Friends of the Earth international event with Valli Moosa, S.A. environment minister

September 30, 2002 – Media invite/interview opportunity

when: Monday 2 September 2002
when: starts 8.45am (Tea available from 8.15am)
where: Protea Balalaika Hotel, (Bull Run Restaurant), 20 Maude Street Sandton (5 minutes walk directly from Convention Centre)

Media present in South Africa are invited to attend this coming Monday (2 September 2002) a Friends of the Earth International side event at the Earth Summit on the issue of Environmental Justice.

Speakers:
– Valli Moosa Minister of the Environment, South Africa
– Jack McConnell, MSP, First Minister, Scotland, UK
– Dorothy Desir, Director, Community Initiatives, Lower Manhatten, Cultural Council, NY, USA
– Thabo Madihlaba, Campaign Coordinator Environmental Justice, Networking Forum (EJNF),
South Africa
– Charlotte Keys, President of JPAP, Columbia, Mississippi, USA
chair:
– Kevin Dunion, Friends of the Earth International

What is the event about?
The event is of significance, with two Government Ministers, North and South, declaring that environmental justice issues have to be addressed in their countries and we will hear of policy initiatives which they are taking. Environmental justice activists will provide their testimonies of the injustices faced by communities who are having to bear a disproportionate burden of pollution, exposure to risk and ill- health consequences. A new approach to community environmental rights will be advocated.

“The speakers will all be speaking on the need for world leaders attending the Earth Summit to adopt a new approach to addressing community environmentaljustice rights. They will also be calling for the inclusion ofenvironmental justice in the text of the final declaration coming out of the Summit”, said Kevin Dunion.

For more information contact:
Kevin Dunion (Friends of the Earth Scotland): 072 401 5398
Bobby Peek (groundWork): 082 464 1383
Linda Ambler (groundWork): 033-342 5662