The national final of the 15th edition of the “Environment Olympiads” (Olimpiadas do Ambiente) will be held in the Azores from May 6 to May 8, with the support of the Regional Government of the Azores, the Regional Secretary for the Environment and the Sea announced in Horta today.
Álamo Meneses spoke at a press conference, which was attended by members of the organisation that marked the beginning of the 2009/2010 season of that “important event in the environmental area,” where the Secretary revealed that the final, the first to be held outside Mainland Portugal, will take place on Faial.
The “Environment Olympiads” project was created in 1994 in order to raise the awareness of the school community, particularly of Portuguese youngsters to the environmental issues and to become better acquainted with the national and global environmental situation.
It is an organisation that has been supported by the President of the Portuguese Republic and it is led by a multidisciplinary team composed by members of the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia of the Portuguese Catholic University, of Quercus - National Association for Nature Conservation and of Zoomarine – Mundo Aquático, S.A.
“The Millennium Development Goals” (Os Objectivos de Desenvolvimento do Milénio) will be the main theme throughout this edition, focusing on the global threats, nature preservation, life styles, environmental policy, pollution, national reality and natural resources.
In addition, the “Maritime Affairs” (Assuntos do Mar) will be the main theme at the national final.
“The Azorean sea is one of the world’s richest ecosystems, thus its preservation is both a challenge and a responsibility,” emphasised Álamo Meneses at the occasion.
“Our sea is also a valuable resource for the Region’s development, whether by the promotion of fisheries, whether by the importance of tourism and nautical sports as well as of scientific investigation,” stressed the Secretary.
The “Environment Olympiads” have comprised three categories since the 2008-2009 edition, the Environment and Citizenship” (Ambiente e Cidadania) and the “Environment and Art” (Ambiente e Arte) categories were added to the initial category – “Environment in Competition.”
Schools may register at the Environment Olympiads’ official page (www.esb.ucp.pt/olimpiadas), where detailed information on the project is available. The registration period takes place between October and December.