Environmental Education Forum Held in Cambodia

Environmental Education Forum held in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) — The government of Cambodia on Friday held its first National Forum on Environmental Education, bringing together dozens of environment, fisheries and education experts from across the country.

The meeting marked the first step in a government campaign to improve environmental education and awareness in five provinces on the Tonle Sap Lake – Kompong Chhnang, Kompong Thom, Pursat, Battambang and Siem Reap.

In an opening speech to the forum, Sin Khandy, under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Environment, acknowledged the importance of educating people to be more aware of the “complex nature of the environment” in Cambodia.

But education for awareness alone is not enough, he said, adding “People need to have practical alternatives so that their behavior can become more sustainable.”

The national forum brought together officials from the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. Representatives of multilateral agencies, non-governmental organizations and local newspapers also took part.

Launched in July, the National Environmental Education and Awareness Campaign (NEEAC) is overseen by the Ministry of Environment and is part of the Tonle Sap Environment Management Project under the Cambodian National Mekong Committee, according to a statement of the NEEAC.

The 20 million US dollars project, approved in 2002, is financed by the Asian Development Bank, UN agencies and the government of Cambodia.