Environmental News

SunChild Regional Environmental Festival in Armenia

Press Release
30.03.2007

SunChild is the first regional environmental festival in Armenia. It will take place in two parts, from April 1-12 and October 6-10, 2007. SunChild was born on the initiative of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) in Armenia. It gets its name from the word ''sun'' as a symbol of nature awakening and harmony.

They say, when being given a name, you strive to be worthy of it. That's why the aim of SunChild is to change our consumerism attitude towards nature, stop us from being its prodigal son and to try to take care of its health. Our general sponsor VivaCell shares the wish and willingness of making this vision come true.

The first part of the festival will be held from April 1st to 12th. In the framework of the festival program “VivaCell and children for nature,” there will be garbage cleaning, tree-planting and environmental campaigns in some of the different regions of the country. These regions include Yerevan, Garni, Gyumri, Urtsadzor, and Dilijan. Participating in the events will be school children, university students, representatives from various youth groups, scouts.

The exact locations in which different works are to be carried out were carefully decided with the assistance of local government officials and experts in environmental fields. These locations were chosen by most need and most potential. For example, in Gyumri, there will be the cleaning of glass-wool in residential areas, in Urtsadzor, the Vedi River area, and the piles of garbage at Garni Gorge. The tree planting locations have been chosen with the help of Armenia Tree Project (ATP).

The festival organizers and general sponsor VivaCell are particularly reaching out for the participation of young children and youth, and in doing so hope to change their attitude towards environmentalism.

Since the autumn of 2006, the FPWC has been working to reach its goal of environmental protection and changing the attitude towards nature by attending schools in the six aforementioned regions. During these seminars, the school children are learning how to use photo and video equipment, to capture the hidden treasures of nature and also its problems. They are approaching nature with an artistic eye. The photos and videos from these seminars will be displayed in the second part of the SunChild Festival in Dilijan, from October 6th-10th.

In October 2007 not only all interested Armenian citizens but regional and international experts are invited to attend SunChild Festival’s film screenings and seminars. The festival will include a competitive and non-competitive program, a Regional Film Program, a Children Film Program, and an International Information Program. These events will allow for networking and communication between regional and international experts, who are offered the opportunity to participate in the three day seminars. You can access more information about both the film programs and the environmental seminars from the festival website.

Therefore, the SunChild Regional Environmental Festival will kick off on March 30, 2007 with a press conference, followed by the first course of environmental action. The children of the Pyunik and Orran NGOs will spread out in different directions throughout the city of Yerevan passing out flower seeds.

We will celebrate the success of the eleven day event with an environmental march on April 11th, with children from all five regions, students, and NGOs. The march will start at the Matenadaran and finish at Freedom Square. There will be an outdoor concert until 17:00. There will be a bird-feeder making contest, poster making, and garbage art. The festival will come to a close on April 12th, with a tree planting action at Saint Sargis church in Nor Nork.

For more information, please contact:

#5 Byron Str., 0009 Yerevan, Armenia
Tel : +37410 529340
E-mail : press@fpwc.org
URL: www.sunchild.am

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