With several activities
Dominican Republic joined yesterday’s International Mountains Day celebrations with several activities to mark an event held since 2003, when the United Nations set aside every December 11 to raise awareness on their sustainable use.
Environment minister Bautista Rojas said, the government seeks to harness the potential of the country’s eco-mountainous territory as part of a national strategy to promote ecotourism, whose economic contribution he affirms are significant for any State. “Since ecotourism has become a very important activity for many countries, the Environment Ministry works enthusiastically in several initiatives to promote Dominican Republic”.
He announced the start of the Ecotourism specialty in Jarabacoa’s (central) Environment and Natural Resources School, to meet the country’s demand for specialists as a tourist destination.
Rojas said the work will be carried out with international cooperation, since environmental education is the basis for sustainable development. « It’s precisely in the mountains where life is born, so it’s necessary to preserve them because with that we are doing so with the watersheds, ensuring water quality for future generations. »
As an example, the official revealed that Australia has shown an interest in providing Dominican Republic with graduate-level scholarships for Environment Ministry professionals.
Dominican Republic Live, From DT, 12.12.12, 11.40am
