Building Blocks for Peace
Environment Online- ENO is a global virtual school and network for sustainable development. Since the launch in 2000, over 10 0000 schools in 157 countries have joined ENO and made concrete deeds for the environment like planted trees. Two annual tree planting days in ENO take place on UN Days. The first one 22 May for biodiversity and 21 September for peace. ENO made a strong commitment in Rio+20 Summit about planting 100 million trees by 2017. This was highlighted also in the summary of commitments by Rio Secretariat. So far, schools have planted over 20 million peace trees.
The Day’s theme for 2016 is “The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace.” The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were unanimously adopted by the 193 Member States of the United Nations at an historic summit of the world’s leaders in New York in September 2015. The new ambitious 2030 agenda calls on countries to begin efforts to achieve these goals over the next 15 years. It aims to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The Sustainable Development Goals are integral to achieving peace in our time, as development and peace are interdependent and mutually reinforcing.
The first ENO Tree Planting Day was arranged 21 September 2004, on the International Day for Peace. It was the same year Wangari Maathai received Nobel Peace Prize for planting trees.
~Rajiv K Shrivastava
