March 3 marks World Wildlife Day, a holiday established by the UN General Assembly in 2013. This date commemorates the signing of one of the largest wildlife protection agreements in Washington in 1973, highlighting the significance of wildlife and its inhabitants for humanity as recognized by the 193 member states of the UN General Assembly. Ukraine is actively engaged in these global initiatives, having committed to various international agreements in the environmental sector.
Oksana Kremin, an IRCEF specialist and MGCE Ecological Commission activist, organized an interesting wildlife tour for students from the Uzhhorod Greek Catholic private lyceum “TheoBand” to commemorate this eco-awareness day. This eco-educational initiative aimed to enhance the children’s understanding of wildlife diversity and instill a sense of care and responsibility towards it. During the event, the students participated in an interactive multimedia presentation and actively shared interesting facts about animals and plants they were familiar with.
They enthusiastically took part in the environmental game “Find an animal,” featuring photographs by renowned American photographer Art Wolfe, who captures unique wildlife shots in various landscapes. The children were challenged to identify hidden animals in the captivating photographs, showcasing Wolfe’s exceptional talent in making animals blend seamlessly into their surroundings. The students eagerly competed to identify the animals in the photos, competing to provide correct answers and earn colorful emoticons as rewards. Also, the children solved puzzles, delved into encyclopedias, and engaged in educational games like “Who eats what?”, “Who is extra in the row?”, “Whose paw it is?”, and “Who am I?” to further their knowledge about wildlife.
We hope this event will foster environmentally conscious thinking among children, encouraging them to appreciate and protect the unique flora and fauna of nature. The experts urge all nature enthusiasts to unite and host their own environmental activities to conserve wildlife on this important day.
The event was held within the framework of cooperation between the Interreligious and Civil Environmental Forum of Eastern Europe (IRCEF) headed by Olexander Bokotey) and the German Nature Conservation Union (NABU Bundesverband, NABU International), project coordinators Ivan Tymofeiev (NABU), and Nataliya Kulya (IRCEF).
Oksana Kremin,
Head of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection at PADIUN and IRCEF expert