TANZANIAN YOUNG’S ELECTED TO HOLD VARIOUS POSTS IN SCIENTISTS NETWORK WORLWIDE:

Following the inauguration of International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) in 2007 by the UN general assembly at the headquarter of UNESCO Paris, France. Youth all over the world took an initiative to support idea of IYPE and implementing its various themes by joining their hands and form a network called Young Earth Scientist (YES) network. The network comprised of young scientists (Both practitioners and academicians) working in different fields of earth sciences aged below 35 years old. YES network at first were gathered in Beijing China in the first world YES congress held at China University of Geosciences (October 25-28, 2009), addressing the key points of IYPE which are making earth science knowledge available for society and to promote the education and commitment of young generations to the earth-system science. After UN sees the successful of IYPE, the general assembly meet in Lisbon, Portugal 2009 and decide to institutionalize IYPE, and therefore YES network recognized legally as one of the implementers of the IYPE programs in different countries all over the world.


In March 2010, YES network executive board call for the general election for various posts ranging from national to international level. The election was validated by Eduardo F.J. de Mulder Executive Director of the International Year of Planet Earth Secretariat. Tanzania was one among the country participated in the election, where it was among the country leading in providing large number of candidates who elected to hold various important posts of YES network at international level. Tanzania produce six candidates who are in various committees of the network followed by USA with five candidates.

The country representative of YES network in Tanzania Mr. Stephen J. Nyagonde who currently he is working voluntarily with Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG) in conjunction with the project of WWF of Strengthening the Environmental CSOs of Tanzania through Young Environmental Trainee (YET) program commented upon this important successfully science achievement in Tanzania. "It is great honour for our beloved country, to have many candidates elected to hold various posts at international level within such important worldwide professional network". This implies how much our beloved country respected by other countries internationally and genuine commitments of our country in developing and promoting earth sciences, as it is known Tanzania was the first country to propose the idea of IYPE to UN, and hosted Africa launching of IYPE”. As a developing country Tanzania has a role to play since most of the natural and human induced hazards and disasters within environment affecting most the growing societies hence we should increase youth participation in International agenda to bring about positive changes on those crises. This will enable Tanzanian youth to be informed and be able to develop strategies to reduce those impacts and improving the awareness of the Tanzanian people on the need to alleviate abject poverty through sustainable management of the environment and the natural resources of our beloved country.

Our network in Tanzania comprised more than 100 young earth scientists both practitioners and academicians from various higher learning institutions, and many other earth sciences related organizations. Usually we conducted different outreach programs and in August 2010 we will have Young Earth Scientists Tanzania Symposium which will comprise more than 200 participants, aiming on raising public awareness and develop ideas on how best we can implement themes of IYPE in Tanzania especially on knowledge transfer to young generations. Also we will have YES Africa Symposium which will be held conjointly with the 23rd Colloquium of African Geology (CAG) in Johannesburg, from 8th – 14th January 2011.The event will enable young earth scientists to outline what is it that is appealing about this career and also what should be done to make sure that Earth Science Studies in Africa are improving. Therefore we have started to receive abstracts for oral and posters presentations and successful candidates will be notified by the YES Africa Congress International Organizing Committee to attend the event, for any enquiries and further information regarding to this event people can visit yes network website, www.networkyes.org.

Locally the network has been worked closely with various organizations and institutions including Ministry of Environment Vice president office, Ministry of Mineral and Energy, COSTECH, BARRICK Tanzania Limited, ICSU Regional Office for Africa, and UNESCO Tanzania office through IYPE. Also it has been highly supported by strong leadership of their matron the Minister of Environment Vice President Office Hon.Dr Batilda Burian and patron Prof. Sospeter Muhongo Regional Director ICSU-Africa centered in South Africa.

This article was first appeared in the international website of YES-Network worldwide.