GreenVoice

‘GreenVoice’ aims to raise environmental awareness and promoting protection. Its means range from solidarity campaigns, tree planting initiatives and environmental education to multimedia projects such as videos or documentaries. Our initiative is open to all spheres of society such as: governments, private companies, associations and ordinary citizens, with a special focus to local youth colleges and high schools.

The ‘GreenVoice’ Program includes a photography exhibition aiming to value our natural habitat and heritage through an artistic eye. The photos shown are part of a selection of images communicating perspectives from 100 countries: The journey leads one through five continents, from the Philippines to Colombia, through India, Lithuania and Mali.

The GreenVoice Program involves journalists, volunteer photographers and reporters who provide their own perspective about the environment, citizenship and volunteerism.

The images were collected through the worldwide network of ICVolunteers.org, a non-profit organization headquartered in Geneva. ICV works with a network of 13,000 volunteers and professionals from 180 countries.

Theme:

Sustainable Development and Environmental Education

Context:

We live in an interconnected world where environmental issues are more relevant than ever.

Partners:

City of Geneva, Republic and State of Geneva, UNEP, SIG, Posterjack, Cité du Temps, Kodak, SEVE, La Libellule, Le Respect, Net Léman, Solemyio, Arboretum Aubonne, public and private schools of the Canton of Geneva, National Office of Forestry France, City of Ferney-Voltaire, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ain, Earth Focus, participation of Swiss renowned photographers and ICV’s worldwide network (/images from 60 countries), several photo galleries.

Beneficiaries:

Young people from Switzerland, Brazil, Mali, Senegal, France and other countries around the world.

General Objective:

Along with our partners, we aim to sow the seeds of environmental knowledge and awareness in a hands-on fashion, promoting the best possible use of technology to make a difference. Wherever you are and wherever you are from, you can make a difference and help preserve our environment and our planet for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Specific Objectives:

• Raise awareness among current and future generations about environmental challenges and issues (climate change, biodiversity, natural resource and waste management, pollution) and, in particular, the need to respect and protect the natural habitat;
• Encourage tree planting initiatives;
• Value the natural heritage;
• Enable young people to acquire the tools the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools to identify nature sites, environmental initiatives, alternative means of transportation, and to better explore the theme of sustainable development;
• Save species from extinction and thus help stem the loss of biodiversity;
• Serve as a showcase for environmental projects all around the world.

Expected Results:

Spread education and increase awareness around environmental issues in specific locations such as France, Switzerland, Mali, Brazil and throughout the world. Changing consumption patterns (increase awareness of links between consumption patterns and global warming, reduce waste in households, etc.), and allowing for durable solutions to emerge from any corner of the world.

Role of ICV:

ICV is the initiator of the project with the goal of bringing our knowledge and expertise in networking and awareness to young people from different countries around the world through our network of over 10,000 people, partners and volunteers from 189 countries.

Calendar:

• 2007/8: contacted and solicited partners and launched the initiative of planting trees on the site of the Arboretum Aubonne (Switzerland) and Brazil School Project
• 2009: organized call for creative photography around the environment, citizenship and volunteerism -- sought means to publicize campaign and print book; launched GreenMap in Brazil;
• 2010: organized second call for creative photography, with a series of exhibitions; developed project in Mali and France;
• 2011: Launched third call for creative photography, under the theme of ‘Water, Forest, Citizenship and Volunteerism’. Organized exhibition on Quai Wilson in Geneva (100 photographs, during July and August).