A US$20,000 grant was signed between Conservation International-Guyana (CI) and the British High Commission on Friday, to support an educational awareness programme on biodiversity and climate change that targets the local population and especially young people.
The grant was signed at CI’s office in Laluni Street, Queenstown by Executive Director of CI-Guyana Dr. David Singh and British High Commissioner (ag) Simon Bond. Bond said that while the sum was modest, he believed that the value lay in the partnership between the entities.
According to Rene Edwards, CI’s Capacity Building Coordinator, both organisations have recognised the need for environmental awareness, which would help to build capacity and result in behavioural change in the long run. Edwards added that about two years ago CI conducted a rapid assessment of awareness and the results indicated that knowledge was low on the coast and parts of the hinterland. As a result, it decided to design a project which would target the deficiency.
The project will also include partnerships with the Ministry of Education through NCERD to release a DVD series to schools. Edwards added that it is hoped that the issues of climate change would be drafted into the curriculum of CSEC and CAPE. A climate change biodiversity awareness resource book will also be produced to complement the discs.
Meanwhile, Bond said the High Commission was delighted to support the project and the work of CI. He explained that awareness is central to understanding climate change, since the issue was a science-based subject which made it difficult to grasp.
He added that the issue will continue in the future and therefore it was necessary to bring it closer to people since the challenge of understanding existed at an individual level.
Bond emphasised the role of humans in combating the environmental problem since it stemmed from their actions. Further, he opined that the future generations have a vital role to play in the preservation of the environment and noted the importance of the project being part of the school system.
Dr. Singh agreed that investments in education were necessary and said that while the partnership with the Ministry of Education was new, it was a growing one. Singh added that the project was of paramount importance and that there are efforts to get the climate change issues to form part of the schools’ curriculum. He said it should not be seen as a separate subject but one which was integral to the development of the country.
Meanwhile, Singh said on September 4 CI will unveil a new logo at a global launch and by October its new mission statement and strategic plan will be revealed. He said that changes were made to reflect the changing role of the organisation and the issues it addresses. The current logo while it depicts the eco-system, fails to recognise the interaction between humans and biodiversity, thus the need for a new one which recognises the interplay.
