Nagoya, Japan, 26 October
2010 - The United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP), in cooperation with the Aichi Prefectural
Government and the City of Nagoya, has been
hosting the 2010 International Children's
Conference on the Environment in Nagoya,
Japan from 20-26 October 2010.
The International Children's
Environment Conference brought together
over 220 children and chaperones from around
40 countries and is taking place simultaneously
with the UN conference on the protection
of biodiversity.
In this forum the children
were given the opportunity to share their
experiences concerning the environment,
climate change and environmental protection.
The event also gave them the chance to discuss
the state of biodiversity and what they
can do to protect species worldwide in their
own lives.
The conference saw children
debate on the sustainable use of biological
resources, the implementation of laws and
ways to deal with invasive species. Nikon
offered them a nature experience program
which showed the children the connection
between living creatures (biodiversity)
and games with themes relating to biodiversity.
The outcomes of these
discussions will be a declaration on biodiversity
that is to be presented to the high-level
segment of the Conference of the Parties
of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
tomorrow.
The participants also
participated in field excursions, including
a field trip to the biodiversity-rich Komono
Town, where there was a tree planting ceremony,
and where the children learned about diverse
Japanese species of trees and biodiversity
sanctuaries around Mount Fuji.
The children also took
part in an eco-generation workshop organized
by Samsung Engineering, with experts presenting
on biodiversity; common problems affecting
the biodiversity globally and their solutions.
They also used the opportunity to share
and learn about the ecosystems of different
nations, and expressed their concern for
Mother Earth by preparing so-called "Biodiversity
Maps" of their regions.
Winners of the International
Children's Painting Competition were awarded
during the conference with cash prizes and
certificates. The international painting
competition is jointly organized as part
of a global partnership with UNEP, the Japan-based
Foundation for Global Peace and Environment
(FGPE), Bayer and Nikon-In.
The painting competition
is clearly a success story with many children
from different cultures, religions and countries
taking part each year. The competition this
year had an outstanding 3.2 million entries
from 95 countries.
The winner was 14-year-old
Coco Tin Chi Ting from Hong Kong, who was
named the winner of the 19th International
Children's Painting Competition on the Environment,
along with other regional winners from Europe,
Africa, Latin America, West Asia, Asia Pacific
as well as North America.
Adressing the conference
UNEP spokesperson Nick Nuttall remarked:
"These competition paintings and the
winners are sending a clear message to governments
that enough is enough: that extinction must
end and that the tiger or the elephant,
must not become a mythical creature to this
and future generations."
The theme for this 19th
Painting Competition was 'Biodiversity:
Connecting with Nature', in keeping with
the United Nation's International Year of
Biodiversity 2010. Next year's painting
competition promises to be just as exciting
with the theme: "Life in the Forests"
- in keeping with the United Nations International
Year of Forests 2011.
Notes to Editors
TUNZA is a word in Kiswahili
(the common language of most East African
countries) that means to "treat with
care".
The programme is based
on a strategy that aims to provide young
people with information and tools on how
to "treat Mother Earth with care"
and how to Act for a better world.
UNEP works in
partnership with Children from all over
the world. Children are represented by Junior
Board which is elected every two years during
UNEP's TUNZA International Children's Conference.
