UNESCO show highlights culture of sustainability

A new photograph exhibition launched here Monday by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) celebrated green citizens, from Indigenous Nicaraguans to a fisherman in France.

The exhibition, "Green Citizens: Pathfinders for Change," was in part inspired by the conviction that "without education, climate change will be invisible," said Armelle Arrou, UNESCO's head of public relations, at the launch event.

The show also "aims to inspire others ... to achieve change on the ground at the local level," said Arrou.

The photographs tell stories of everyday people doing their part for sustainable development around the world.

They include the story of a fisherman in Erquy, France, who realized that he had to make the difficult decision to reduce fishing to preserve the precious resource for the future.

In Erquy, fishing has been limited to two periods of 45 minutes each week, from October to May.

In Sidou, Senegal, the exhibit documents the stories of a farmer who realized it was important not to cut down trees in his fields if he wanted to protect the pastures where his cows graze, and of the woman who are helping plant trees to reforest the area.

"Each of those projects come from very different backgrounds treating not only environmental issues but also sustainable development," said Arrou.

The exhibition also has an online educational component for teacher and students, she said. Endi