MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES TO CELEBRATE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY ON 5 JUNE
Press Release
HE/932
MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES TO CELEBRATE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY ON 5 JUNE
19960604 NAIROBI, 30 May (UNEP) -- World Environment Day is expected to be celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world on Wednesday, 5 June, to focus global attention on environmental action and awareness.Each year the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations body responsible for coordinating World Environment Day activities, chooses a theme and selects a city as the main venue for the international celebrations.
This year, the international celebrations commemorating the Day will be held on Sunday, 9 June, in Istanbul, Turkey, and hosted by UNEP and the Government of Turkey with a full programme of activities, including a parade displaying environment-friendly products, photographic exhibitions on the environment, a fashion show of 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 for the Environment and UNEP's Executive Director.
World Environment Day (5 June), established by the 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 for the environment deliver statements and commit themselves to care for the earth. Pledges leading to the establishment of permanent governmental structures dealing with environmental management and economic planning are also made. This observance also provides an opportunity to sign or ratify international environmental conventions.
World Environment Day is also a multi-media 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.
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