Biodiversity week encourages conservation

Both Namibians and visitors will be reminded to responsibly conserve and sustainably utilise the variety of natural resources on Namibia’s coast, when the third consecutive annual Coastal Biodiversity Week starts in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay this coming week.
“Green Economy: Does it include you?”, is the theme of World Environment Day which is celebrated on 5 June. It also serves as the slogan for the Coastal Biodiversity Week, which includes various sector and public events, to be staged from 4 to 9 June.
The  Fisheries and Aquaculture Conference which will be hosted at the Swakopmund Hotel and Entertainment Centre by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, from 3 to 7 June, will also form an important part of the biodiversity week. Bernard Esau, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, will inaugurate the new offices of the Benguela Current Commission and South Atlantic Fisheries Organisation in Swakopmund on Tuesday, 5 June.
On World Environment Day, exhibitions and posters on the desert and marine environment will be displayed in the foyer of the Swakopmund Municipality building.
A second part of the Coastal Biodiversity Week will be staged from 15 till 22 September at Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Henties Bay. At this stage it will include: the World Beach Clean-up Day (15 September); Rössing Uranium’s Bird Watch Event for secondary schools; a street procession via Swakopmund’s main street, Sam Nujoma Avenue (22 September); the screening of more environmental films; and a fund-raising gala dinner for the Coastal Environment Scholarship Fund (22 September).