World Environment Day 99

World Environment Day 99 was a tremendous success, far exceeding our hopes and dreams. The theme for this year's World Environment Day (Our Earth - Our Future - Just Save It!) was an urgent appeal to each and every one of us to renew our pledge to cherish and respect the planet that sustains us. The events began with a welcome party hosted by new Laureate, Global Environmental Action of Japan. Their key role as an advocator of environmental protection and sustainable development in close collaboration with U.N. organizations as been an important force in deepening international dialogue and developing concrete global actions which would contribute to sustainable development. The Prince and Princess of Japan graced their conference, which ran simultaneously with World Environment Day.

On June 4th, Mr. Goto of Yasuda Marine and Fire Insurance Company (a 1998 Laureate) funded and hosted a Global 500 Forum Luncheon and presentation. The Minister of the Environment, Mr. Manabe, Dr. Toepher, Executive Director of UNEP, new Laureates, and numerous Japanese Laureates attended the event from 1987 - 1998. It was a joyful reunion for Marilyn Mosley and Global 500 Forum Advisor Partha Sarathay, who has served continuously on the Forum as a counselor for India, President, and advisor. Mr. Goto and his 110 person technical team worked with Forum President Marilyn Mosley to develop a presentation that included a dramatic display of our website.

Ms. Mosley opened the event with a description of the work of the Global 500 Forum, its present accomplishments, and future plans. The Global 500 website was magnificently projected on to a large screen for all to see. Afterwards, Mr. Goto provided an inspirational speech. Our youth award winners provided us with diverse but important demonstrations of their award winning work. Eviroworks of Canada presented an inspiring slide show, which demonstrated their miracle of diverting more than 70 tons of construction and demolition waste from the Kingston area landfills each year. Kruiti Parekh, our youngest Laureate, held us spellbound with her special brand of magic tricks, in which she demonstrated that recycling is a great way to keep our planet healthy. Speeches by New Laureates Mr. Aoki of Global Environmental Action and Mr. Larby of Ghana were an important part of the event. Tribute was paid to Corporate Laureates Brian Wills Johnson of Alcoa Aluminum and Teoh Cheng Hai of Golden Hope Plantations for their invaluable support of the Forum by sponsoring the Global 500 Forum website and secretariat. All of the Laureates were honored with a description of their important work, as photographs of their projects were presented in a slide presentation. Later in the afternoon, Mr. Goto treated the new and old Laureates to a night of memorable Kabuki Theatre and an exquisite traditional Japanese dinner. Enthusiastic toasts by Marilyn Mosley, UNEP's Elisabeth Guilbaud Cox, and Mr. Goto were a highlight of the evening -- as was the opportunity to sit together "tatami style" and make new friends.

The World Environment Day Ceremony attended by Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress, was a very memorable occasion. The beauty of Japanese simplicity was evident with an exquisite slide presentation arranged to music of incredible natural beauty. The event culminated with the presentation of UNEP's Global 500 awards to 17 individuals and organizations from 12 countries, all of who have made outstanding contributions to the protection of the environment. We were all so proud of the Laureates as each stepped up to receive the award presented by Mr. Manabe and Mr. Toepher. The youth representative from Japan Junior Eco-Club, Ms. Mizuki Kunugihara, stood with much poise and delivered a lovely speech. The Laureates were honored to meet with their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress, who received the Laureates in private.

A commemorative symposium was held during the afternoon, in which new Laureate Bebe Arcifa Khan-Ajodha of Trinidad served on a panel of esteemed individuals. Ms. Khan-Ajodha had the opportunity to talk about her important education policy for the Environmental Management Agency of Trinidad.

The evening, hosted by the Minister of the Environment Mr. Manabe and Global Environmental Action, was filled with musical entertainment called Japanese Night, complete with vocals by Tokiko Kato, pianist Yutaka Hosai, violinist Yang Xing Xin, koto by Nanae Yoshimaura, and flutist Kitu Mitsuhashi. Not all of us understood the lyrics, but the beautiful melodies and rhythms these expert players created truly transcended the language barrier. The buffet dinner allowed the Laureates to easily move around the room, make new friends and talk with fellow Laureates, who were now becoming a close family. Our new Laureate, Mr. Aoki of Global Environmental Action provided closing remarks.

On June 6th the Government of Japan also provided the Laureates with a two-day excursion to the beautiful Nikko National Park and the Toshogu Samurai Temple. Our day began with a visit to the Environmental Exhibition of Electric and Low Emission Cars, organized by Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Mr Takahashi. The Mayor of Shibuya City, Mr. Ogura, Director General of the Bureau of Environmental Protection, Mr. Saito, Director of Air Quality, Mr. Hirsoe, and the Department Chair of Low Emission Cars, Professor Fujinaka, greeted us. We were presented with plants grown in recyclable pots from a Girl Scout group. Our Laureates were honored with lovely music performed by school children with the use of recyclable items such as bottles filled with glass beads and tambourines made of camera cases and bells. We were also treated to a wonderful lunch. Then we went on to Nikko.

There is a saying in Japan "See Nikko and then die." We now understand the meaning behind that statement. The extraordinary beauty of the forests, the green lush mountains, surrounding lakes, the waterfalls, and the wetlands were a constant reminder of our mission to protect the environment that we love so dearly. Our visit to the Toshogu Temple, one of the oldest and most beautiful temples, was a highlight of the trip. On the evening of the 7th, we sadly returned to the Tokyo Prince Hotel to say good-bye to our new Laureate friends, to Elisabeth Guilbaud Cox of UNEP, Mariko Harada of the Japan Environmental Agency, our patient translators, and all those who had made us feel so welcome in the land of Japan. Many of us had bridged language barriers to get to know each other, to learn about each other's countries and work. Each of us left richer for the experience and renewed to continue the work for which we had been given the right to call ourselves Global 500 Laureates.