Friday, 10 February 2012
WHAT: As a contribution to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Billion Tree Campaign, Belgians and expatriates of all ages will join forces in Neerlinter (near Tienen) on Sunday, March 14, 2010 to plant a forest of several thousand trees in a single day. The initiative is a joint effort by Sunbeams and the Organisation for Forests in Flanders or Vereniging voor Bos in Vlaanderen (VBV), and M. L. Vandemarliere, owner of the site where the forest will be planted. This initiative is supported by the Flemish government.
WHEN: 11.30 a.m. on Sunday, March 14, 2010 (Official Welcome)WHERE: Braambeekstraat 11, 3350 Neerlinter.
WHO: Sunbeams is a not-for-profit association that helps people living in Belgium make simple steps towards living a more environmentally-responsible lifestyle.
The VBV (Vereniging voor Bos in Vlaanderen) is a key European participant in UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign and has pledged to plant 1 million trees in Flanders.
UNEP is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. Its Billion Tree Campaign is a tree planting initiative that has already seen over 10 billion trees planted worldwide.
TO ATTEND: To register your interest in attending this event, please contact Ilke Pedersen-Beyst at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (0488/878.014) or Bert De Somviele at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (0474/274.094)
MORE INFO: www.sunbeams.eu, www.vbv.be, www.1miljoenbomen.be www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign/
Media attending
the event will be able to:
Interview the founder and president of Sunbeams (Ilke Pedersen-Beyst), the director of the VBV (Bert De Somviele) and other key guests, including the director of the UNEP liaison office to the EU (Oliver Deleuze) and the mayors of Linter and Tienen.
Take human interest video or photographs of the event organizers, the site of the new forest, and event participants, including children from many Belgian and international schools actively planting trees together.
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485