Youth Environment Parliament (YEP) celebrated World Environment Day in a ceremony held at the premises of Environment & Development magazine in Beirut. Hundreds of students and teachers from schools all over the country participated, along with representatives from the Ministries of Environment and Education, civil society associations and media. The event was accompanied by a display of award-winning paintings and drawings in a nation-wide contest organized by the magazine under the title: Me and the Environment. A thematic show on the impact of war on the environment was also inaugurated, in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). It covers twelve themes, highlighted in facts, figures and graphic images. It will be open for the public until Friday 8 June between 8am and 5 pm. The displays will go on a road-show to be hosted by 50 schools in Lebanon and the region between September-December 2007.

In his opening statement, publisher of Environment & Development magazine Najib Saab said that the event is a testimony to the commitment of the younger generation to the cause of the environment, warning that “work to save the environment is a national as well as global priority, which cannot wait for the political disputes to settle.” Talking about global warming, which is the World Environment Day’s theme for this year, Saab said that while the contribution of the entire Arab countries to greenhouse gases is less the 3% of  global emissions, “the effects on the region will be disastrous, especially from rising sea levels, as 18,000 kilometers of the populated Arab areas are along  coastal zones.”

UNEP’s regional director Dr. Habib El-Habr sent a statement to the meeting, which was read on his behalf, as he could not fly to Beirut due to UN security measures. He urged everyone to put the question to political leaders: “just how much hotter does the topic of climate change need to become before governments across the globe commit to acting together.” A UNEP documentary on climate change was screened.

After Joseph Sareeni, president of YEP, introduced the activities of the Youth Parliament during the present school year, a documentary on YEP prepared by the students was shown.

The event was concluded by award ceremony, presenting UNEP’s atlas “One Planet, Many People” to winners of the photo and painting competitions. Results of a recycling competition organized by YEP were also announced, and prizes were handed to winning teams by Dr. Berj Hatjian, Director General of the Ministry of Environment. Secondary School for Girls in Saida won the prize for small used batteries, collecting 3850 units. The prize for plastic bottles caps went to Antonine Sisters School in Hazmieh, which collected 6490 caps. Dhoha High school in Ghbairi received the award for used paper, scoring 395 kilograms in one month.