As World Environment Day was celebrated on 5 June, the city of Málaga made its contribution by developing several initiatives to raise awareness among youngsters about the conservation of their environment.

The main activities were organized on Malagueta beach, in the centre of the city, where more than 300 students from 12 secondary schools took part. As coastal inhabitants, they learnt about the challenges facing the marine environment, such as climate change and its effects, sea-level rise, and the impact of waste accumulation.

The programme was supplemented with educational activities suited to the children's ages and environmental games, the collection and analysis of rubbish found on the beach, a workshop on how to recycle it and a clean-up of the Malagueta marine environment.

These activities aimed at raising local people's awareness of the value of the coastal environment and the need to preserve it.

The IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation helped organize this event in collaboration with Málaga City Council, and it enjoyed the support of local organizations including the Urban Environment Observatory (OMAU) and the NGO Aula del Mar.

For further information, please contact: Lourdes Lázaro