Meeting on Green Economy in Syria on June 16, 2012

Dear ICAN and International Environment Campaigners

        On June 16, 2012, I was invited to take part in a national symposium organized by the Syrian Environment Association, the Syrian Scientific Society for Quality and directorate of culture in Damascus.
Many Health, Environment, Development and culture societies took part in the event that focused on the Green Economy and sustainable development. This event was organized to observe the world environment day, (June 5).

        During the symposium, I briefed the participants on the Catastrophic Humanitarian Consequencies of Nuclear Weapons on environment and development, as well as the study of Nuclear Famine and IPPNW activities. I also highlighted the role of civil society in Eliminating the world from Nuclear Weapons and protect the earth in order to achieve a safer, healthier, peaceful and sustainable world. I stressed that environment security is crucial for human security.

        I circulated some related materials, including an interesting inspiring paper of the President of  Soka Gakkai International, (Soka Gakkai International (SGI) members in 192 countries and territories
around the world) as example of leading international civil society that work on environment and development. The paper included some thoughts and proposals on the occasion of the United Nations
Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, starting June 20. Also, the paper call for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the Soka Gakkai Youth Division’s
drive to collect 2.27 million signatures calling for a Nuclear Weapons  Convention (NWC), which were submitted to the United Nations in May 2010.

Ghassan Shahrour, Coordinator

“Arab Human Security Network”