World Environment Day 2021: Young people with innovative Environmental projects to be rewarded

By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU

The Minister of Environment and the Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) have announced that the Youth with innovative Environmental Protection Projects will be rewarded as motivation to their efforts in environmental conservation.

This was revealed on Friday, May 28 in a press conference to announce the National Environment Week that will be concluded on 5^th June 2021 when Rwanda will be joining the rest of the world to celebrate the World Environment Day and the Biodiversity Day.

The World Environment Day 20201 will be celebrated in conjunction with Biodiversity Day as their themes relate to one another and are clear on how nurturing nature is key for the survival of human beings.

The World Environment Day’s theme is “Ecosystem Restoration” while Biodiversity Day’s theme is “We’re part of the solution”

In addition to rewarding young people who have innovations in environmental protection, the Minister of Environment Dr. Mujawamariya Jeanne d’Arc also said that in collaboration with REMA they are considering how to establish Environmental Media Awards to recognize journalists who are active in disseminating environmental protection Messages.

However, Dr. Mujawamariya noted “we don’t want you to be just storytellers,”

“We hope that the journalist who will be awarded once the media Award project is launched will also have practical environmental activities that we can visit and see for ourselves. We need journalists also to act the talk” Minister Mujawamariya added.

In Rwanda, environmental journalists have now formed a legal organization called the Rwanda Environmental Journalists Network.

The Network is responsible for advocating for the advancement of journalists who are active in reporting on environment sector while at the same time fighting for the journalists professionalism in reporting about the sector among other objectives