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Eco Summit Banner
22 May 2009
Chitwan, Nepal – With the slogan “Climate for My Life”, more than 700 students and teachers from 18 districts of Nepal participated in the national Eco Summit jointly organized by WWF, Environment Conservation Teacher Forum, School Environment Conservation Education Network, Nepal, Environment Conservation Teacher Society and Eco Club Network Nawalparasi on 22 – 23 May 2009.
"It was used for burning lamps in ships," came the quick reply from a small boy seated at the front of the gathering. 
Before the presenter wrapped up his session, the students, teachers and locals were convinced that due to the invention of kerosene, the whale could survive in the wild and due to the distribution of solar panels in the upper Dolpa region, the use of kerosene had been minimized and the people had stopped burning the barks of the pine trees.
The national Eco Summit jointly organized by WWF, Environment Conservation Teacher Forum, School Environment Conservation Education Network, Nepal (SENSE-Nepal), Environment Conservation Teacher Society and Eco Club Network Nawalparasi on 22 – 23 May 2009 saw the convergence of more than 700 students and teachers from 18 districts of Nepal in Chitwan.
The slogan of the summit was "Climate for my life". The students, teachers and locals rallied around Chitrasari and Sauraha chanting slogans to raise awareness on climate change, biodiversity conservation and responsibility of youth towards it, on the inaugural day of the summit.
During the two days, the experts and students interacted with each other, shared the eco club activities in their schools and made friends with each other. The summit was able to strengthen the eco club network across the country and paved the way for developing the eco club students as Green Youth, the future conservation partners. The summit came up with Chitwan Declaration declaring Falgun 2 (13 February) as Eco Club Day to be celebrated nationwide.
When the summit concluded, the students were busy exchanging addresses with their friends from other districts. A group of students were having a heated discussion on switching to renewable forms of energy from the existing petroleum products guzzling vehicles. A boy was saying, "Like the invention of kerosene helped save the whales, scientists must invent something to help save the humankind."
Notes:
An Eco Club is an independent group of students working collectively to support the conservation of natural and cultural environment in their respective schools and communities. WWF Nepal in coordination with conservation partners initiated the formation of school based environmental clubs – Eco Clubs since 1994.
Altogether 463 Eco Clubs have been formed in 22 districts of Nepal. Eco Club members carry out various curricular and extra curricular activities to enhance their knowledge of the environment and its conservation and to raise awareness among students, teachers and youth, encouraging them to participate in the conservation of the natural and cultural environment at local and national level.
First Eco Club Summit was held from 30 May to 5 June 2000 in Kathmandu with the theme ‘Make a difference-join Eco Club!’ It was participated by 2,000 students, teachers and other stakeholders. The event was a huge success in heightening awareness on the importance of environmental awareness.
In 2004, Eco Club Meet was organized on the occasion of World Environment Day from 1 June to 6 June 2004 in Kathmandu. Series of activities were organized during Eco Club Meet 2004.
