APYF's 17th International conference inaugurated

The 17th International conference of Asia Pacific Youth Forum on "Conservation of Biodiversity through Environmental Awareness" was inaugurated here today.
This is the second APYF conference to be held in South India, after 1994, by the Organisation for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement -Int (OISCA).
Inaugurating the conference, Kerala Minister for Panchayats and Social Welfare, Dr M K Muneer said, "due to rapidly changing climate and Earth's environment, about 30 to 60 per cent of plant species are facing extinction and the main reason for this is destructive human activities."
L Radhakrishnan, IAS, President, OISCA, South India, in his address stressed the importance of biodiversity in saving the nature.

"Western ghats, after the Amazon, is the second largest in terms of biodiversity. About 29 per cent of the surface in Kerala is covered by forests," he said.
OISCA is taking active part in environmental promotional activities with the involvement of nearly 1700 schools in various parts in Kerala.

The Consul General for Japan in Chennai, Seiji Baba, who lighted the traditional lamp, congratulated the OISCA's South India chapter for its commitment towards the development of biodiversity in India.
Dr Yoshiko Y Nakano, President, OISCA International, said young people in the Forum should come forward to make sustainable changes in environment.

Messages from United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Prime Minister of Japan Shinsho Abe were read out on the occasion.
As many as 200 delegates from abroad as well as from India are participating in the five-day event that began today.