GEYC 2006 calls for creation of environmentally responsible youth

An all out effort with a high level of awareness on the inevitability of environmental protection against the hazards of increasingly soaring damages to the nature has become mandatory on the part of responsible citizens, especially the youth as well as authorities, said Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General, Dubai Municipality.

The inaugural ceremony of the convention, held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry and Chairman of Dubai Municipality, was attended by Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum.

The activities of the five-day convention, a global gathering of more than 600 students, and their teachers and mentors from over 40 countries of the world, had commenced on Saturday.

Lootah said indiscriminate use of natural resources has resulted in irreparable damages to the nature, and the ever increasing waste generation is also becoming alarmingly dangerous to the environment.

"Although the governments will play their due role in implementing many environment related programmes, its successful implementation needs the support from the society, especially its vibrant segment, the youth. It is therefore very important to instill awareness in the minds of the youth on the necessity of preserving environment for a good tomorrow," he said.

Lootah said it is particularly significant to provide the youth with the much needed moral guidance and inculcate in them a feeling of responsibility towards the society they grow up.

"A healthy society is the backbone of sustainable development and successful economies. Having a hygienic environment is the vital element for creating a healthy society. So, it is inevitable to have the participation of each and every segment of the society to accomplish this huge task," he pointed out.

Lootah hoped the convention will facilitate exchange of fresh ideas and earnest initiatives that will make positive changes in the lives of the young participants and ultimately serve towards the creation of a little more comfortable world.

The convention, which will last until 13th December, is participated mainly by students in the age group of 15-18 years.

Organized by Dubai Municipality in co-operation with the International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE) at Lund University, Sweden and the Euro-Arab Cooperation Centre with the theme, Peace and Sustainable Development, the GEYC Dubai 2006 will see the presentation of over 120 projects. More than 1,700 students had registered for the online course Young Masters Programme (YMP) on preventive environmental strategies in the "Road to GEYC Dubai 2006."

The programmes in the convention include project workshops, learning and interactive workshops for students and teachers, study visits, field works and special stage events, in addition to distribution of awards to Best Conducted Projects, Most Active Teams in Young Masters Programme, Best Presented Project and Ultimate Online Learner.

Professor Thomas Johansson, Director, IIIEE at Lund University, Sweden, said much more sense of emergency is needed to achieve peace and sustainable development that are large and critical challenges for all, now and for the future.

"The help of knowledgeable people and cooperation between establishments and countries are needed to accomplish this task," he said.
Hailing the students who have joined the Young Masters Programme, Johansson called for acquiring many more skills to face the complex environmental and developmental problems.
"We cannot just end up in developing the world economically and destroying the environment," he said.

Khawla Al Mualla, Assistant Secretary in the Education Ministry spoke on behalf of the Minister of Education Dr. Hanif Hassan.
Dr. Yousef Abu Safieh, Palestinian Minister of Environmental Protection spoke on Peace and Environment for a Better Life.

"In order to achieve peace, we should have peace with ourselves first and with nature, other eco systems and neighbours," he said.
Abu Safieh said good quality of life should aim for accomplishing 'Gross National Happiness' of the citizens.

He called for securing the needs of the present generation without jeopardizing or compromising the rights of the coming generations. "We have borrowed this earth with all its resources from the future generations," said Abu Safieh.

"We need to establish environmental justice to correct the distorted distribution of earth resources among the people," he said.

Students representing the participating country placed a piece of stone each brought from their countries on the stage as a symbolic act of unity in a ceremony. The Stone Ceremony was followed by a cultural presentation by students of Salma Al Ansariya School. The second day's plenary and projects sessions included a presentation by Dubai Municipality's Raed Al Marzouqi on Sustainable Lifestyles.