City's World Environment Week Programme Draws Over 30 000 Children

All over the world, during the first week of June each year, activities are taking place to celebrate World Environment Week. To mark this week, the City of Cape Town will be hosting its highly successful YES programme from Monday 5 to Friday 9 June 2006, with the theme for 2006 being Local Solutions for Global Challenges.

According to Councillor Marian Nieuwoudt, Mayoral Committee member for Planning and Environment: "The theme, Local Solutions for Global Challenges, aims to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations, and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future."

The City is showing its commitment to our environment and its children by hosting this event and would like to invite the media to come and share in some of the excitement. The programme will be hosted at 72 different satellite venues all over the City.

A total of 57 organisations with 82 presenters will give 83 different presentations and activities on a wide range of topics such as:
Plastics and plastic recycling, Water conservation, Creating your own earthworm farm, The variety of life in wetlands, Living close to nature, Slavery in Africa: past and present, All about whales, When Great-Granny/Grandpa was at school, Castle history and a visit to the dungeons, Responsible pet ownership, We can change climate change, and many more.

The programme runs over 5 days with four 45-minute slots per day, 9:30 - 10:15; 10:30 - 11:15; 11:30 - 12:15 and 12:30 - 13:15. There is a choice of 82 different presentations and activities.

To ensure that all schools have an equal opportunity to participate - especially previously marginalised schools - at least one bus per school will be available free of charge to transport learners.

For further information please contact Lindie Buirski, Co-ordinator for the YES Programme on telephone number 021 487 2284.

All media are invited to attend.

Issued by:
Lisle Brown
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 021 400 3065
Directorate: Communication and Marketing
City of Cape Town
Email: media@capetown.gov.za
Tel: 021 400-2201
Fax: 021 957 0023

Media queries:
Lindie Buirski
Environmental Educationist/Yes Co-Ordinator
Environmental Resource Management Department
City of Cape Town
Tel: 021 487 2839