3rd Enviro Youth Summit ends on high note

Contributing in spreading mass awareness about environmental issues, the North East Centre for Environmental Education and Research (NECEER) organised the third Enviro Youth  Summit of Manipur on January 7-8, 2014. The event was held at the Keibul Lamjao National Park, Manipur; as the theme of the summit was to ‘Save Sangai (Dancing deer of Manipur)’. The event was a grand success.

As a part of the summit, various competitions were held such as painting competition, symposium , short story writing, and the like. The summit also witnessed Nature walk at the Keibul Lamjao National Park and screening of Environmental films as well as Nature photography contest. In addition, a quiz competition was also conducted, sponsored by the event’s partner the Youth Street News, on the last day of the summit to check how aware the participants are on environmental issues and nature. Around 200 students participated in the various competitions at the event.

The summit is first of its kind in Northeast India and is being organized to celebrate UN’s International decade of Biodiversity 2010-2020. NECEER, Imphal is one of the 14 official partners of UN’s International decade of Biodiversity 2010-2020 in India.

Expressing his thoughts, Th. Ibobi Singh, Addl. Principal Conservator of Forest/Wildlife and Director, Loktak Development Authority, said: “I am glad that now more and more people will be aware about Sangai, Keibul Lamjao National Park and of course, Loktak lake through this youth summit. Also, I am very thankful that NECEER have come up with this brilliant initiative to conserve natural possessions of our state.” He also affirmed that Forest Department, Govt. of Manipur will always support such cause in future too.

Asserting his view, Khuraijam Jibankumar Singh, Managing Trustee, NECEER, said: “The Enviro Youth Summit of Manipur will surely impact the masses to conserve the environment of Manipur. The first two editions of the summit were held in Imphal, however, with this edition, we went out of the Imphal area. We would be covering the entire state of Manipur in the upcoming summits. I am very happy that the summit is a grand success. We have also been also organising Worldwide Save Loktak Lake Campaign 2010-2020 since 2010 in order to conserve the wetland as well as the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is part of the lake and also the last refuge of the critically endangered Sangai.”

“The basic motive behind this youth summit is to awaken public (read: youth) conscience in the conservation of nature including Sangai, the pride of Manipur, which is the reason why we chose the Keibul Lamjao National Park as the venue of the event. Through this summit, we were able to enthuse a message to the young minds for the conservation of nature,” cited Mehnaz Nasreen, Founder, Youth Street News.

The Enviro Youth Summit of Manipur is supported by several organisations for its noble cause, the partners are the Sui Generis Inc. (famous for CC Tea), State Forest Department, Government of Manipur,  Youth Street News as its online media partner, E-pao as its media partner, CNIS, A.I.K English School, Ningthoukhong, among others.

With the participation of more than 300 people, the event was a great success. The fourth Enviro Youth Summit of Manipur will be held in Thoubal district, Manipur.