Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes (seated, middle) with panelists and officials of the Philippine Network of Educators on Environment (PNEE) including former Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary and current President of Miriam College, Ambassador Laura Q. Del Rosario; Dr. Cecilia N. Gascon, PNEE President; Dr. Rico C. Ancog, PNEE Secretary; Dr. Ramon M. Docto, President of Palawan University; Dr. Agham C. Cuevas, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of the Philippines, Los Baños; Dr. Oleg V. Shipin, Asian Institute of Technology; and Dr. Kamolrat Intarat, Professor at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand.
BANGKOK, 27 NOVEMBER 2024 - Philippine Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Millicent Cruz Paredes called on the academic community to be stewards and advocates of the ocean, seas, and marine resources at the 2024 International Conference on Environmental Education in Southeast Asia (iCEESEA 2024) held on 20 November 2024 in Bangkok.
The Philippines Network of Educators on Environment (PNEE) organized the Conference, in partnership with Kasetsart University, for universities and colleges across the Asia Pacific region.
In her keynote address, Ambassador Paredes underscored that the Philippines, as an archipelagic state, is acutely aware of the vital role that healthy oceans and seas play in our environment, economy, and national security. She particularly called on the environmental educators of the Philippines to work hand-in-hand with governments, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders in protecting and preserving our maritime heritage.
She invited educators to continue to actively develop training and academic programs toward climate-smart, impactful jobs, as well as integrate and mainstream environmental education in the curricula of all levels.
Threading education with diplomacy and international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Ambassador highlighted the pivotal role of education in building and preserving peace.
Ambassador Paredes emphasized the crucial role of educators in creating a culture among the youth today and future generations that accepts and values the fundamental principles of the United Nations. These include the peaceful settlement of disputes, prohibition of the use of force, and human rights especially at this time in global history. Peace eludes many parts of the world where conflicts arise from differences in how to obtain security and peace. “Educators are our first line of defense to change wrong mindsets so that diplomats need not be deployed because there is no more conflict to negotiate,” said Ambassador Paredes.
Ambassador Paredes thanked the iCEESEA 2024 organizers for bringing together educators, students, government officials, and environment champions who can echo to their students and networks across the region the importance of open dialogue and the sharing of diverse perspectives in addressing global challenges. END
Ambassador Paredes delivering the keynote address
