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Aarhus center to open in Grodno

Belarus’ first regional Aarhus center is being created in Grodno within the framework of the joint project of the European Union and the United Nations Development Program “Support to the development of a comprehensive framework for international environmental cooperation in the Republic of Belarus,” BelTA learnt from the press service of the Ministry of Nature and Environmental Protection.

Grodno has been selected as the venue for the center following a special contest which involved the Grodno Regional Committee of Natural Resources and Environment, Vitebsk Masherov State University, regional union for extracurricular work with children and teenagers (Vitebsk), Pribuzhskoe Polesie national reserve (Brest). The applications submitted for the contest were assessed by experts from the Nature Ministry, national and international consultants of the EU and UNDP project. Special attention was paid to the logistics facilities, the applicant’s activities in raising environmental awareness of the population, and the prospects for sustainable operation of the center after the EU/UNDP project is over. The winner was the Grodno Regional Committee of Natural Resources and Environment which has a great experience in cooperation with government bodies, public organizations and educational institutions in the environmental field.

“The committee is involved in environmental projects and performs a number of activities aimed at reducing emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, the committee regularly holds local and international seminars and conferences with the participation of the media and general public,” said the press service Opening of the Aarhus center in Grodno will serve as an additional incentive for new environmental projects. The center will work to ensure public access to environmental information, provide legal advice, inform citizens about the Aarhus Convention, and involve public, student community and citizens in the process of environmental decision-making at the regional level.

It is planned that the experience of the new center will be adopted in Brest and Vitebsk Oblasts.