Nature Trails: International Day

Showing posts with label International Day. Show all posts

Friday, March 22, 2013

World Water Day | March 22

World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

Year 2013 is also the International Year of Water Cooperation. They declared this in view of the organization’s multi-dimensional mandate in the realm of natural and social sciences, culture, Education and communication, and its significant and long-standing contribution to the management of the world’s freshwater resources.

There were a couple of activities in Sri Lanka and Taiwan on water conservation. Taiwan at the moment is facing a bit of water scarcity due to the lack of rainfall. Although the winter here in Taiwan, especially northern part is wet, but we are experiencing rather a dry Winter this time. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka experienced some extreme rainfall events in last few months. All these events evidence the climate change impacts. So it's a high time to act, but not just celebrating the day.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

International Day of Forests | March 21

The United Nations General assembly has proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests. From 2013, the day will be observed each year to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of forests and trees to all life on earth.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

World Bamboo Day - September 18

World Bamboo Day was declared by the Thai Royal Forest Department on 18 September in Bangkok, during the 8^th World Bamboo Congress in 2009. This declaration is an effort to increase the awareness of bamboo globally.

Actually I never of this before. Just saw in the news flash as there was a activities to cerebrate this day in Sri Lanka. I'm not sure whether its officially accepted by the UN which normally do for other "days". However this is for the conservation and awareness of Bamboo therefore its good to have a "day" celebrate!

Back in Sri Lanka we do have several varieties of bamboo and we do use them for various purposes. But unlike in east Asian countries like Taiwan, China, Japan etc we do not eat them. In Taiwan Bamboo shoots are well famous as a food.

http://worldbambooday.org

Thursday, May 24, 2012

World Turtle Day - May 23

The purpose of World Turtle Day, May 23, sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive

Sri Lanka and Taiwan has some turtle species where Sri Lanka being a tropical island comes in first. Where Sri Lanka having the Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Olive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) and the Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) come ashore to nest on the beaches of Sri Lanka. All 5 species are listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as either critically endangered or endangered.

Above five species are considered as protected species of sea turtles in Taiwan. Among these species, the green turtle is the most abundant and the only one that is still nesting on Taiwan islands these days.

The world Biodiversity day celebrated recently with the theme of protecting marine Biodiversity, Turtles play a significant role in the marine biodiversity.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

World Environmental Day - WED 2012

Started back in 1972, World Environmental Day (WED) is one of the most celebrated and now even become more concerned activities of UN. The 2012 theme for World Environment Day is Green Economy: Does it include you?

The UN Environment Programme defines the Green Economy as one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive.