Haiti Launches 4th National 'Eco-Génie' Environmental Competition

Haiti's Ministry of Environment, alongside the Ministry of National Education, has officially launched the fourth "Éco-Génie" national competition. This initiative, supported by UNESCO, Helvetas Haiti, Heifer International, and the Resilient Productive Territories Project, aims to cultivate a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens.

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The Eco-Génie competition is part of the efforts deployed by the State with the aim of training new generations of responsible citizens, aware of environmental issues.

Joseph Emmanuel Philippe, Director General of the Ministry of Environment, stated that the "Éco-Génie" contest is part of the state's efforts to educate responsible citizens aware of environmental challenges. He emphasized the program's role in forming youth who understand and can critically analyze contemporary environmental issues.

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Each year, natural disasters remind us of the fragility of our territory. Floods, erosion, deforestation, pollution and effects of climate change directly affect our communities, our schools and, more broadly, jeopardize our common future.

Ecclésiaste Thélémaque, Director of Cabinet for the Minister of National Education, highlighted Haiti's extreme vulnerability to environmental crises. "Every year, natural disasters remind us of our territory's fragility," he noted, citing floods, erosion, deforestation, pollution, and climate change impacts. However, he stressed that the nation's youth are its essential resource, possessing the intelligence, creativity, and engagement needed to address these problems.

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But, to face all these problems, the country has an essential lever: its youth. She is intelligent, creative, engaged and capable of developing a critical understanding of contemporary issues.

Jean-Luc Tondreau from the UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince viewed the competition as a strong call to action for students. He described the contest's fourth edition as an "act of faith in the future," affirming that Haiti's destiny should not be left to chance. The competition encourages students to explore themes such as climate change, waste management, reforestation, renewable energy, biodiversity, and water resource management.

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It is precisely this capacity that education must accompany, structure and value to face current challenges.