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WSSD PREPARATION AT AN ADVANCED STAGE.
15
August 2002
 The
long awaited World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) is finally
here and final preparations for this global event are at an advanced
stage, with the IUCN Environment Center promising to be the center
of attraction during the event.The
center will emphasize the role of the environment, sustainable resource
management and biodiversity conservation in sustainable development.This
is a place where summit delegates, IUCN members and partners, the
business community and interested stakeholders will engage in summit
business and set the scene for post-summit collaboration.
"We
would like to make the IUCN Environment Centre in Johannesburg the
'home away from home' for our members. We would like to complement
the many events and debates during the summit by providing a place
of encounter where environment and development, business and NGOs,
government and civil society can meet - both formally and informally,"
says Achim Steiner, IUCN Director General.
During
the event, set to attract thousands of high-ranking government and
environmental leaders, experts from all over the world will dialogue
on key issues and conflicts, thereby bringing diverse perspectives,
and coming up with concerted resolutions on the future of sustainable
development
The
destruction of the social fabric, growing poverty and the decline
of education and the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
are the major concerns for Africa in attaining sustainable development.
This
sad scenario has prompted IUCN to dedicate a day, Africa Day , to
highlight some of the problem areas being faced by the continent
and come up with possible resolves. The theme for the day is "Rich
but Poor: Confronting Africa's Contradictions".
Proceedings
of the Africa Day commemoration, which will be on August 29,will
touch on biodiversity, the richness of Africa, searching for Africa
through the New Initiative for Africa's Development (NEPAD) as well
as establishing mechanisms to implement Africa's environmental programme
under NEPAD.
Meanwhile
at the scene of the event itself, work is in full swing, with the
training of more than 5000 volunteers for the WSSD nearing completion.
Over 17 000 applications from all sectors of South African society
from top company officials, students, youth, both skilled, unskilled
and unemployed as well as the aged and the disabled had indicated
their willingness to voluntarily take part in this event.
Thirty-year
old Dan Monyane is a volunteer from the Limpopo Province. He graduated
from the University of the North four years ago and has never had
a job in his life. "I saw the advert for volunteers in the
media and jumped at the opportunity to serve my country, despite
the fact that I would rather work for pay. I will gain useful experience
and it will hopefully open doors for me. The worst part of my unemployed
life, is the fact that my walk down
the street to buy a newspaper is the highlight of my day,"
he says quietly.
Communications
Executive Thandi Davids said that, "It was heart warming to
see the sheer scale of enthusiasm from the public, which made the
selection process even more difficult for us because of the quality
of applicants," she said.
A lot
of excitement has gripped the South African populace, as the event
will indeed place the country's flag high on the world map for a
very long period to come.
The
Environment Centre is a partnership of IUCN - The World Conservation
Union, Projects Africa, Necdor Foundation and the Necdor Bank
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