World Environment Day 2017

Photo: James Wheeler, Moraine Lake

June 5 is World Environment Day, the largest, most globally celebrated day for positive environmental action. Mark your calendar!

Hashtags:#WorldEnvironmentDay, #WithNature

Curiously, this is a little known big celebration, simply off the radar for those not in the know until it’s already over.

Internationally the event engages people across the globe in 70+ countries. Every year, participants organize clean up campaigns, art exhibits, tree-planting drives, concerts, dance recitals, recycling drives, social media campaigns and different contests themed around caring for the planet.

Each World Environment Day is organized around a theme that focuses attention on a particularly pressing environmental concern. The theme for 2017, ‘Connecting People to Nature’, urges people to get outdoors and into nature. Learn more about this year’s theme on the World Environment Day website.

 

This year’s theme: Connecting People to Nature

Please help us translate this motto in other languages. Bonus points for translations into Indigenous languages.

Afrikaans: Verbindende mense na die natuur

French: Relier les gens à la nature

Spanish: Conectando a la gente con la naturaleza

Swedish: Ansluta människor till naturen

Welsh: Cysylltu Pobl i Natur

Canada
Every World Environment Day has a different global host country, where the official celebrations take place. This year it is Canada.

Its rich and spectacular natural heritage is a source of pride and identity for Canadians. Abundant natural resources also support the country’s economic prosperity – through tourism as well as sustainable use – and the health and well-being of its 36 million inhabitants.

World Environment Day is an important part of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations. As part of the festivities, Canada offers free passes for its national parks throughout 2017.

Read more about the host country on the World Environment Day website.

Planeta.com

World Environment Day

Key Links
http://www.un.org/en/events/environmentday/index.shtml

Embedded Tweets

Questions
How do you translate ‘Connecting People to Nature’ in other languages?

What are your favorite nature apps?

Are there any live videos recorded for World Environment Day?

What are the connections with #30DaysWild?

In this Year of Open, what environmental resources – news, artwork, presentations – are available with open access?

What sort of nature, cultural and digital connections might be explored in tandem with World Tourism Day and the International year of Sustainable Tourism?

What would Canadians like visitors to know about Canada’s parks and protected areas, wildlife and conservation strategies? = Que les Canadiens aimeraient les visiteurs à connaître les parcs et les aires protégées du Canada, la vie sauvage et les stratégies de conservation?

Artwork / Cue Yourself

Quotes
So while our increasing urbanisation – and the hectic lifestyle that often accompanies it –may threaten to numb our connection with nature, we can choose to stay very much awake to this symbiotic relationship. We can seek out first-hand experiences with nature, and engage in activities that encourage others to do so. – Inger Anderson, Inger Andersen, Director General, International Union for Conservation of Nature @IUCN
– @andersen_inger

Slideshare

Planeta

World Environment Day