Update

Campaign to Support Danube Biosphere Reserve

PELICANS AND SWANS "NESTED" NEAR UKRAINIAN EMBASSY IN MOSCOW

December 6, 2002 more than 60 people gathered in the centre of Moscow, in front of the Ukrainian Embassy. The environmentalists and students of Moscow universities have carried out the dramatized action against the construction of a navigational canal between the Danube - the Black Sea through the Danube Delta Biosphere reserve, which is situated on the territory of Ukraine. Several students dressed up as birds and constructed a large nest in front of the embassy and laid symbolic 'eggs' there.

In spite of hard frost and biting wind, the "pelicans" and "swans", driven away from the Danube Biosphere reserve, built their nest right in the centre of Moscow, symbolically asking for asylum from the representatives of the Ukraine authorities.

The "birds" were compelled to take this action, because in the case of construction of a navigation canal through the Danube reserve many birds listed in the Red Book,  as well as other animals, will lose their habitat, and nature an area of world importance; - UNESCO's biosphere reserve would be destroyed.

About 20 minutes after the beginning of action, Igor Berezkin, the First Secretary of the embassy of Ukraine came out of the embassy to the participants of the action. The "birds" handed him over 1 thousand signatures gathered in Moscow in support of the Danube Biosphere reserve. It is necessary to say that the officials of such a rank very rarely (almost never) come out to the participants of such pickets. Mr Berezkin asked which organizations were taking part in the action. He said also that to date seven of eight variants of the canal building were being discussed. He asked also why the participants of the picket spoke out in support of the reserve, which is situated on the territory of another country. The answer was that the action has no hidden political motives, and the environmental activists are anxious about observance of the law and conservation of nature heritage, the value of which extends beyond the state boundaries.

The action was organized by Nature Conservation brigade of the Biology Department of Moscow State University (with support of the Movement of Nature Conservation Brigades) and the International Socio-ecological Union (ISEU). The activist from Kiev Ecological and Cultural Centre (Ukraine) came to Moscow especially for participation in the action.

Photos from the action are available on the website of the Campaign of ISEU in support of the Danube Delta Biosphere reserve:

URL: http://www.seu.ru/projects/eng/dunay/piket.htm

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THE FAX AND MAIL CAMPAIGN

Over the past ten days the public figures, scientists and conservationists from Russia and other countries have sent emails, letters and telegrams with expression of their protest against construction of the canal through the Danube Biosphere reserve to the President of Ukraine, the Parliament, the Government, the Ministry of Transport of Ukraine, the municipal council of Vilkovo town (where the administration of the reserve is situated) and other state bodies. Such protests have been received from more that 25 countries. Under the influence of this public campaign President Kuchma decided not to sign the decree on channel construction immediately. He passed this issue to the National Safety Council, which meets in January.

We thank everyone who has already sent the letters, emails and faxes to the Ukrainian government. YOUR VOICES MADE A DIFFERENCE!!!! Please to continue your support, because it is not over - the Council is a form of faceless irresponsibility!