2007 Speeches

Honoring Earth Day International Art Contest Participants - April 24, 2007

Belize Elementary School, Belize City

Principal of Belize Elementary School Deanna Nisbet (back left) and U.S. Ambassador Robert J. Dieter (back right) with participants of Earth Day International Art Contest 2007

Thank you for inviting me to your school to recognize Belize Elementary and the students who participated in the International Earth Day Art Contest sponsored by the United States Embassy in Belmopan.

As you know, every year for the past 37 years, governments around the world set aside April 22 as the day to celebrate our environment and to remind us that if we are going to protect the natural beauty of our planet, it’s going to take all of us to do it.  Earth Day is a reminder to us all that environmental awareness and environmental protection is a year-around job.

In my country, we used to believe that the our natural resources were unlimited - that new land was always just over the horizon and when the soil or forests in one place were used up we could move on to another place.  As time went on, that view of our planet began to change.  In 1968, the Apollo astronauts photographed the Earth as they returned from their mission around the moon.  This image of the Earth – small, beautiful, and unique – maybe you’ve heard the expression the “little blue marble” – made a lasting impression on everyone who saw it.  That same year, the U.S. Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act, establishing a national policy to encourage a productive harmony between people and the environment.

So, how did Earth Day start?  In 1970, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson, a longtime conservationist, decided to call for a nationwide “teach-in” on the environment to be held in the spring.  The response was dramatic:  he received letters and telephone inquiries from all over the United States.  As a result, an estimated 20 million people participated in events all across the country.  Thousand grade schools and high schools, two thousand colleges, and one thousand communities were involved and Earth Day was born. 

After the success of the first Earth Day, the U.S. government passed groundbreaking legislation to protect the environment.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970, followed by the passage of the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

In 1990, Earth Day became a truly international celebration.  More than 200 million people around the world – 10 times the number in 1970 – participated in events that recognized that the environment had finally become a universal public concern.  Each year, individuals and organizations around the world continue the spirit of Earth Day by raising the public’s awareness about the environment.

Belize has also seen increased efforts to protect the environment.  People like Sharon Matola, Director of the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center, and Valdemar Andrade, Executive Director of the Protected Areas Conservation Trust, are working to ensure that the natural beauty of Belize will be here for future generations to enjoy. 

And you - as the future leaders of Belize - it is your responsibility too.  Your participation in the U.S. State Department’s International Art Contest tells me that you already care about the plants and animals that are part of Belize’s natural beauty. 

As I said, protecting the environment is something we all must do every day – not just on Earth Day.  What are some of the things we can do? (SOLICIT SUGGESTIONS FROM AUDIENCE) (some ideas)

•           Save energy by turning off the light when you leave your room

•           Pick up litter that you see in your neighborhood and around your school

•           Turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth

•           Use both sides of a piece of paper when drawing, coloring or writing

•           Workers begin to carpool, bike, or take the bus to work

•           Children can encourage their parents to be more aware of the environment

These are just a few examples of small things that can make an enormous difference in preserving the Earth.

We sponsored this international earth day art competition to celebrate Earth Day.  On behalf of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan, I want to thank your principal Mrs. Nesbit and Belize Elementary for participating.  I want to specially recognize those students who submitted entries in the contest.  I didn’t bring the entries with me today because all of the students’ artwork is on display at the George Price Center in Belmopan.  It will be there until April 30, so if you have the chance, I encourage you to visit the exhibit and support your classmates.

There were some wonderful examples of creative art work and you are all winners in my book simply because you participated.  But we were required to pick one entry from each age category and we selected the pieces by Josie Lee and Perla Perdomo to represent Belize. 

Photographs of these two entries will be shown in Washington D.C. in the State Department building along with entries from countries all over the world.  You all can be very proud of your school and your classmates for joining in the competition and for representing Belize in the contest.

As I call each student’s name, I would ask that the student come forward to accept a token of our appreciation for your effort.

****Present certificates/books/pins*****

Let’s give them all a hand - and as I say, they are all winners for participating.  I hope next year even more of you will want to join in the contest.

Also, in recognition of your school’s participation in the contest, I want to donate an Earth Day tree to your school yard.  I’m told that it is best to wait until the rainy season to plant it so I will have it brought to Ms. Nesbit in a month or so for you to plant. I chose the Mayflower tree because it blooms in April about the time of Earth Day.  So when you look at the pretty pink blossoms, you will be reminded of Earth Day – and also that the school year is almost over so you’d better get your work done!  Also, I hope that as you watch the tree grow, you will think of what you can do to make your school and Belize even more beautiful.