ISLAMABAD, 7 June 2004
- The United Nations System in Pakistan,
in collaboration with The World Conservation
Union (IUCN), WWF Pakistan, the Federal
Ministry of Environment, and Capital Development
Authority (CDA) jointly organised a seminar
and exhibition to commemorate World Environment
Day at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad
on 7 June 2005. The theme of this year’s
World Environment Day is
“Green
Cities – Plan for the Planet!”
.
The session started at 10:30 with a brief
explanation by UNIC Director Tetsuo Maximilien
Ohno about the purpose of World Environment
Day and the theme of this year. It was
followed by UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan’s message read by UN Resident
Coordinator Onder Yucer.
Mr Gul Najam Jamy, Head of the IUCN Islamabad
Office, and Mr Babar Khan, Coordinator
for Environment Education of WWF, highlighted
the importance of environment protection,
awareness-raising of environmental issues
among the youth, and environment-friendly
urban planning. The Director General (Environment)
of CDA, Mr Mazhar Hussain, gave a presentation
on CDA’s environment policies.
The chief guest, Major (R) Tahir Iqbal,
Federal Minister for Environment, stressed
in his keynote speech the participation
of citizens in the efforts to maintain
the clean and healthy environment not
only for Islamabad but for other cities
all over the country.
At the conclusion of the session, the
chief guest and other speakers proceeded
to the exhibition of posters, drawings
and displays of clean environment and
clean cities. The exhibitions and displays
were set up by schools, colleges, universities
and NGOs in the lobby of the Convention
Centre.
After the visit to the exhibition, the
Minister for Environment inaugurated the
bicycle rally by the environment club
members of the Islamabad College for Boys,
G-10/4. The Director General (Environment)
of CDA, Head, IUCN and the UNIC Director
joined the Minister to start the rally.
These cyclists carried messages to create
awareness about the environment-friendly
means of transportation and healthy lifestyle.
