OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina joins campaign to mark Earth Day

SARAJEVO, 21 April 2011 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with schools, municipalities, local community councils and non-governmental organizations across the country, has joined a campaign to mark Earth Day by planting trees in several parts of the country, the head of the Mission, Ambassador Gary D. Robbins, said today.

The OSCE Mission has joined the "A Billion Acts of Green" campaign organized by the Earth Day Network. The campaign encourages individuals to act to reduce carbon emissions and support sustainability.

“The Mission supports this campaign as part of its work to encourage community activities that bring together representatives from the governmental and non-governmental sector around a common cause,” Robbins said.

On Earth Day, which is observed tomorrow, schools, municipal employees and civil society activists from Bosanski Petrovac, Janja, Mostar and Bugojno will plant trees to revitalize green spaces in their communities. The planting is administered and supported by the OSCE Mission.

“Improving the environment requires commitment by everyone in a community. Steps made by the country in the past few years demonstrate a willingness and responsibility, but also represent a call to action to us all – we must do more to protect the environment,” Robbins said.

The Mission plans to support similar efforts in the future in co-operation with its partners in the governmental and non-governmental sectors.