Happy First Annual Wangari Maathai Day!

Our hearts and prayers go out to those who are suffering from the devastating weather here in the USA…

Today is March, 3, the day of the first annual Wangari Maathai Day!

People around the world will be celebrating environmental awareness and the beauty of nature in honor of Dr. Wangari Maathai.

Many of you know that Wangari Muta Maathai is one of my heroines.

She was the founder of the Green Belt Movement (GBM), a non-governmental organization in Kenya. GBM promotes environmental conservation, civic and environmental education, and equal rights for women.

Sadly, she passed away last year. But Dr. Maathai continues to influence people throughout Africa and around the world.

Wangari Maathai

In celebration of her environmental efforts, delegates at the 2012 the Africa Union Summit (AU) agreed to recognize March 3rd each year as Wangari Maathai Day!

The AU voted to rename “African Environmental Day” to “Wangari Maathai Day,” a time to “remember and celebrate Professor Maathai and her lifelong commitment to good governance, environmental responsibility and peace.”

One source said that:

Celebrating Wangari Maathai Day will not only help in immortalizing her immense contribution to Africa and the world at large in the areas of sound environmental management and sustainable development, but it will also serve as a permanent motivation and a beacon of hope for people around the world.

The AU further encouraged its Member States and Regional Economic Communities to create regional and national activities to increase environmental awareness for people across the continent.

:idea: Events for the annual Wangari Maathai Day should engage people in celebrating her accomplishments. The AU hopes to bring people together to collectively overcome the environmental challenges to help ensure a better future for all.

Wild cherry tree (Prunus avium) in flower

Some of today’s events include activities such as:

Saving Lake Chad – The Government of Chad will host celebrations and focus on Lake Chad, one of the continental lakes facing the threat of drying up as a result of the worsening effects of climate change and desertification.

Tree planting events – In Kenya on March 10, the Green Belt Movement (GBM) will celebrate by hosting a tree planting event at Freedom Corner in Uhuru Park. This was a special place for Wangari during her lifetime and in remembrance. The event will be open to friends of GBM, school students, and members of the public for a special tree planting event, music, and tributes

Women and Girls Lead Online Film Festival – Here’s a summary about this event:

Women and Girls Lead kicks off Women’s History Month with the launch of its first Women and Girls Lead Online Film Festival on March 1, 2012. The festival will run through the month and will feature a collection of documentary films by prominent independent filmmakers showcasing extraordinary women and girls on the front lines of changing the world. Titles include Taking Root:The Vision of Wangari Maathai, directed by Lisa Merton and Alan Dater. The film festival will be supported by key campaign partners who will co-present three interactive online social screening events every Wednesday of the month starting on March 14. These social screenings will allow viewers to interact in real time with leading women’s organizations, filmmakers, and other attendees while watching groundbreaking documentaries.

:idea: I hope you get out at enjoy nature in celebration of Wangari Maathai Day!

Styphnolobium japonicum tree

:idea: Other columns on or about Wangari Maathai

Bessie DiDomenica, MBA, Doctoral Candidate
Co-founder, Columnist and Editor
Secretary of Innovation
“In imagination & creativity we trust…”

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–Amelia Earhart