Organized at the initiative of the Haitian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, the 6th Edition of the Youth Rally for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) will be held in the commune of Ganthier, (West), from Sunday 17 to Thursday, December 21, 2017 announced Friday in a press conference, Pierre Josué Agénor Cadet, Minister of National Education who assumes the presidency of this event.

This activity, which is held every two years, intends to encourage behavioral changes. It will mobilize around 200 young people from UNESCO Associated Schools in the public and private sector from Haiti's 10 school districts, to work on cultural and natural heritage sites around of Lake Azuéï, likely to be affected by climate change and participate in conferences and workshops on ESD. The Youth Rally aims to contribute to providing young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values ​​to build a sustainable future and to reflect on the problems of their environment and their citizen involvement.

Flagship activity by its innovative and utilitarian character, the Youth Rally of Haiti was recognized by UNESCO as the best national practice for all countries at the first edition in 2007 (Youth Rally Memory). In addition, the international coordination of the Network at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris awarded the Haitian Network, in November 2013, the Peace Navigators' Trophy for its dynamism and the richness of its activities.

Jean Coulanges, Permanent Secretary at the National Commission welcomes the progress made since the beginning of these actions and the level of maturity of several young people who invest in civic actions and serve as educators for other young people. It invites other actors in society to support young people in these kinds of promising initiatives for the revival of citizen awareness.

Jocelyn Pierre, President of the Central Committee of Students of the Network, in terminale at the high school Alexandre Pétion, welcomed this action of the Ministry and the National Commission for the full development of young people and a citizen awareness in addition to allowing young people to learn to dialogue, to exchange, to respect the point of view of the other, the sense of sharing and solidarity.

Kesler Bien-Aimé, Culture Specialist at the Commission, gave an update on the various activities planned during the four-day Rally: Conferences on Climate Change, Biosphere Reserves, Waste Management and Citizen Involvement , ecosystems, practical work on site, guided tours are among the planned activities.

HL/ HaitiLibre