A meeting was held at the National Flag Park to highlight the importance of environmental protection and health.
In the framework of World Environment Day, the Universidad Nacional de Rosario and the Municipality of Rosario organized an “Environmental Festival” in the vicinity of the National Flag Monument.
The event included a wide variety of activities aimed at highlighting the importance of environmental care and the fight against climate change. There were informative talks, workshops, exhibitions, eco-exchange sessions, and various initiatives designed to promote sustainable practices. The event was coordinated by the UNR Environmental Policy Area, the Municipal Secretariat of Environment and Public Space, and the Rosario University Federation (FUR).
The event was attended by the rector of the Universidad Nacional de RosarioFranco Bartolacci; Mayor Pablo Javkin; the Secretary of Environment and Public Space of the Municipality, Luciano Marelli; and the Undersecretary of Climate Change and Just Ecological Transition, María del Pilar Bueno; and the head of the Environmental Policy Department at the UNR, Matías De Bueno.
Rector Franco Bartolacci emphasized the commitment to continue working responsibly on an environmental agenda that reflects the need to care for and preserve the world we live in. “If there's one thing we need to do to better care for our common home, it's to come together as many people as possible so that everyone, according to their responsibilities, assumes their share so we can begin to improve. And that's happening in Rosario.”
He also explained that an activity of this kind "serves to allow us to think about how to scale these initiatives, which seek to generate a culture of greater care for our common home." In this regard, he emphasized the importance of generating commitments from everyone to "better care for the place where we live and, in that commitment, challenge and move all of us who must make decisions."
For his part, Mayor Javkin noted that Rosario is a city with many environmental organizations, with a long history, that are speaking out about the situation of the wetland, which is "one of the greatest challenges we face."
In this way, the president pledged to replicate this celebration next year. "We have one year to make this the largest Environmental Fair we can achieve, and I'm very proud that we took the first step today."
During the event, trees and seedlings were distributed, and more than 30 stands related to environmental issues were set up. Music bands also participated, and a live radio broadcast was held, with the participation of students from the Pre-University School of Social and Human Sciences.
The event also included a forum titled "Green Articles: Young Voices for Constitutional Reform," a joint initiative of the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations, the Faculty of Law, and the Young Citizens team.
Educational activities included talks on the quality of groundwater in the province, led by specialists from the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and a presentation on the impact of microplastics, given by the dean of that academic unit, Andrés Sciara. Workshops were also offered, such as one on home composting, led by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, and an interactive game on environmental psychology, proposed by the Faculty of Psychology.
Awareness about recycling and environmental protection was promoted through numerous displays and activities. These included the exchange of seedlings for recyclable waste, organized by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in conjunction with the UNR Environmental Policy Department, and the donation of trees to institutions.
Additionally, projects related to the use of biodigesters, rotary composters, biorepellents, hazardous waste, and recycled paper were exhibited, with the participation of various faculties and educational institutions such as the Higher Polytechnic Institute and the Higher School of Commerce.
The Espuma Program presented a stand with products made from used cooking oil, while the firms Evercaff and Gud Pipol exhibited eco-friendly tables and furniture made from recycled materials, demonstrating the potential of creativity applied to environmental protection.
Initiatives with strong territorial roots were also presented, such as the exhibition on the Los Tres Cerros Reserve wetland, the water quality monitoring of the Ludueña Stream, and the agroecology space of the Rosario Green Belt. The Municipality, through its various departments, added educational spaces on pests and vectors, environmental education games, healthy eating, renewable energy, and composting, among others.
The festival also included photography exhibitions (such as Pablo Cantador's "El Paraná No Se Toca"), exhibits from the Parks and Walkways Carpentry Workshop, and activities from the municipal Gardening School. The Global Air project and real-time air quality particle measurement were also presented, along with an exhibit based on the bat colony located at the Faculty of Law.
One of the main attractions was the live music stage, which featured local bands and solo artists such as Lolo y Gael, Amalgamma, Dani de la Isla, Cassoni, Lara González and Juan Carlos Gervasio, Ana Laurino, and Sin 1 Mango.
In addition, the winning projects of the "Rosario Youth in Climate Action Fund" were publicly announced. This initiative was promoted by the Municipality and sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies, with the support of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), enabling young people between the ages of 15 and 24 to present proposals aimed at designing, producing, and implementing solutions to address climate change.
A stand from the University's Public Health Department was located at the site, where primary health care activities were carried out.
Finally, there were stands from social organizations that disseminated information of environmental interest, and a creative recycling workshop was held in the Plaza de los Cuidados. Thus, the Environmental Festival consolidated itself as a diverse and participatory space for collective reflection on the present and future of the environment.
World Environment Day
World Environment Day was first established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. Over the past 50 years, the day's observance has become one of the most far-reaching global platforms for environmental causes.
Over the past five decades, millions of people around the world have participated in activities, events, and campaigns that promote environmental care. Its purpose is to highlight that environmental protection and health are fundamental issues affecting the well-being of the population and global economic development. It also seeks to motivate individuals, businesses, and communities to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development.
In this context, environmental education plays a key role. In recent years, the Universidad Nacional de Rosario has made a commitment to incorporate the environmental dimension as one of the priority areas of its institutional policy. Proof of this is the creation of the Environmental Policy Area within its management structure.
“At the University, we understand that this is an urgent commitment, and that is why we are working to consolidate our own environmental agenda,” said Rector Franco Bartolacci, adding: “UNR's commitment is reflected in all the actions it has promoted to address this serious problem, which for many governments remains a marginal issue. Our goal is to multiply these actions year after year, involving more schools, faculties, institutions, and students, to collectively build a social consensus.”
Press: Gonzalo J. García/Photography: Camila Casero.