greenagenda.org
http://www.greenagenda.org/ecocerc

London, UK
Corporate event
Land Securities, one of the UKs leading integrated providers of commercial property and property related services, will organize a corporate event with a range of activities to raise awareness of environmental issues amongst staff and also visitors to their shopping centres.

For more information, please contact:

Dave Farebrother
Land Securities plc
Email: dave.farebrother@lstrillium.com
http://www.landsecurities.com

Brussels, Belgium
Green Week

The European Commission organizes its Green Week 2003 (series of conferences, debates and exhibitions to raise awareness of sustainable development) from 2 to 5 June 2003.

This is the first time the European Commission has decided to organize its Green Week around World Environment Day, with the purpose of contributing to raise awareness of this key date. The general theme for Green Week 2003 is "Change Behaviour", as a follow-up of WSSD. The key environmental issues under debate will be sustainable consumption and production, renewable energy and climate change, and water. A number of high-level political meetings will take place, as well as the usual Green Week conference sessions involving stakeholders, special workshops for young people and children and an exhibition featuring interesting projects that illustrate best practice in the field of environment.

The UNEP Executive Director, Mr. Klaus Töpfer, will open the Green Week, together with the EU Environment Commissioner, Mrs. Margaret Wallström, on the issue of sustainable consumption and production.

For more information about the European Commission's Green Week :

http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/greenweek

For more information about UNEP participation in the Green Week, please contact:

UNEP Regional Office for Europe
Brussels Liaison Office with the EU
14 rue Montoyer
B-1000 Brussels
Tel: 00 32 2 213 30 50
Fax: 00 32 2 213 30 51
E-mail: info@unep.be

Sweden
GRID-Arendal

Grid-Arendal in Stockholm, Sweden is organizing a Conference on Food and Environment on World Environment Day, in collaboration with the Swedish UN Association, COOP and Municipality Association (Kommunförbundet) and others

Stockholm Environment Institute,
Box 2142, SE-103 14
Stockholm, Sweden
Email: hugo.ahlenius@grida.no
URL: www.grida.no
T elephone +46 8230460
Fax +46 87230348

Athens, Greece
Center for the Interdisciplinary Approach of Human and Natural Systems (GENATHLON)

The Center for the Interdisciplinary Approach of Human and Natural Systems (GENATHLON), a non-profit NGO in Athens, Greece is organizing a number of activities to celebrate World Environment Day (WED) 2003, in collaboration with the Municipality of the Port of Lavrion, the National Center for Marine Research (NCMR)/Institute of Oceanography, the NCMR's Oceanographic research vessel "AEGEON" (62meters) and the bathyscaphe "THETIS", the Aegean Dive Center's team of divers, and the 'CARREFOUR MARINOPOULOS' group, as exclusive sponsor.

The celebrations which will take place from 5 to 10 June in the port of Lavrion will include:

• An WED exhibition at the harbour on freshwater, seawater, the Aegean and the Mediterranean Sea and the marine research activities in the Aegean Area). The public will participate in guided visits to the vessel (made by NCMR's scientists) and to the exhibition (made by pupils, educated on purpose);
• An Educational Programme aimed at sensitising school children on the importance of protecting the marine ecosystem;
• A performance on Monday 9 June, by a team of local pupils who are actually wrighting the play (subject: "the sea through the eyes of soul");
• A series of WED events involving the public; and
• A clean-up campaign of several beaches (involving students from local schools) and the sea bed (involving divers of the Aegean Dive Center) in the area of Lavrion.

Paul Chrambanis

GENATHLON
24, Fthiotidos, str.
ATHENS 11523
GREECE
tel: +30 210 6921467
fax: +30 210 6919724
e-mail: genathlo@otenet.gr

France
EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre

The aim of the WED activities of the Eurocontrol Experimental Centre in France is to raise staff awareness about environmental issues. Events on WED on the water theme include: a stand: l'eau de la planete a la maison; stand: Degustation d'eaux de boisson; presentation: l'avenir de l'environnement mondial; stand: UNEP general events include: - art/photo competition "environment" - jeux et ateliers "environnement" pour enfants - promotion of public transport - exhibition of electric car - canteen "bio" theme at midday - stand: "on site" recycling actions - visits to local waste disposal + recycling site

For more information, please contact:

Eric Watkins
e-mail: eric.watkins@eurocontrol.int
URL: http://www.eurocontrol.fr/
Telephone: +33 1 69887581
Fax: +33 1 60844373

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Latin America and the Caribbean

North Side, Grand Cayman
Community Park
John Gray Recyclers are creating the Jared Ebanks Community Park in memory of Jared, a former student at the school, who died last Christmas. This park is to be established in an old quarry, an area of beautiful marshland and woodland. The students plan to work on cleaning this area and beautifying it for World Environment Day.

