30 Jan 2017

The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, through the Department of Environmental Affairs will host the World Wetlands Day commemoration at Shakawe main kgotla on February 2. 

A press release from the ministry says the commemoration will start with a green march from 6am to 8:20am from Shakawe Senior Secondary School to the main kgotla and will continue until 1pm. 

The event will be commemorated under the theme, “Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction” with a view to raise awareness and highlight vital roles of healthy wetlands in reducing impacts of extreme trials such as floods, fire and droughts in helping to build resilient communities. 

The release also says hosting the event in Shakawe village, will give the community a platform to showcase how the Okavango wetland system in their area has been instrumental in averting some of disasters which befell the area in the past. 

Meanwhile, World Wetlands Day is an international event commemorated every year and Botswana is a signatory to the Rasmar Convention on the Wetlands. 

The commemoration is a principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for wetlands. BOPA