The European Union continues strengthening the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity in Armenia in line with the European green principles.
On 20 July 2020, the award ceremony of the three winners of the “Time #ForNature” youth poster contest took place in the Armenian Tree Project’s Ohanian Center for Environmental Education in Margavovit village, Lori region. The Contest was organized in celebration of World Environment Day on 5 June within the “EU4Climate” EU-UNDP project in collaboration with the Armenian Tree Project (ATP).
The Contest aimed at broadening public interest in climate change and environmental issues reached active engagement by 41 youth not only from the schools of Yerevan and regions of Armenia but also from ATP eco-clubs and Armenian schools abroad.
The “EU4Climate” project team, together with representatives from ATP, were participating in the award ceremony. The “EU4Climate” project Task-Lead Artak Baghdasaryan delivered congratulatory remarks on the winners’ achievement and briefed on the Project goals and activities.
“The human impact on nature is growing fast and your active engagement to this initiative is, more importantly, a public call for everyone to take on environmental responsibility and join efforts in preserving the ecosystems and having their own input in mitigation of the threatening impacts of climate change. With your works you voice the urgency of care for biodiversity and ecosystems for our common wellbeing, as far as it’s your, it’s our and everyone’s Nature”, concluded Mr. Baghdasaryan.
The winners in three categories, Armine Keshishyan for Graphic category, Arina Matinyan for Handmade Category and Vahe Sardaryan for Presentation Category were awarded certificates and travel packs filled with “EU4Climate” branded gifts and thematic publications from the UNDP Climate Change Programme, as well as received a free overnight stay card from the ATP Ohanian Center with full access to the Center’s facilities and the opportunities to participate in a forest hike, bird-watching tour and hands-on experiments in the outdoor classroom. Other encouraging surprises – “EU4Climate” branded gifts and thematic publications will also be handed to all the 38 participants of the Contest.
Time #ForNature” youth poster contest was a valuable chance to encourage and engage youth aged 12-15 to voice about the endangered biodiversity in their locals and come up with original messages or ideas to protect the environment. It served a good opportunity for youth to express their own perspectives and initiatives for environmental responsibility, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as to voice the urgency of caring about the remarkable values that the natural world provides us.
EU4Climate helps governments in the six EU Eastern Partner countries, including Armenia, to act against climate change. It supports countries in implementing the Paris Climate Agreement and improving climate policies and legislation. Its ambition is to limit climate change’s impact on citizens’ lives and make them more resilient to it. EU4Climate is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNDP.
Media contact
Ofelya Sukiasyan, Public Outreach Assistant, UNDP Armenia Climate Change Programme, +374 10 58 39 20 (13), ofelya.sukiasyan@undp.org