The Scouts Association of Guyana, PAHO/WHO and the US Embassy all engaged in public awareness and clean-up exercises on Saturday as part of the Clean Up the World and Day2Shine environmental campaign focused on cultivating sound environmental practices.
District Commissioner of the Association Dominique Van Sluytman said the exercise was part of a global movement that aims to inspire and empower communities to preserve the natural environment. This year is the fourth time the Scouts have participated and members cleaned the parapets and roadway on Woolford Avenue, while other groups hosted similar exercises in Berbice, Linden and West Demerara.
This year’s campaign was held under the theme ‘Our Place…Our Planet…Our Responsibility.’
“As the largest and oldest youth organisation in Guyana, we are very proud to be a part of this global movement and hope that our participation serves to encourage communities across the country to be conscious and protective of the environment,” Van Sluytman said in a press release.
Clean Up the World is one of the largest environmental campaigns in the world mobilizing an estimated 35 million volunteers from 130 countries. This is the 20th year it has hosted this exercise, in collaboration with the United National Environmental Programme (UNEP). The Scouts Association said previously this campaign had taken the form of coastal clean-ups, tree planting exercises and environmental workshops.
Meanwhile, PAHO/WHO said the ‘Commemoration of Cleanliness and Citizenship Day’ or Day2Shine which was originally called DIADESOL was established by the Cancun Declaration on November 1, 2002 and is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in September. The declaration was signed by other like-minded groups such as the Organization of American States, the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Environmental Programme, the Economic commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Caribbean Water and Wastewater, the International Solid Waste Association and the Inter-American Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering and focuses on behavioural change and stimulating the public and private sector on the need to improve attitudes and practices in the management of solid waste and garbage.
Specifically, the group said for this year’s Day2Shine observances it wanted to highlight that proper solid waste management is an essential element of human development and dignity; that individuals, communities, civil society and government institutions can work together to promote behavioural change to make Guyana Open Garbage Disposal Free; there can be collaboration to make an impact on public opinion and to establish common actions, guidelines, tools, procedures, and strategies to promote cleanliness and proud citizenship of Guyana and that there is urgent need to improve the collection of domestic waste and special and dangerous waste in order to prevent diseases, improve drainage and ensure the cleanliness of the city, communities and improve aesthetics.
The United States Embassy has also reached out to schools and communities to increase awareness of the harmful effects of littering and pollution as part of its observances for DIADESOL. The US has engaged Guyana on environmental cleanliness and protection through Guyana Shines, a project it has undertaken along with its diplomatic and civic partners including the British High Commission, the Canadian High Commission, the European Union Delegation, Conservation International Guyana and Youth Challenge Guyana.
“We have also supported hands-on, clean-up projects within the neighbourhoods of Lodge and Tucville,” the embassy said, adding that these two communities have been competing for the ‘cleanest neighbourhood’ title as well as the best plan of action to maintain the shine. The winner of the will be announced at ShineFest 2012 on September 27.
The embassy also commend other communities in Georgetown, such as East La Penitence and Festival City which have expressed an interest in becoming involved in Guyana Shines to make a difference at the neighbourhood level though education and continuous clean-up activities.
