World Diabetes Day 2011 in Malta

World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes mellitus world and is held on November 14 of each year. It was introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to the alarming rise of diabetes around the world. World Diabetes Day is a campaign that features a new theme chosen by the International Diabetes Federation each year to address issues ailing the global diabetes community.

Our National CEHAPE Youth Member from Malta, Ramona Camilleri, participated in World Diabetes Day.

The Malta Independent Online reported:

Medical students gathered opposite the Law Courts in Valletta yesterday from 9am to 2pm to commemorate World Diabetes Day. In an event organised by the Malta Medical Students’ Association (MMSA), in association with the Health Promotion Department, public awareness of diabetes was raised by explaining to passers-by how this chronic disease, which is quickly becoming a pandemic, can be prevented and managed.

Read the whole article here.

On photo: Ramona Camilleri (left) and participants of World Diabetes Day 2011 in Malta

European Environment and Health Task Force Meeting

27-28th October 2011 were the dates for the first WHO European Environment and Health Task Force (EEHTF) meeting. This task force was established after the commitment made by member states at the Parma Conference and was held in Bled, Slovenia. The EEHTF meeting gathered Focal Points from approximately 50 countries of the WHO European Region, NGOs, Environment and Health Agencies and other relevant stakeholders in the process across Europe. Among them, the WHO CEHAPE Youth Network had its place. As important actors in the Environment and Health process in this region, 22 young people came to Bled to make their contribution। 15 of them were official members of National Delegations.

[On photo: Youth Representatives from WHO CEHAPE Youth Network, Bled 2011] On 26th of October a Youth preparatory meeting was organized where youth representatives discussed options and possibilities for future involvement in the WHO European Environment and Health process, and exchanged ideas, experiences, good practices they were involved in in their home countries। Francesca Racioppi and Christian Schweizer from the WHO European Regional Office and members of the Environment and Health programme, also participated and answered the questions from youth representatives. At the end of the Youth preparatory meeting, participants agreed the feedback which was presented on 27th at session B - Governance: involving all stake holders and other actors-. During this session we had fruitful discussion on the active role of youth in the implementation of the EEHP at national and international level.

On photo: Youth Representatives from WHO CEHAPE Youth Network, Bled 2011

At the final session of the EEHTF meeting, Jan Peloza, youth representative from Slovenia, gave an excellent presentation on the outcomes of session B discussions and presented recommendations to be submitted to EEHFT for endorsement।

We would like to thank the Government of Slovenia and the WHO Slovenian Country Office for their generosity in providing technical assistance and the facilities for hosting the preparatory youth meeting.

7th Ministerial Conference on Environment, Astana 2011

In September 2011, (on left photo)Jovana Dodos and Alina Bezhenar ( WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegates) attended 7th Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe- SAVE WATER, GROW GREEN” in Astana, Kazakhstan. Jovana Dodos participated as speakers at the “Promoting access to safe water and adequate sanitation through the UNECE Region” side event and presented Youth involvement under the WHO/UNECE Protocol on Water and Health since Parma Conference. Alina Bezhenar participated in “Making THE Link: Transport choices for our health, environment and prosperity” side event where she shared experience how young people have been involved in Physical Activity Programme and what are their contributions.


For more information please write to cehiyr@gmail.com

GECHH Symposium

In September 2011, Alma Almasi (WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegate) and Diba Hadzibegovic (CEHAPE Youth Representative from Bosnia and Herzegovina) participated as panellists at UN University GECHH symposium in Verbana, Italy. The United Nations University launched Global Environmental Change and Human Health in 2006 as a Joint Project of the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) to respond to the growing need to understand better the multi-faceted and complex linkages between global environmental change (including climate change, land and sea use change, global biodiversity loss and change, global socio-economic change) and human health. The GECHH aims at elucidating the spectrum and magnitude of risks to human wellbeing and health, consequent upon human-induced global environmental changes, in order that society at large has a fuller understanding of the actual and likely consequences of the ways in which, collectively, human societies are changing the Earth System. In 2011, connected to the International Year of Forests, the GECHH organised its annual Symposium to exchange findings that can help prevent deforestation and the better usage of water resources worldwide.

TUNZA European Conference, September 2011, Bonn

In September 2011, 50 youth representatives from European Region were invited to TUNZA European Conference, Bonn, Germany. Among the participants there were 13 CEHAPE Youth representatives. This meeting with prior to Rio+20 Summit in 2012.
This meeting was organized with financial support of UNEP and
WECF.

The main topics were global governance and green economy. There was a workshop about environment and health process in Europe and youth participation there. It was led by Tanja Wolf (WHO Bonn office), David Rivett (WHO Consultant), WHO CEHAPE In International Youth Delegates: Alma Almasi, Jovana Dodos, Alina Bezhenar.

More news 2011 about Protocol on Water and Health

In January 2011, (on photo) Jovana Dodos (WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegate) and Natalia Ciobanu (CEHAPE Youth Representative from Romania) represented WHO CEHAPE Youth Network at the first meeting of the Drafting group of experts on equitable access to water and sanitation held in Paris. We had an excellent opportunity to give our contribution to the Good Practice Guidance on Equitable Access to Water and Sanitation under: the Chapter 3, point 3: Awareness raising (including on the rights of users), transparency, education and communication tools ( Role of Civil Society) and the Chapter 6: Ensuring social equality for access to water and sanitation (Hygiene promotion campaigns). This document will be launched at World Water Forum in Marseille in 2012.

At the beginning of April 2011 the second meeting of the group of experts was held in Paris and we were given the opportunity to contribute under several more chapters related to Water and Sanitation issues in Roma settlements and Refugee camps.

As a part of the project, at the beginning of July 2011 Workshop on equitable access to water and sanitation for marginalized groups and socially excluded people was held in Geneva, were the second draft of the document was presented to relevant stake holders all over the UNECE European Region. Participants had the chance to contribute to the documents and give their inputs and comments. The final version of the document should be finished after the last meeting of the group of experts which will be held at the end of September. The good practises document will be translated into 4 languages and launched at World Water Forum in Marseille in 2012.

Youth Gathering in Austria

(On photo: WHO CEHAPE Youth Network with Niki Berlakovich, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management in Austria)

In October 2010, several youth representatives of our Network met together in Vienna for Youth Environment Days “Yuta” 2010: “10 years caring for our world!”. These youth representatives from the Balkan countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Croatia) and International Youth Representatives were invited by the Austrian government and supported by Jugend Umwelt Netzwerk