British Council, Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Wadi Environmental Science Centre are hosting the World Environment Day for the second year together.

What is World Environment Day?

The United Nations launched World Environment Day (WED) to stimulate awareness of the environment, garner political attention, and increase public action. This international event takes place every year on or about June 5th, and in past years cities such as Barcelona, Tokyo, and Moscow have served as the primary hosts. Activities for 2008 will be hosted in Oslo, Norway. People from all over the world travel to host cities, join-in on activities, and collaboratively celebrate our environment. Festivities, however, are not limited to the host country alone. Ever since the first World Environment Day in 1972, celebrations are simultaneously held in all over the world. Egypt is no exception, and plans are now underway to host Egypt’s 2008 WED event in Cairo on June 7 and in Alexandria on 12 June.

This year’s theme is Kick the Habit! Aiming to trigger peoples’ minds on the different daily negative habits they have and their effect on the environment. Such a theme is an extremely important focus for Egypt  

Why celebrate World Environment Day?

To increase public awareness of issues around changing negative environmental habits which are contributing to the Climate Change problem and the impact of actions on the environment, particularly amongst young people. Moreover, increase the sense of civic engagement by empowering the normal Egyptian citizen with enough knowledge base needed to take actions against the negative attitudes towards the environment in out Egyptian society.

What are the activities planned for World Environment Day?

At World Environment Day in Azhar Park and in Bibliotheca Alexandria you will have a lot of different activities to participate in. Below is a list of some of the activities that will take place. These activities may change, or additional activities added as the event draws nearer.

			Display Booths Booths are offered free of charge to environmental NGOs and institutions which have an environmental project, idea, or products to display and/or demonstrate.
			Hands-on experiments Young and old alike will be able to conduct hands-on experiments and learn about a variety of topics.
			Documentaries and presentations Environmental focused audio-visual presentations will be shown. Confirmed so far are Clean Industry Process Program of the United Nation Industrial Development --Organization Desert Development Program of the American University in Cairo, Clean Environment Process of the Italian Cooperation, and others.
			Environmental and cultural games Organised outdoor games will stimulate actions and thinking about environment, culture, and sustainable development. Desert Development Program of the American University in Cairo Clean Environment Process of the Italian Cooperation, and others
			Environmental and cultural games Organised outdoor games will stimulate actions and thinking about environment, culture, and sustainable development.

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