SGI-New Zealand Hosts Environmental Conservation Seminar - Apr 16

Seminar on "Environmental Conservation" sponsored by SGI-New Zealand

On April 16, SGI-New Zealand held a second Earth Charter Seminar on "Environmental Conservation" in Christchurch, following the one held on March 21. The seminar series is being sponsored by the SGI-New Zealand young women's and women's divisions to promote the Earth Charter, a "people's treaty" that sets forth fundamental principles for sustainable development and conservation of the natural environment. Panelists included Ben Uikau Te Aika, a Maori representative of Canterbury; Canterbury Regional Councillor Diana Shand; Christchurch Polytechnic instructor Holger Kahl; and SGI-New Zealand women's division representative Jillian Scammell.

Following a screening of "A Quiet Revolution," a film about individuals taking charge to protect and heal the natural environment sponsored by the SGI and produced by the Earth Council in collaboration with UN bodies, the guidelines contained in the Earth Charter were introduced. The panel discussions, involving the audience, centered around the lifestyle of the Maori people, who cherish and live in harmony with the natural environment, the grave threat of environmental degradation, the urgency of raising people's awareness of environmental issues and encouraging concrete actions in support of environmental protection. Ms. Shand said she was at once overjoyed and encouraged to learn about the existence of the SGI and its efforts to promulgate the ideals contained in the Earth Charter. She expressed her hopes for future collaborations with SGI-New Zealand on environmental protection efforts.