WHOPresident Tarja Halonen;Ville Niinistö, Minister of Environment of Finland;Jacqueline Alder, Head, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Branch, Division of Environmental Policy Implementation of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP);Helle Pilsgaard, Chair of HELCOM WHAT40th anniversary jubilee session of HELCOM, including expert presentations on ‘Baltic Sea: ecosystem and prosperity’ and a future-orientated dialogue panel – full programme enclosedWHENWednesday 5 March 2014, 10:00 – 12:30 WHERE Marina Congress Center (Europaea Hall, ground floor), Katajanokanlaituri 6, 00160 Helsinki WHYThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) celebrates its first 40 years since the historical signing of the Helsinki Convention on the protection of the marine environment of the Baltic Sea. Note that the Jubilee session can also be followed live through video stream on . Best of the special Jubilee exhibition, showcasing highlights from the rich history of HELCOM, will also be set up in the dedicated webpages.The Jubilee will be followed on 5–6 March 2014 by HELCOM Annual Meeting, the highest decision-making body of HELCOM. Any interested media: please contact Johanna Laurila by Tuesday 4 March 2014 for accreditation. See contact details below* * *The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. For more information, please contact:Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi
MEDIA ADVISORY – President Tarja Halonen and Ville Niinistö, Minister of Environment of Finland will open the festivities on 5 March 2014 at 10am.
