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

THE PEP and PHAN

In September 2010, (on photo) Alina Bezhenar (WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegate) and Marika Tsereteli ( CEHAPE Youth Representative from Georgia) participated in Workshop on safe and healthy walking and cycling in urban areas in Batumi,Georgia. They had a successful presentation about Parma outcomes of the Physical Activity and Nutrition project workshop, part of a large joint programme between WHO and the European Commission.

To learn more about THE PEP click here

60th WHO Regional Committee Meeting in Moscow

In September 2010, WHO held the 60th Regional Committee Meeting in Moscow.
This is the annual meeting where all European Ministers of Health and other key stakeholders meet to review the work of the past year and plan for the next. Alina Bezhenar (WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegate) was asked to attend the meeting on behalf of the Network and had the chance to take the floor and gave a short intervention about youth participation in the health and environment process. Her intervention is also included in the final report of the Regional Committee in Moscow.
(On photo: Vladimir Putin, Premier Minister of Russia, gave a speech at the 60th Regional Committe Meeting in Moscow, September 2010)

Protocol on Water and Health in 2010

Jovana Dodos (on photo) is our WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegate. She is our contact person in the Protocol on Water and Health process.

Events happened since the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health:
- Working Group on Water and Health meeting in Geneva, May 2010. Jovana Dodos participated there on behalf of WHO CEHAPE Youth Network. She gave a successful presentation on youth involvement in water and health projects in Europe. Working group on Water and Health discussed the possibility of including youth in 2011-2013 Protocol on Water and Health.

Second Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Water and Health in Bucharest, November 2010.Our proposal of including youth in 2011-2013 Protocol on Water and Health made at the Working Group on Water and Health meeting in Geneva, May 2010 was included in Work Programme 2011-2013 of the Protocol.

(On photo) Jovana Dodos and Alina Bezhenar - our WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegates, Desislava Taneva (CEHAPE Youth Representative from Bulgaria) together with young colleges from Romania- Diana Calin and Natalia Ciobanu from International Fund for Cooperation and Partnership of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea and Daria Catalui from Danube.EDU Youth think-and-do tank organization participated in the Second Session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol on Water and Health in Bucharest. They had an excellent opportunity to organize Youth side event “Let’s share experience! Youth involvement in Environment and Health projects : How can Youth contribute to the Protocol on Water and Health 2011-2013?” and make several interventions from the floor during the Meeting.
Also, Jovana Dodos participated as panellist in Partners in Cooperation Session.


Other related events to water and health in 2010:
In October 2010 Nikola Panduric ( CEHAPE Youth Representative from Croatia) and Jovana Dodos (WHO CEHAPE International Youth Delegate) gave a presentation at the Workshop on promotion of food and water safety in the school system in Croatia. They had an excellent opportunity to speak on behalf of the Network and provide information on youth perspectives on water and health in schools.

We are back! Protocol on Water and Health

Dear Readers of our Blog!

We are finally back to update our Blog regularly!

We have lots of news to tell you!

Let's start! Since the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health held in Parma, Italy in March 2010 lots of events happened!

Since May 2010 our Network has been seriously involved in the process of Protocol on Water and Health (UNECE/WHO UN).


This Protocol introduces a social component into cooperation on water management. Water resources management should link social and economic development to the protection of natural ecosystems. Moreover, improving the water supply and sanitation is fundamental in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty.

To learn more about the Protocol on Water and Health click here .

From Austria with CEHAPE_love - video

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Youth Participation at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma part VIII

“Success is not the key to happiness.

Happiness is the key to success.

If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

Herman Cain

WHO CEHAPE Youth Network

in front of the Parma Conference Venue

"Young people: a vital investment in the environment and health process", - WHO website

Youth Participation at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma part VII

The 12th of March was the Closure of the 5th Ministerial Conferenceof Environment and Health.
The Parma Declaration and Parma Youth Declaration were presented.


"Delegates agreed that ensuring the full participation of young people in policy development adds a dimension of sustainability and legitimacy to the environment and health process", -WHO website.

On photo: Desislava Taneva (Bulgaria) and Kristina Aare(Estonia) presented Parma Youth Declration

Youth Participation at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma part VI

The 11th of March was the big day for the whole youth network, because we had the opportunity to participate in panel session and to ask questions from ministers. Also after the success of the 10th with the side event, on the 11th we took part in another side event with World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and Cefic (chemical industry). In the morning sessions on CEHAPE started at 8:30 with the announcement of the winners of CEHAPE Best Practice Awards. After this NGOs and the youth had the chance to ask questions directly to the ministers who signed up for this session, so we asked about mobility in Austria, health care in Norway and education. The stakeholder session aimed to point out how collaboration between civil society, NGOs and the business sector can be strengthened. There was a roundtable discussion with all the relevant stakeholders and we had the possibility to participate there as well. All these sessions went really well, and all of the four international youth delegates were extremely proud of the group and the people who participated. Later that afternoon we had another young person participating in a roundtable discussion, just before the side event with WBCSD. The side event was attended mostly by young people and some NGOs who were interested in the opinion of the business sector on some relevant topics. Our youth representative there was very powerful and expert in the topic so we were very proud to have her there.

Youth Participation at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma part V

In the morning of 11th of March there were CEHAPE Awards.
Our Network is proud of Irina Fedorenko and Evgeniya Soboleva from Vladivostok, Russia.
Their Organization "Green Light" won a prize of 1000 euro in the nomination of Youth Participation.
Our congratulations and best wishes for future work!
more information can be found here

Youth Participation at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma part IV

In the afternoon of the 10th of March 2010 the official opening ceremony of the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health was happened.

Provisional programme for the Conference can be found here

Youth Participation at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma part III

WHO/DG SANCO physical activity workshop went extraordinary well in the morning of 10th of March. We had 2 very nice facilitators from Oxford University, UK. First we had to work individually with a sheet of paper collecting as many good and bad experiences connected to physical activity. Then we had to form groups and we had teamwork. We got a piece of paper with a description of a possible project and the group had to make it youth friendly somehow and had to create a project plan according to it. Just to give you some examples we had to create projects for disabled young people, for people living in the city centre with limited accessibility to green areas, for young people living in the suburbs etc. After reading all project plans with all the advantages and disadvantages we had a discussion on all of them to conclude the session. In the presentation Paul Kelly assured us that further consultations will take place before they publish the blueprint on physical activity, so we gave him our e-mails and we’ll be consulted after they summarize the results from the workshop. All in all it was a very successful event because all the participants were active and they enjoyed it a lot.

Youth Participation at the 5th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, Parma part II

On the 10th of March WHO CEHAPE Youth Network splited into 2 groups in the morning. One part participated at the workshop with Oxford University and WHO on WHO/DG SANCO physical activity programme. The others went to joint side-event with CEHAPE youth and HEAL about youth participation. The programme can be found here .

Genon Jensen (Executive Director, HEAL) and Jovana Dodos (Serbia, International CEHAPE Youth Delegate)

It was a brilliant side-event with fantastic presentations and good questions!