Fifth of June

World environmental day and UNEP birthday

In the column "History of the Civil Society" we will present events, beginnings of initiatives, programmes and bigger projects, "landmarks" of the civic movement that occurred in the ongoing month, as well as in previous years, not only in Macedonia, but also in the world. We invite you to send us information on such events at our address: MCIC "Nikola Parapunov" bb, 1000 Skopje, or at our e-mail address: mcms@mcms.org.mk. In both cases, state "For The Civic World".

The World environmental day 5 June was declared with a Resolution of the United Nations Organization General Assembly in 1997, marking the famous Stockholm Conference on Environment. With another resolution, passed at the same day, the UN General Assembly founded UNEP - United Nations Environmental Programme.

This date is not only a day dedicated to the environment, but also a birthday of one of the most active UN programmes. On this day, the governments of many countries express their concern about the world environmental problems and the danger that threatens our global home. It is one of the days that are characterized with mass civic action. Citizens and their associations mark it in different ways - with protests, manifestations, planting trees, bike races, street theatres, writing letters and petitions to the governments, etc.

This day is celebrated every year, always with a different motto. This year, the World environmental day was dedicated to waters and was going on under the motto: "WATER: two billion die for it".