Iwokrama hosts local March for Science as Earth Day is celebrated

Today (April 22, 2017) has been designated Earth Day and in honour of this year’s theme close to one hundred persons from various walks of life turned out at the National Park to join the Iwokrama March for Science.

The Walk began at the National Park’s parking lot and ended at the Botanical Gardens, Georgetown.

The event was supported by Rain Forest Waters, produced by Banks DIH Limited.

Participants, decked in their green Earth Day t- shirts proceeded along Thomas Street, then onto Vlissengen Road to the Botanical Gardens for the completion of the event, where representatives from various agencies, such as Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund –Guyana (WWF) and the University of Guyana, among others reminded of the importance of the environment.

It was noted that in order to build a world that values environmental protection and cultivates sustainable communities all citizens must be educated. Persons were asked to desist from and discourage littering, destruction of mangroves, deforestation, use of plastics, among other harmful practices.

Earth Day 2017’s Campaign is Environmental and Climate Literacy. Education is deemed the foundation for progress; as such, the need to build a global citizenry fluent in the concepts of climate change and aware of its unprecedented threat to the planet is being reinforced.

The need to empower everyone with the knowledge to inspire action in defense of environmental protection was today highlighted further.

Environmental and climate literacy is viewed as the engine not only for creating green voters and advancing environmental and climate laws and policies but also for accelerating green technologies and jobs.

This Earth Day marks the first anniversary of the signing of the Paris Agreement and according to Global leaders, despite this remarkable achievement; efforts cannot be pulled back.