In Their Opinion...
Environmental and world issues are so important...
Important enough for young people around the world to start
altering their lives and taking action; important enough for world
leaders to sit at the table and discuss the issue. Here's some of
what they have to say...
Mikhail Gorbachev
"The preceeding generations have done much that is good but also
much that will have to be undone - both within each country and in
the interrnational commnuity. Like you, I feel that politicians
and governments are too slow in making urgently-needed decisions.
But I urge you seek to effect change only through democractic
means. Never resort to force. The 20th century has demonstrated
too well that force does not solve problems. You have your whole
lives ahead of you - make it happy for yourselves and for
others."
Maurice Strong,
Secretary General, UN Conference on Environment and
Development
"The most important thing you can do to make sure Agenda 21 is put
into action is to do it in your own life and in your own
community."
The Rt. Hon. John Gummer,
Minister of Environment, U.K.
"It seems to me that the most important thing is to change
attitudes: the way people think about life, the habits that they
have. Agenda 21 doesn't work unless people make it work. I want to
use young people to sensitize all the rest of the population. I
think young people have an enormous responsibility to remind their
parents of what's happening and to make them care about the
future."
Report on an interview with Tommy
Koh, Singapore
"We asked the wise, wise man many questions - "Who's going to do
this? How do we force this governments or that company to
act?"...Always he steered our thoughts away from thinking what
other people might or might not do, to what we could do ourselves.
That's where Agenda 21 really begins: with us!"
So what do YOU say
about RESCUE MISSION: PLANET EARTH?
Ask your teacher, librarian, principal
or guidance counsellor
to look out for the Canadian Edition.
Then get talking and working!
