ECO-UNESCO, Ireland’s environmental education and youth organisation, is celebrating 10 years of its Young Environmentalist Awards programme with a free exhibition, workshops and training sessions. The organisation is also inviting all young people aged between 12 and 18 years old to celebrate this special date by carrying out an environmental action project with their schools or youth groups.

To start the celebrations, a free exhibition celebrating 10 years of ECO UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards is running until 24th September in ENFO, Dublin 2. The exhibition will highlight the achievements of young people who have been working to conserve, protect and enhance Irelands environment since the awards were launched in September 1999.

As part of the exhibition, ECO-UNESCO will be delivering free workshops for young people between the 1st and 19th of September. These workshops will engage young people in environmental activities and help them plan their own Young Environmentalist Awards Project for 2009.

Teachers and leaders from registered projects will have the opportunity to get free training sessions in regional locations – Dublin, Cork, Galway, Athlone and Belfast. These sessions will help them design and implement a Young Environmentalist Awards project within their school or youth group. Places are limited so booking is essential.

ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards Programme has been running since 1999 and has attracted the participation of over 10,000 young people and reached countless others with awareness raising campaigns in over 750 schools and communities in Ireland. For more information on the programme and how to get involved contact Karen Sheeran, Young Environmentalist Awards Coordinator on +353 1 6625491 or y...@ecounesco.ie. Alternatively, visit www.ecounesco.ie.

Important Dates Young Environmentalist Awards 2009

·         Workshops for Young People (Dublin City): 1st – 19th September 2008

·         Teacher/Leader Training (Dublin City): 23rd September 2008

·         Teacher/Leader Training (Galway City): 2nd October 2008

·         Teacher/Leader Training (Cork City): 9th October 2008

·         Teacher/Leader Training (Athlone): 16th October 2008

·         Teacher/Leader Training (Belfast): 30th October 2008

·         Registration Deadline: 28th November 2008

·         Project Submission Deadline: 27th February 2009

·         Judging Process: March – April 2009

·         Showcase and Awards Ceremony: May 2009