Rwanda
was the global host to this year’s World Environment Day, which focused
on biodiversity. As one of the many events marking the day,
Oscar-nominated Hollywood actor Don Cheadle and acclaimed Chinese
wildlife photographer Luo Hong joined Rwandan President Paul Kagame and
UN Environment Program director Achim Steiner at Volcanoes National Park
to name endangered baby gorillas.
In Russia, Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin toured Moscow’s Elk Island nature reserve where he fed
baby elk with a bottle alongside a group of Russian school children.
When
one boy called upon the leader and government to enforce ecological
laws more strongly, Prime Minister Putin asked the boy to send his ideas
to the appropriate government agency, stating, “I agree completely.
Russia's
nature is a gift from God, without any exaggeration a wonder which we
enjoy every day and deserves our protection.” In the United Arab
Emirates, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority held events to raise
awareness among children about the importance of water and energy
conservation, while Cuba’s Environmental Directorate called for greater
protection of biodiversity, saying that the rate of extinctions has
increased 1000 times over that of 2002.
UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon echoed Cuba’s call, asking the international community to avert
the mass extinction of biodiversity in soils, forests, oceans, coral
reefs and mountains, as he stated, “Get involved, speak out. Learn and
teach others.
Show leadership and help clean up. Reconnect with
nature, our life force. Together, we can develop a new vision for
biodiversity: Many Species. One Planet. One Future.” A big round of
eco-applause, all participants of World Environment Day.
Let us
all join in dedicated efforts to live sustainably and in harmony with
the divinely created co-inhabitants that grace our Earth.
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=628&ArticleID=6605&l=en http://www.unep.org/wed/2010/english/messages/http://www.plenglish.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=194805&Itemid=1http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/enviornment/world-environment-day-observed-in-dubai_100376058.htmlhttp://rt.com/Best_Videos/2010-06-05/vladimir-putin-feeding-elks.html http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h-zkeeY0Gsz8ZRzeiiCmLSn-ERRA