World Environment Day is a celebration of environment and the benefits it bestows upon us; and a reminder of the fact that we have to save and protect our environment for our progenies. The idea is to promote awareness on the importance of preserving biodiversity, the need to identify issues related to environment and find out ways to take corrective action. World environment day is also a celebration of brotherhood, wherein people from different nations come together and think about ways and means to protect environment collectively. As they come together, they pledge to make our planet a clean and green place to live in.
Every year World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5th. Though it has been named as world environment day, but the celebrations continue for a week. United Nations Environment Program, a UN body conducts the celebrations.
In 1972, United Nations General Assembly conducted United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. Since then, 5th June has been celebrated as a commemoration UNCHE and is known as World Environment Day.
Each year, one country of the world hosts the event. A theme is selected each year wherein academicians, scientists, social scientists and volunteers participate and discuss positive action for saving the environment. This year world environment day is being hosted by Mongolia and the theme is “Think. Eat. Save”.
India also hosted world environment day in 2011. The slogan back then was “Forest: Nature at your service”.
We, as civilians can also participate in World Environment Day celebrations at our end. We can contribute by organizing plantation camps, cleaning the surroundings drive, beautifying neighborhood campaign, organizing programs for raising awareness about organic foods, etc. Besides, people who are interested in blogging can also participate in blogging competition conducted by UNEP.
The UNEP also confers several awards to organizations and individuals on World Environment Day based on their innovations, vision and performance in protecting the environment.
