24th International Conference on Environmental Education

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PRESS STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF

ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM, HONOURABLE FRANCIS

D.C. NHEMA (MP) ON THE LAUNCH OF THE MEDIA

CAMPAIGN FOR THE 24TH INTERNATIONAL

CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (EEASA)

The Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA)

is a regional organization of countries in Southern Africa which was

established in 1982. EEASAs main thrust is to provide Environmental

Education practitioners with technical skills, information and

opportunities to share ideas and experiences in the overall effort to

protecting the environment and promoting sustainable living for all.

Since its formation respective member states have been competing to

host this prestigious annual conference. Zimbabwe has finally won the

bid to host the 24th International Conference of the EEASA for the first

time after some several unsuccessful attempts in the past due to negative

international publicity about our country. Countries that have hosted

the conference in the past include South Africa, Namibia, Botswana,

Swaziland, Lesotho and Zambia.

The above scenario presents us as a country and as interested

stakeholders with a mammoth task to show our regional and

international guests that Zimbabwe is still a sovereign country that is

part of the international community.

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Our country indeed has some positive lessons to share with the rest of

the world on environmental management, environmental education,

sustainable living and hospitality.

Today we are gathered here to mark the beginning of the media

campaign for the 24th conference that will be held under the theme:

The Environment for Everyone Everyone for the Environment.

Topical issues to be covered at the conference will include:-

1) Organizing for action in Environmental Education

2) Environmental policy in practice.

3) Industrial initiatives for the environment.

4) Addressing the challenge of sustainable development

5) Working towards best practices in Environmental Education and;

6) Translating the United Nations Decade for Education for

Sustainable Development (UNDESD) 2005-2014 into Action.

The Conference will be held at Belvedere Technical Teachers College

from 14 to 18 August 2006. Keynote speakers will be drawn from

countries like Belgium and Zimbabwe.

My Ministry in collaboration with civil society especially the Zimbabwe

Environmental Education consultative Forum (ZWEECF) and

Environmental Liaison Forum have developed several Environmental

Education policy recommendations and programmes and have been

participating at past EEASA conferences; and they are responsible for

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The media is indeed an important socialization agent as it can introduce

people to new ideas, attitudes and knowledge systems. We are

encouraging the media to promote environmental friendly habits

through the production of well researched, balanced and probing

environmental stories in indigenous languages as well as English.

I now launch the start of the media campaign for the forthcoming 24 th

International Conference for the Environmental Education Association

of Southern Africa.

I thank you

Tatenda

Ngiyabonga

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Documents

24th International Conference on Environmental Education