ISLAMABAD, June 5: Different events were organized in the capital to commemorate the World Environment Day, on Wednesday, with the pledge to make the earth pollution-free and a safe place to live.

In the first event of the day, the federal environment ministry held All Pakistan Declamation Contest at the National Library Auditorium on the UN Environment Programme theme for the Day, “Give Earth A Chance.”

Students from Punjab, Balochistan, NWFP and the federal capital emphasised the need to protect environment in their speeches.

The students from Sindh, AJK and Northern Areas were conspicuous by their absence at the event.

When questioned, the environment ministry officials said invitations were sent but the students could not participate for reasons, which were not communicated to the ministry.

Skits were presented by Farooq Qaiser and Uncle Sargam Group to accentuate the importance of a pollution free environment.

Speaking on the occasion, the federal minister for environment, local government and rural development, Barrister Shahida Jamil, stressed the need to create environmental awareness and a peaceful global environment.

She said interactive community participation from grassroots level to the top was essential for preserving the environment.

Later, she distributed prizes among the winners of the declamation contest and the Green Journalist Award for 2000 and 2001.

For the year 2000, Zofeen T. Ibrahim of Dawn and Adil Saeed of APP were awarded the Green Journalist Award.

For the year 2001, Nadeem Iqbal of (The News), Javed Rana of (The Nation) and Ibrar Mustafa of (Daily jang) bagged the Green Journalists Award.

In the declamation contest, Bilal Khan of Tameer-i-Nau Public School Quetta won the first prize. Sadaqat Ali Chatha of Government Centre Model School Lahore and Laila Shiraz of Forward Public School Hayatabad Peshawar won the second and third prizes respectively.