‘Youngsters should conserve nature and save the environment’

Schoolchildren take part in nature carnival at PAF Museum.

KARACHI: Around 20,000 people, including students from 100 schools, thronged the halls of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Museum on Sunday to attend a “nature carnival” organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) and the Indus Motor Company.

The visitors participated in events where they made 3D models on a number of themes related to the environment, including recycling, conservation of marine life, and reduction of mankind’s energy footprint. Puppet shows, lucky draws and environment-related games were also organised on the occasion.

Environment-related initiatives have brought a “sea change” in the attitudes of the Pakistani youth, said Environment Minister Sheikh Muhammad Afzal, who was the chief guest.

The senior director of WWF-P, Dr Ejaz Ahmad, stressed that youngsters “are the future custodians of nature, and therefore have to be informed about various threats facing the environment”.

WWF-P’s senior manager for corporate relations, Marriyum Aurangzeb, explained that events like the carnival would result in the creation of an environmentally conscious generation. “This is the only festival in the country that brings together students, families, the corporate sector, media, government, and the general public to think about the environmental challenges facing our country.”

Experts from various environmental organisations, including the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, UN-Habitat and Indus Earth, also attended the carnival.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2013.