The Environmental NGOs are increasing in Morocco
36 NGOs coming from all over the World take part into the WEEC, an opportunity to meet and show them up.
Wednesday June 12th is the NGOs' day at the WEEC. Thirty-six associations, representing the 16 regions of the Kingdom, have been invited by the Foundation Mohammed VI for the protection of the environment to participate in to this world event, which includes more than 1500 participants, coming from several countries.
The environmental associations represent a quite recent phenomenon. Nevertheless, in a country open to the world, the media presence of environmental actors, especially since the Rio conference in 1992 and the COP7's held in 2001 in Morocco, a fundamental step in the long path of the international summits, have helped Moroccan citizens in understanding that they have a main role in the challenge against the global warming.
The majority of the NGOs are particularly active and they promote the environmental education and raising awareness’ activities for the general public.
The biggest majority has a strong bond to the land and want to protect the environment immediately, starting from a beach, a garden, a tree, a green space... the Foundation Mohammed VI for the protection of the environment wished that these associations could participate in the Congress, by creating a specific meeting space, called « Associations : all actors ». Thus, they could present different grassroots initiatives, some programmes, some local development projects and many other works.
This space allowed associations to meet and, at the same time, to speak with decision-makers, institutions' delegates, journalists, companies managers, international organizations' delegates, students... they could exchange experiences, ideas, know-how and promote cooperation in the different fields linked to the environmental education and to the sustainable development.
Gathering the NGOs dealing with the environment's protection, the Foundation Mohammed VI wants to strengthen their role as educators, sensitizers and dynamic actors in the field.
Marrakech, the 12th of June 2013