OTTAWA, Ont. -- February 16, 2010 -- Environment Canada invites Canadians aged of 9 to 35 years to celebrate the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity by participating in the Nature Matters! Contest.
Biological diversity is the variety and abundance of life on Earth. To help raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity all over the world, the United Nations General Assembly declared that 2010 will be the International Year of Biodiversity. Environment Canada is celebrating this, in part, with the national Nature Matters! Contest.
Until February 28, 2010, Canadians between the ages of 9 and 35 years are invited to submit written or video essays that answer the following question:
"Why is nature important to you?"
One grand prize winner and two runners up will be selected from each age group (9-13 years, 14-19 years and 20-35) in each of the two categories - video and written:
•Grand prize winners will be invited to Ottawa to attend the Grand Re-opening Event of the Canadian Museum of Nature on the International Day for Biological Diversity, May 22, 2010, where their achievement will be announced.
•Grand prize winning essays will be enlarged to poster size and displayed in public art panels outside Environment Canada's environmental museum, The Biosphère in Montreal.
