GREEN CROSS ANNIVERSARY
In early September of this year, the whole Geneva became a place where every corner narrated to residents and visitors about upcoming events of Green Cross. Celebrations devoted to the 20th anniversary of Green Cross officially launched on September 2. The Mont Blanc bridge was decorated with the Green Cross flags, which fluttered in the wind. The famous JeJet d'Eau turned green. The first and one of the most important events of the day was Green Cross General Assembly. The meeting was held at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG). During the meeting the delegates discussed the achievements of GREEN CROSS, as well as new activities that Mikhail Gorbachev, Founding President of GCI focused on.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, this General Assembly was also attended by the former President of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Wa?esa, former President of the European Parliament, former Prime Minister of Poland Jerzy Buzek, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Ruud Lubbers, MEP, Chair of the Parliamentary Intergroup Seas and Coasts, Vice chair of Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Corinne Lepage, Director, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Rashid Khalikov, Ph.D./Dr. of Sc. (Law), Head of the Department, National Minorities and Antidiscrimination, Representative of the Directorate General of Democracy, Secretariat General of the Council of Europe Alexey Kozhemyakov, former Seychelles President Sir Robert Mancham, former Kyrgyzstan President Roza Otunbayeva, and the French explorer, environmentalist, educator and film producer Jean-Michel Cousteau, Geneva City and State and Swiss Federal representatives, the Mayor of Geneva Sandrine Salerno, representatives of UN office in Geneva, members of the European and Swiss Parliaments, as well as leaders of civil society and international organizations, presidents and directors of international organizations from GREEN CROSS family.
All participants and delegates came to salute Green Cross on this special day. Founding President of Green Cross International, a Nobel Peace Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev opened the work of the General Assembly, who set the tone for all subsequent events by his speech. The President of Green Cross Ukraine (GCU) Maksym O. Tymoshenko had the opportunity to present for Mikhail Gorbachev the activities implemented by Green Cross Ukraine, to transfer catalogs and brochures. With his address to Mikhail Gorbachev, Mr. Tymoshenko said that the establishment of Green Cross in Ukraine, we are able to help thousands of children and families who have been affected by the Chernobyl accident in Ukraine. Thanks to the image of the organization and support from Green Cross International (GCI) and Green Cross Switzerland (GCCH) Green Cross in Ukraine implements and develops new activities, involving new partners and associates. Together with GCI President Alexander Likhotal we discussed the prospects of further work and ways to develop the organization. The Ukrainian delegates hold interesting discussions and exchanged experience with the management of Green Cross International, the important delegates, leaders of international organizations, politicians and leading scientists. Maksym Tymoshenko heartily thanked Mikhail Gorbachev, Alexander Likhotal and Jan Kulczyk for their letter of support to the President of Ukraine to perpetuate the memory of the Founding President of Green Cross of Ukraine, Academician, Professor Oleg S. Tymoshenko, and stressed on the importance of strengthening partnerships between the organizations.
The afternoon was devoted to the Green Star award ceremony through which the world has learned the names of those who exercised courage and leadership to rise from the ruins of environmental disasters, and worked tirelessly to prevent such crises, and established measures to brace for their impact.
The final of the day was a special charity concert, held in Geneva Grand Victoria Hall, where the guests enjoyed the captivating and enchanting music of Chopin and Prokofiev performed by the legendary pianist Andrei Gavrilov.
Leading figures of international politics, science, business and civil society, economists, environmentalists, development experts gathered together on September 3 at the United Nations in Geneva on the 7th Earth Dialogues titled Pathways into the Future – Triggers of Change. The panelists discussed the pressing challenges of the 21st century, the current situation was assessed. The plenary sessions aimed to elaborate mechanisms to take decisive steps towards achievement of qualitative changes in the near future. According to the delegates, the directions should be developed that bring success and renounce schemes that do not work and cause serious harm. “Innovative thinking, renewed engagement and enhanced cooperation are needed to break the deadlock of entrenched but inadequate ideas, political stagnation and international fragmentation and the re-emergence of militarisation in thinking and action.” It is necessary to build international cooperation, implement innovative ideas, competitive practices, new advances in science, technology, and education. The conference resulted in Earth Dialogues Geneva Declaration on Action for a Peaceful and Sustainable World. Please feel free to download the full version of the Declaration.
The United Nations hosted Green Cross exhibition located at the Salle des Par Perdus. The exhibition comprises more than 100 photos. This is the third part of the exhibition, which was presented earlier in the Quai Wilson in Geneva. The exhibition is open to the public from 3 to 13 September
The debut performance of the musical "2050: The Future We Want" was created by Peace Child International in association with Green Cross International. It was incredibly beautiful, touching, and, at the same time, deep and motivating performance was successfully demonstrated on the stage at the UN Assembly Hall by young people from different countries, who by their singing made ??a viewer to reconsider their attitude and take responsibility for the future of the Earth. The musical was also attended by volunteers from Ukraine (GCU). The participation of young people from Ukraine was made possible only due to the coordinated work and support of Green Cross Switzerland (GCCH), as well as thanks to the financial support of the European Union "Youth in Action" program. The full version of the musical performance you may download here.
Green Cross demonstrated to the international community the situation in which we find ourselves now, and identified ways that could help unlock the visible, positive results. It is important to understand that humanity can change the subsequent events, but what will be this way, depends on each of us. To look in the same direction, to cooperate, to help and not be afraid to act with love in one’s heart, peace in one’s soul, freedom and power in every step towards a new world.
We evince our profound gratitude to all the organizers, local authorities, media partners and sponsors, as well as involved volunteers. Special thanks to GCI team for their hard work and significant contributions and to all those who have become part of the historic event - the 20th anniversary of Green Cross.
Green Cross Ukraine
