9-14 June, Marrakesh -- Over 1,800 participants from more than 100 countries attended the 7th World Environment Education Congress (WEEC7), which was themed around "Environmental Education in Cities and Rural Areas: Seeking Greater Harmony" in Marrakesh, Morocco. A 10 member Tongji delegation was headed by Prof. WU Jiang, Vice President of Tongji University, and actively participated in the World Congress.
UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner addressed the opening plenary of the WEEC7 and emphasized the importance of environmental education as key driver of knowledge and empowerment. "Environmental education is about knowledge and empowerment - the knowledge and power to understand, the knowledge and power to make connections," said Mr. Steiner. He also highlighted the pioneering role of Tongji University in mainstreaming the environmental education. “We have Prof. WU Jiang from Tongji University here at this moment, who is chairing the Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES). It is global; it is south-south; it is university touniversity. It is about trying to mainstreaming environment and sustainability concepts and approaches in what is immensely fast changing field of education and teaching. It is another way to showcase how UN organizations can cooperate with the work of academia, professors.” Mr. Steiner added.
Meanwhile, Ms. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO also appreciated the excellent efforts and significant role of Tongji University in environmental education, especially in seeking the harmony between cities and rural areas, and the area of cultural heritage.
The Tongji delegation also participated in a side event on Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES), which was organized by Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU) of UNEP on 10th June. There are more than 340 universities involved or affiliated under the partnership, which aims to increase the mainstreaming of environment and sustainability practices and curricula in universities by developing innovative approaches around education, training and networking.
Prof. WU Jiang, as Chair of GUPES, delivered welcome remarks and updated the progress of GUPES as the side event. “In the lead up to the Rio+20 and the joint UN Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), GUPES was officially launched on 5 June 2013, by UNEP at Tongji University, with UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) as the Secretariat.” Prof. WU Jiang said. “I believe, with our joint efforts, GUPES will continue to expand throughout other regions. For example, the Eye on Environment Education Special Initiative, one of the Eye on Earth initiatives, will help consolidate the presence of GUPES members in West Asia.” added by Prof. Wu.
Prof. Li Fengting, Vice Dean of IESD made a presentation and shared the successful approaches at of Tongji University in mainstreaming the concept of environment and sustainability and greening the campus. A Greening Universities Toolkit was also launched on this occasion, which aims to provide universities with practical approaches in minimizing their environmental footprints.
A GUPES Steering Committee Meeting was held in the evening of 11 June, chaired by Prof Wu Jiang. The meeting reviewed progress of GUPES over the past year focusing on education, training and networking and called for greater clarity in articulating the vision, strategy over the coming year, in addition to consolidating membership.
With strong support of UNEP’s Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU), Tongji University was able to showcase its Sustainability Oriented University concept at WEEC7, which included poster displays at the WEEC Exhibition Zone covering the following flagship initiatives – Asia-Pacific Leadership Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development (APLP), International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability (ISCES) and International Training Programme (ITP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Higher Education.
Prof. WU Jiang delivered the welcome remarks and updated the progress of GUPES. “In the lead up to the Rio+20 and the joint UN Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), the GUPES was officially launched on 5 June 2012, by EETU in Tongji University, with UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD) as the Secretariat.” Prof. WU Jiang said. “I believe, with our joint efforts, GUPES will continue to expand throughout other regions. For example, the Eye on Environment Education Special Initiative, one of the Eye on Earth initiatives, will help consolidate the presence of GUPES members in West Asia.” added by Prof. Wu.
Prof. Li Fengting, Vice Dean of IESD made a presentation and shared the successful case of Tongji University in mainstreaming the concept of environment and sustainability and greening the campus. A Greening Universities Toolkit was also launched on this occasion, which aims to provide universities with practical approaches in minimizing their environmental footprints.
What’s more, the GUPES Steering Committee Meeting was held in the evening of 12 June. The vision, strategy and charter have been further explored. Prof. Wu Jiang as the GUPES Chair facilitated the meeting.
With the support of Environmental Education and Training Unit (EETU) of UNEP, Tongji University showcased the flagship events of Tongji and IESD at the WEEC Exhibition Zone – Asia-Pacific Leadership Programme on Environment for Sustainable Development (APLP), International Student Conference on Environment and Sustainability (ISCES) and International Training Programme (ITP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Higher Education. It attracted hundreds of participants to visit the booth and consult the potential cooperation.
