Press Release: Plastic Initiative Awareness event
Plastic pollution is an increasingly severe environmental crisis in the region and the world. Last month in Thailand, the country watched as the young dugong “Marium” died despite veterinary care, just the latest marine mammal whose death is linked to pollution. How many other “Mariums” are out there that we do not see?
There is also growing recognition that the problem must be addressed, with the 6 September announcement that retailers, manufacturers and department stores in Thailand have agreed to stop providing single-use plastic bags to customers starting in January 2020. But a single ban is not enough: We all need to take action.
Starting with the Plastic Initiative Award and Photography Contest, UNESCO’s Plastic Initiative is offering complementary community-led initiatives that are key to stable behavioral changes towards a more sustainable way of living. The Award winner, D’Bone Collector Museum Inc, based in Davao, Philippines, will be recognized this week for ongoing public awareness activities on the effects of plastic and improper waste disposal. The museum is currently collaborating with a plastic recycling company to create furniture, which will be distributed to different schools and establishments. The Award is accompanied by the Plastic Initiative Photography Contest, with submissions on display at the event.
The Plastic Initiative 2019 Awareness event will take place on 27 September at Rama IX National Science Museum to reward the winners and raise funds to support measurable and replicable plastic waste management projects. Dr Suchana Chavanich, Professor at the Department of Marine Science, Chulalongkorn University and UN sustainable ambassador for Asia-Pacific; actor and environmentalist Alex Rendell; and Madeleine Recknagel, a TedxChiangMai speaker, sustainability consultant and educator, will also address the event. Students from Bangkok will also be invited to engage with singer-songwriter Charlie Winston, who has raised awareness on plastic waste using social media. Additional guests include government agencies, international organizations, Ambassadors, UN agencies, private sector representatives and scientists.
The Plastic Initiative was launched in March 2019 to provide assistance to countries in the Asia-Pacific region to tackle plastic pollution with a comprehensive approach: Youth mobilization, improvement of environmental education and the development of sustainable national environmental policies in partnership with government, the private sector and UN agencies.
Event Program
10.00-14.30 School student visit of the Rama IX Museum and engage with Charlie Winston
14.00 Press Conference
16.30-17.30 Registration (Option to visit of Rama IX Museum)
17.50 Guests to be seated
18.00 Greetings and introductory remarks
18.20 Keynote speakers
18.55 Plastic Initiative Award Winner Recognition
19.00 Cocktail dinner and performance by Charlie Winston
20.45 Closing remarks
More information about the Plastic Initiative can be found at the dedicated website https://theplasticinitiative.org/ and https://bangkok.unesco.org/index.php/theme/natural-sciences
For more information about registering for the event, please email burawat@nsm.or.th
We invite the media to cover the event on 27 September.
For media inquiries, contact: jc.schertz@unesco.org
Main photo credit: Henning Schwarze/INTEWO
