Biodiversity matters!

100 students (Grade 6 to 12) and their chaperones will be gathering in Ottawa to celebrate Youth Initiatives in Biodiversity. The focus of the Second International Youth Symposium on Biodiversity is:

to celebrate and share the work they are doing at home reguarding local biodiversity efforts.
to experience Canadian biodiversity with a full scale Bio-Blitz (A Biological Survey with local scientists and naturalists)
to develop methods to implement the Global Youth's Accord for Biodiversity that was created by nine (9) nations during the First Youth Symposium in Mexico in 2005.
To foster youth engagement activities to enhance their understanding of global stewardship, and a shared sense of understanding and commitment to the global community through acting locally and thinking globally.

Young people have a central place as bearers of tomorrow’s solutions. Their engagement is essential if we are to reduce the loss of biodiversity and ensure the future of life on Earth.”

-Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary,
Convention on Biological Diversity

Partners

"As politicians focus on voters for impending elections and corporate executives on the quarterly report, decisions are being made with consequences that reverberate well into the adult lives of today's youth. Yet young people don't vote and their future is seldom a part of political and corporate discussions. One consequence is declining quality of air, water, soil and biodiversity that we are leaving for coming generations. That's why youth are being informed and motivated about the important issues that will affect their lives.” -David Suzuki