This year again the state owned enterprise "Vides projekti" Ltd again takes up the campaign, named "NO to grass burning!", against burning of the last years' grass and will support the fight of the responsible institutions of the Ministry of Interior against reckless activity of people setting the old, overgrown grass on fire and causing damaging consequences.

In order to attract attention of more people and to educate the society on harm caused by burning of the old grass, the informative campaign of 2007 will be organized as a complex of several activities. We intend to make and print posters, cards and stickers directed against burning of the last year's grass. For making these materials most interesting works of professional artists and students, produced during the poster contests of 2006, will be used. In cooperation with the postal company "Latvijas Pasts", the state railroad company "Latvijas Dzelzceļš" and the Centre for Curriculum Development and Examinations distribution of the posters, cards and stickers in all Latvia is planned.

During this year’s campaign against burning of the last year's grass we will pay special attention to educating children and youth, by demonstrating a performance prepared by drama artists on the mentioned theme in schools in Latvia. The play named "Why wept the stork" is a performance in a form of narration and songs, supported by a Power Point slide show of the pictures of the works made by children for poster contest. The performance will speak to children emotionally, at the same time explaining on harm caused to the nature by grass burning. By means of this play not only children and youth in various regions of Latvia will be educated (about 11 thousand school students in 64 schools of 16 regions of Latvia will be able to see the performance), but information (through reflections on what has been seen and experienced) will also be shared further on – to the families of the schoolchildren, thus contributing to increased numbers of people being aware on harmful effects of grass burning.

Already we have started this year's work on informing the society on dangerousness of burning the old grass. On 28 March at 12.00 hours an exhibition of the best works of the poster contest of 2006, organized by the "Vides projekti" Ltd against burning of the last year’s grass, will be opened in the Natural History Museum of Latvia (5 Kr.Barona Street, Riga).

Additional information:
Margarita Apine, Manager of Public Awareness Department, Phone 7225377, e-mail: Margarita.Apine@videsprojekti.lv.