THE world celebrated International Day for Biodiversity on May 22 under the theme, Biodiversity for sustainable development.
The City of Ekurhuleni used this year’s event as an opportunity to raise public awareness on the importance of biodiversity and also to emphasise the need to reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss which negatively impacts all life on earth.
OR Tambo Cultural Precinct in Wattville, Benoni, a centre regarded as a biodiversity region within Ekurhuleni, was abuzz with community members and high school learners getting first-hand natural science lessons from environmentalists on biodiversity.
These experts shared their in-depth knowledge on the coexistence of various plants, water bodies, reptiles, birds and human life with the audience.
A keynote speaker at the event, MMC for Environmental Resources Management in Ekurhuleni, Clr Ndosi Shongwe, said: “It is every citizen’s responsibility to take care of the biodiversity as it is our natural heritage. As the City we are in the process to devise more strategic and developmental approaches to environmental management within the metro.”
Learners demonstrated their understanding of the importance of biodiversity by doing chart presentations, poetry and stage plays which helped older citizens better understand the concept of biodiversity.
