BY: GIZAW YALEW

Youths, Environmental protection

Addis Ababa (13/8/2008)- The Addis Ababa Youths Association in collaboration with the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat celebrated World Youths Day with a panel discussion and photograph exhibition.

A panel discussion was held focusing on environmental degradation and the role of the youths in preventing the problem.

In his opening speech, Deputy Mayor and head of Information Bureau of the Addis Ababa City Administration, Kefyalew Azeze said, the youths should play a prominent role in the country’s effort in environmental protection.

Reminding participants about the government’s effort in designing a policy regarding the youth, Kefyalew added, the youth should participate actively in various developmental endeavors to ensure practical implementation of the policy.

In his welcoming speech, Director of the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariat, Kiros Haile Silasse said that the Secretariat has achieved encouraging results in environmental protection and city cleaning campaign through the active participation of the youth.

As the very forces of change, the youths should stand at the forefront in the country’s effort in mitigating the devastating effects of environmental degradation, said the Director.

Then, the renowned scientist and environmental activist, Professor Legesse Negash presented a paper on “Environmental Degradation and its Ravaging Effects” and shared his wisdom substantiating it with his twenty years of research findings.

In an easily perceptible manner, professor Legesse briefed the youth about the numerous advantages of indigenous trees in balancing and safeguarding the ecology, while explaining the impact of foreign trees in contrast.

Professor Legesse stressed the need for planting indigenous trees such like Zigba, Warka, Kosso, Woira etc…. to fight the prevailing draught and famine there by balancing the ecosystem. The Scientist said, these trees have passed through 70 million or more years of evolutionary development, thus, can withstand harsh conditions and maintain the ecological balance.

On the other hand, those trees which are foreign in origin are found to be vulnerable to various conditions and some others, particularly the popular Eucalpeteous (Bahir Zaf), is notorious in its destructive effect on the ecosystem, explained the Professor.

In its concluding statement, Professor Legesse under scored the need for the active and direct involvement of the youths in environment protection. He said, “As the futures of the country, it is the youths, but no one else, would have to take the whole responsibility of saving and recreating the Green Ethiopia. To these end, you have to give due emphasis for planting indigenous trees and replace step by step those alien trees which are harmful to the ecosystem.”

Professor Legesse applauded the National and the Addis Ababa Millennium Secretariats’ effort in protecting the Environment.

Next, president of the Addis Ababa Youths Association, Tatek Kassa presented a paper on the benefits of institutionally organized efforts and the attendants were discussed on both papers.

The Panel was attended by more than 500 youths represented from the Addis Ababa Youths Association and other youth centered Associations.

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