YOUTH FORUM STRIVES FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Regina and Moose Jaw district high-school students are getting hands-on experience through the Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) to develop their leadership skills while helping make their communities sustainable.

Teams of students and teachers will develop and carry out student-led projects beginning this week and ending in September 2006, through Saskatchewan's third Youth Forum on Sustainability.

"The Youth Forum combines youth development with the museum's expertise on sustainability education to give students a unique and exciting opportunity," Crown Management Board Minister Pat Atkinson said on behalf of Culture, Youth and Recreation Minister Joan Beatty. "As part of a plan for a green and prosperous economy, we are recognizing and celebrating how students, institutions and communities are working together toward social justice, economic prosperity and the protection of our natural environment."

The RSM developed round three of the forum in partnership with the organization Learning for a Sustainable Future, the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina, the Department of Learning, the Department of Environment, SaskEnergy, the City of Regina, and the Saskatchewan Science Centre. The forum kicked off today at the Museum, and included a keynote address by Holly Martin, Campbell Collegiate graduate and active participant in the "Calling Black Lake" project.

"All our partners recognize that sustainable communities require knowledgeable citizens willing to acknowledge the significance and impacts of their choices and actions," RSM curator and chair of the Youth Forum Steering Committee Dr. Glenn Sutter said. "The Forum gives students a chance to take action through projects that touch on all aspects of sustainability and that make a real difference to their communities."

In 2002, the RSM was recognized as a national leader in sustainability education by the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication. The Museum received an award of excellence for the design and content of its Life Sciences Gallery, especially a series of permanent exhibits called The Human Factor.

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For More Information, Contact:

Penny Pedersen Culture, Youth and Recreation Regina Phone: (306) 787-2850