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Orangutan
Caring Week 2008
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number of conservation oriented NGOs gathered together with
local Indonesian university students to host Orangutan Caring
Week IV (OCW IV) in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Activities
were held from 15-23 November in commemoration of this OUREI
inspired event, all designed to raise awareness and education
levels of the public about the plight of the orangutan and
its forest home. As protecting and saving the forest ecosystem
is key to their survival, such information was presented and
distributed to Sumatran peoples. |
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On the first day of OCW IV events were held in the Sun Plaza shopping
mall, which consisted of film screenings, information/brochure distribution
and conservation petition signing, appearances by multiple 'orangutans'
(don't worry - just some brave volunteers in orangutan costumes!),
as well as dramatic performances by UNIMED and USU university students.
This was followed by a day of fun at one of Medan's large, busy
roundabouts, where information and materials were distributed to
everyone passing by, as well as conservation oriented stickers being
given out to local bus drivers to place on their buses for all of
Medan to see. Then there were day long events held at local college
campuses which aimed to educate these communities and perhaps inspire
some students to come and work for conservation!
Such actions are vital in that in order to save the orangutan and
the countless species of flora and fauna it lives alongside, first
and foremost the people living nearest to them have to support their
protection and continued existence (this is not to say that the
larger, global market does not also play a massive role in what
goes on in the forests here - in fact it can be argued that that
has a greater effect!). Therefore education and awareness are paramount,
yet for many people they have too much else to worry about to remember
- thus this week of mass outreach whereby many different NGOs and
organisations come together to blanket an area with information.
Participating institutions for Orangutan Caring Week 2008 were the
OIC, YEL-SOCP (Leuser Foundation / Sumatran Orangutan Conservation
Programme), LIF (Leuser International Foundation), OUREI (Orang
Utan Republik Education Initiative), CPOI (Orangutan Caring Club),
FFI (Fauna Flora International), USAID OCSP (Orangutan Conservation
Services Programme), Sun Plaza Shopping Centre Medan, UNIMED University
Theatre Club, UNIMED University Mapala Club, USU University Forestry
Department, UNIMED University German Club, OIC Orangutan Friends
Club, USU University Agriculture Department.
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We
would like to give thanks to all participants and also the
institutions who helped make OCW IV a great success. In such
education focused programmes, the outcomes are difficult to
measure as they are not often immediate and may take many
years to materialise. However it is our collective hope that
this event inspired people to care more about and more importantly
do something/take action to help protect their natural environment.
It is up to us to do something! But in order to do so we have
to know what the problem(s) is (are) first!. |
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STUDENTS
FROM 17 KABUPATENS in NORTH SUMATRA FOLLOWED THE COMMEMORATION
OF FLORA AND FAUNA DAY 2007 IN MEDAN
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Nowadays,
many campaigns of environment were conducted by non-government
organizations. In the commemoration of National Flora and
Fauna Day 2007 on November 5th, the Body of Regional Environment
Impact Control (BAPEDALDA) together with SOS - OIC designed
an activity of Environment Students Camp.
The
Camp was followed by students from 17 kabupatens in North
Sumatra. They are Kotamadya Tanjung Balai, Kotamadya Kisaran,
Kab. Samosir, Kotamadya Siantar,
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Kab.
Phakpak Barat, Kab.
Nias Selatan, Kab. Tobasa, Kab. Labuhan Batu, Kab. Taput,
Kotamadya
Binjai, Kab. Serdang Bedagai, Kab. Tapsel, Kab. Langkat, Kotamadya
Sibolga, Kab. Tapteng, Kab. Simalungun, dan Kab. Madina.
The ceremony was officially opened by the Governor of North Sumatra,
and in this chance, represented by the head of the Body of Regional
Environment Impact Control (BAPEDALDA), Mr. Prof. Dr. Syamsul
Arifin, S.H., M.H. and Vice Rector I University of North Sumatra
Mr. Prof. Dr. Sumono. Upon the theme of "Save the Flora and Fauna,
Save the Earth", the camp was successfully conducted.
Approximately 21 environment organizations participated in this
commemoration by following the environment exhibition as the source
of information for the participants of camp. 154 participants
of camp (29 school-boys, 66 school-girls and 59 teachers) were
divided in to groups. The school-boys were divided into 2 groups
of Desa Beo Nias and Orangutan Sumatera while the school-girls
were divided into Desa Bunga Kenanga and Bunga Anggrek Tien Soeharto.
Various activities conducted were the film screenings, presentation
of environment by the staff of the Body of Nature Resource Conservation,
interactive discussion and games.
Besides that, the participants were encouraged to love their environment
more during the competition of environment quiz and environment
song competition. However, the participants were more enthusiastic
when they planted trees in Medan Zoo. Each kabupatens also submitted
their indigenious plants to be palnted in Medan Zoo Park "This
activity is conducted by SOS -OIC together with the Body of Regional
Environment Impact Control (BAPEDALDA) This is an effort of enhancing
the self-awareness of the students regarding the nature conservation"
stated Mr. Indra Kurnia, as the event-coordinator.
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