During the Environment Day Festival, hundreds of people throughout Moldova visited the country virtually to learn how to weave traditional rugs and grow eco-friendly products, participated in thematic workshops and learned how to craft objects made of recycled plastic, to bake wholemeal bread, interacted with environmental experts, participated in a fair of local producers, competitions, concerts and debates on ecological issues. All this and many other unique activities were attended by the participants during the fifth edition of the Environment Day Festival, organized this year exclusively online.

This year all public events went online due to the pandemic, but the Environment Day Festival enjoyed the same popularity as in previous years and was watched by hundreds of people on the Facebook page of the event. The Festival targeted all ages and was opened by the music of drums and traditional instruments from Art Lab. Joined by the rhythms of music, the participants were “teleported” to several rural communities, where they had the opportunity to meet folk craftspeople, environmentally-friendly farmers, people who use solar energy at home, and who have a remedy for degraded land.

The event also hosted a series of workshops, where all those interested could see how to bake whole wheat bread without yeast, how to make toys in the spirit of Waldorf, how to arrange a picnic in an ecological way, and how to shop with minimal use of plastic.

The participants attended the laboratory to check the water quality of the Tamara Spring in Chisinau and found out about the air quality and how much the environmental pollution was reduced with the arrival of the pandemic, they found out what insects are special and how we can take care of the chicks that have fallen out of the nest. The fair where producers recommended by the ecological community of Moldova sold their goods was also a success.

Music and good mood were present throughout the event and culminated with a classical music recital by Marcel Lazăr and a live concert with the participation of DJ Gonzo, known to the Chisinau public from previous editions of the Festival.

The participants characterized this year’s festival as useful and pleasant. During the festival, the participants interacted with several specialists and learned more about ecological initiatives in Moldova, where the best and healthiest seeds in Moldova can be bought, where to find a fruit dehydrator and how to capitalize on it, how to help bees survive even if we live in flats. The public lessons held during the event also provided the public with information on what to do when we see vegetation burning, how to protect the earth’s shield, the ozone layer, and what we need to know about an electric car in Moldova.

The thematic of this year’s festival informed people on the need and ways to protect the environment. The festival’s slogan was “It’s time for biodiversity! It’s time for Nature!” This is also the slogan of the spot launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment and UNDP, in the context of the Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5. The spot comes with the call to appreciate and protect the earth’s biodiversity and to live in harmony with nature.

Environment Day was conducted in Chisinau since 2016, by the ecological community, at the initiative of UNDP. The Association of Environmental and Ecological Tourism Journalists organized Environment Day, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, the World Health Organization, the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Program, Green City Lab, the National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, governmental and non-governmental partners.