Recognizes Environmentalist Maathai
City Parks Commissioner Veronica White, New York Restoration Project (NYRP) Executive Director Amy Freitag, Rockefeller Foundation Associate Director Edwin Torres, Chair of Green Belt Movement-U.S. Mia MacDonald and the Municipal Art Society announced the inauguration of the Dr. Wangari Maathai Award for Civic Participation in Sustainability.
This annual $10,000 award will be given to one female and one male public high school senior. The winners will have demonstrated evidence of their academic and extracurricular commitment to environmental stewardship within the urban context through their development and execution of sustainability-themed proj- ects (for example, recycling, energy monitoring, parks stewardship, greening).
These projects will also promote the spirit of civic engagement in fellow students and the community at large. The award is intended to be put to use by the student for their first year of college.
“The New York City Parks Department is honored to celebrate and commemorate the life of Dr. Wangari Maathai with an award honoring the next generation of environmental stewards,” said Parks Commissioner Veronica White. “Dr. Maathai’s unique concept of enhancing the en- vironment to reduce poverty and empower women through the Green Belt Movement is an inspiration to all. I thank the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Midler Family Trust for their partnership in inaugurating this award.”
Applicants for this award must:
– be a senior in NYC public school intending to attend college in fall 2013;
– demonstrate commitment to and activity in civic engagement;
– demonstrate commitment to and activity in sustainability projects; and
– provide evidence of having completed a sustainability project in high school that shows evidence of leadership, commitment to sustainability, mobilization of others.
Maathai is the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. She was an environmentalist and founder of the Green Belt Movement, a tree-planting campaign to promote sustainable development, woman’s empowerment, and democracy in Kenya.
The Green Belt Movement is a non-profit grassroots non-governmental organization based in Kenya. The mission of the Green Belt Movement is to mobilize community consciousness using tree planting as an entry point for self-determination, equity, improved livelihoods and security, and environmental conservation.
Since Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977, more than 45 million trees have been planted in Kenya to reduce erosion and improve the environment and impoverished communities.
By planting and caring for trees, Kenyan women have played a direct role in improving their local communities, have understood the various benefits of trees, have taken ownership for conserving their natural resources, and have served as stewards of their environment.
In 2004, Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize for her commitment to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
Applications may be submitted through milliontreesnyc.org from today through Jan. 4, 2013. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel representing the Rockefeller Foundation, the Midler Family Trust, NYRP and NYC Parks.
Awardees will be notified in February 2013. The award will be administered by the Municipal Art Society and given at their annual meeting in late February.
