World Environment Day, June 5th

World Environment Day lands on June 5th this year. It is a day to celebrate and encourage awareness and environmental protection. It is a global platform for public outreach, with participation from over 143 countries annually.

Since its inception in 1974, World Environment Day has evolved into a global forum for raising awareness and acting on pressing issues ranging from marine pollution and global warming to sustainable consumption and wildlife crime. Millions of people all over have participated over the years, influencing changes in our consumption patterns and national and foreign environmental policy. And every year, the theme for the day is different.

For example, in 2020, the World Environment Day theme focused on biodiversity. And the theme for World Environment Day 2021 is “Ecosystem Restoration,” and will see the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. It is stated that ecosystem restoration may take many forms, such as growing trees, greening cities, changing diets, or cleaning up rivers and coasts.

Growing up in Cuba

I grew up in a rural area of Cuba. As a kid I remember enjoying hiking and exploring the countryside. I was lucky to interact with a natural environment that was mostly well preserved; we owe it to our future generations to be stewards of the environment. I wanted to share this beautiful nature documentary about Cuba.

In 2019, Cubans celebrated World Environment Day with a series of cultural and academic events. The forest index growth reached by Villa Clara province in 2018 and the contributions of its institution on environmental protection made it the hostess of the national celebration in Cuba of World Environment Day. The province has also made progress in processing residuals, both in state and private entities, required to evacuate through the established procedures.