Norske Skog and WWF launch "Young Readers for the Environment" in Thailand


WWF International and Norske Skog have launched a joint venture on providing environmental information for schools in Thailand under the name Young Readers for the Environment. This year-long project will put climate, local environmental conditions and environmental challenges around the Mekong river on the agenda for Thai pupils.

"The idea of a collaboration between WWF International and our Young Reader involvement is a direct consequence of the positive experience we have gained from almost five years of encouraging children and young people to use newspapers in their schoolwork," explains communication manager Pål Stensaas at Norske Skog. "That lays a good basis for a new and interesting commitment which unites the Young Reader model, the WWF's environmental expertise, and our environmental and social responsibility."

Measures in the project include access to newspapers in the classroom, a special workbook and encouraging pupils to write their own newspaper articles. The project aims not only to encourage young people to read newspapers but also to get them involved in the environmental challenges which represent today's most important issue.

The programme will focus in part on the Mekong basin. Flowing for 4 500 kilometres through the whole region, this river is extremely important for China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Its influence is felt by the environment, vegetation, animal life and not least the roughly 60 million people who live close to it.

"The Mekong region is a priority for the WWF," says Knut Fredrik Horn, marketing manager for the organisation in Norway. For its part, Norske Skog finds the area interesting in part because of the presence of the Norske Skog Singburi newsprint mill in Thailand. Other reasons why the country has been chosen for this pilot project are authorities with a positive attitude to the environment, and that the WWF has a strong local organisation.
 

Source: Norske Skog