Trinidad and Tobago

The Ministry of Planning, Housing & the Environment, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, the Environmental Management Authority and the Trinidad & Tobago Postal Corporation has produced a series of stamps in commemoration of the International Year of Biodiversity. The stamps highlight Trinidad & Tobago’s rich and diverse biodiversity through images of flora, fauna and various ecosystems.

The Primary Schools’ “Hands-On” Environmental Competition, organised by the Environmental Management Authority in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is designed to allow students to be directly involved in environmental projects, learning and discovering for themselves with the teacher acting as a facilitator.

Students are required to identify, design, plan and execute an environmentally focused project. This project should involve positive action on the part of the students that would contribute to solving an existing environmental problem or change negative attitudes and behaviours about the environment, among the school population and the community it serves. More information

Public Awareness Displays to Commemorate the International Year of Biodiversity The Environmental Policy and Planning Division of the Ministry of Housing and the Environment conducted a series of public education and awareness displays to enhance public awareness on the importance of biodiversity and on the underlying threats to biodiversity, and also to raise awareness about the International Year of Biodiversity.

Rapso Artiste Coaches EMA Eco-Song Contestants November 12, 2010 - Popular rapso artiste, Wendell Manwarren, is urging contestants in the Third Annual Secondary Schools’ Eco-Song Competition hosted by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to maintain the “strong cultural traditions” of the country. Manwarren, a founding member of the 3canal rapso group, issued the challenge during a mentoring workshop on November 12 for all finalists in this year’s competition which comes to a climax at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s on Wednesday November 17, 2010. He urged the 12 finalists representing 10 secondary schools, to “perform with conviction” since they were the ones to ensure that indigenous musical art forms stayed alive and strong. This year, the theme of the competition is: “Biodiversity is life, biodiversity is our life.” Please click here to read the article and to view pictures of the event.

Scientific Research and Poster Symposium to Commemorate the International Year of Biodiversity The Environmental Policy and Planning Division of the Ministry of Housing and the Environment, as the Trinidad and Tobago National Focal Point for the Convention on Biological Diversity in collaboration with the University of the West Indies conducted a Scientific Research and Poster Symposium; to commemorate the International Year of Biodiversity. The Symposium was conducted in an effort to highlight scientific research being conducted in Trinidad and Tobago related to biological diversity to the national and international community, on November 25, 2010 at the Crowne, Plaza, Port-of-Spain. Photos

Dates and Venue	Event
19 May 2010 Port of Spain Confirmed	Trinidad & Tobago’s Commemorative 2010 IYB stamps
29 May - 6 June 2010 El Socorro Confirmed	Fashion Week Trinidad & Tobago
2 June 2010 Centeno Confirmed	Agricultural Exhibition: Agro-Biodiversity Conservation for Today and Tomorrow
5 June 2010 Port of Spain	Biodiversity - The Value of Nature and The Green Lifestyle Show
17 July 2010 St. Augustine Confirmed	‘BIODIVERSITY: Our Life, Our Future. Preserve it!’ / Youth Environmental Conference
Closes at midnight on Friday 27th August 2010 Port-of-Spain Confirmed	"Biodiversity Through My Eyes" - Environmental Photographic Competition
8 - 30 September 2010 Port-of-Spain	Biodiversity Lecture Series
14 September - 30 November 2010 Port of Spain Confirmed	Eco-Song Competition
25 September 2010 Mayaro	International Coastal CleanUp
30 September 2010 Port-of-Spain	Amateur Tourism Photo Competition