For more information, please contact:

Christine Whitehead
John Gray Recyclers
P.O. Box 174 NS
E-mail: johngrayrecyclers@hotmail.com
www.johngrayrecyclers.org

Castries, St. Lucia
Environmental Health
Over the years, the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) has undertaken a number of activities to commemorate World Environment Day (WED), including open house at the Institute, participation in exhibitions and visits to educational establishments.

CEHI in collaboration with the St. Lucia Chapter of Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) will be hosting two days of activities on 5 and 6 June. The celebrations will be open to the general public and will have a youth focus, and it is intended that students and teachers from various schools on the island will be in attendance on those days.

5 June will be devoted to a series of lectures focusing on the WED and International Year of Freshwater Theme. On 6 June, a water related exhibition will be mounted. Exhibitors will include non-governmental agencies, government departments and the private sector.

For more information, please contact:

Vincent Sweeney
Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI)
The Morne, PO Box 1111
Castries, St. Lucia
E-mail: cehi@candw.lc
http://www.cehi.org.lc
 

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
The Environmental Management Authority(EMA)
The Environmental Management Authority will, on WED 2003, distribute Green Leaf Awards, to individuals, organizations, media who have contributed significantly in furthering the environmental agenda. The EMA will also host an Environmental Family Day on Saturday June 7, bringing together all environmental NGOs, schools, environmental clubs and state agencies involved in environmental management. WED 2003 celebrations will be launched on June 01, 2003 with an interfaith service, with representation from the Hindu, Moslem, Christian and indigenous peoples of Trinidad and Tobago.

For more information, please contact:

Neil Parsanlal
Environmental Management Authority
nparsanlal@ema.co.tt
www.ema.co.tt

Ecuador
Black Sheep Inn
At the Black Sheep Inn 4 composting dry toilets which use NO water have been installed. This year a new washing area that will use roof-collected rain water is being built and recycled waste-water is to be reused to water organic gardens. June 5th is the scheduled opening date for a new shared dormitory made of adobe blocks and a thatch roof. The guests that stay at the Black Sheep Inn are constantly being educated about ecological water saving methods.

For more information, please contact:
info@blacksheepinn.com

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North America

Los Angeles, California
Fundraising for water projects
During World Environment Day 2003, Africa Well Fund will hold a fund raiser whose proceeds will benefit projects run by the non-profit organization Africare. The water for child projects are in Uganda and Ethiopia.

For more information, please contact:

Julie Cook
African Well Fund
oktobergirl@yahoo.com
http://www.africanwellfund.org

Montreal, Quebec, Canada
The Canadian Roots & Shoots groups, which is part of the Jane Goodall Institute, will deliver presentations to schools to spread the word on how young people can be involved in bringing positive change.

For more information, please contact:

Valerie Girard
Educational Outreach - Roots & Shoots program
The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada
5165 Sherbrooke West, suite 301
Montreal, Quebec H4A 1T6
E-mail: valerie@janegoodall.ca

West Asia

Deir Al Balah, Palestine
Generneral Union of the Non-Governmental Environmental Organizations
(GUN-GEO)
Palestinian NGOs are planning a number of events to celebrate WED 2003, including a workshop on Biodiversity in Wadi Gaza protected area, a clean-up campaign in Gaza coastal zone, and a tree-planting campaign in the main streets of Deir Al Balah.

For more information, please contact:
Ahmed Bargouth
Email: gungeogaza@yahoo.com

Dubai, UAE
Emirates Diving Association (EDA)
A campaign for water management, recycling and environmental Awareness is planned to mark WED 2003 in Dubai. Activities will include the printing of educational materials, an Environmentalcompetition in cooperation with Al-Arabia FM Radio Channel, and a press conference following the launch of the campaign.

for more information, please contact:
Ibrahim Al-Zu'bi, EDA & UNEP Global Youth Advisor for W. Asia
Email: edadiver@emirates.net.ae
URL: www.emiratesdiving.com

Lebanon
On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Middle East Centre for the Transfer of Appropriate Technology has organized a series of lectures on desertification between 15 May and 15 June 2003. The aim of the lecture is to increase students' awareness on the problem of desertification and ways of combating it. The location for the lectures are Aramoun, Britel, Aarsal, Hermel, Ras Baalbeck and Aanjar.
 

For more information, kindlly contact:
lama@mectat.com.lb