Interview with Ms Monika Kormendi,

head of Public Relations office, Hungary

1. What is the main task of the Public Relations Officers? Why do the government need them?

 

The main thing is to make a connection between the ministers and people of our country. It is a law originating office, and it administrates offical businesses.

 

2. What actions do they take?

 

It is important that the rules meet the expectation of the European Union. If somebody founds something illegal, they can tell us and we send it to the right organisaton. For example, dumping on illagal places...

 

3. Do you make connections with schools or civil organisations?

   

We invite tenders to help schools, give them documents and books, talk to children on lessons... etc.

     

Thanks very much...                                                        

Hungarian, Spanish and Irish Young Minders interviewing

Dr. Eva Csobod, leader of the Hungarian Office for Regional Environmental Centre for Central  Eastern Europe.

Could tou please tell us about your work and the NGOs you are working with?

 

I represent an international organisation called Regional Environmental  Centre for Central Eastern Europe( REC). We work with 16 countries, with several NGO organisations. REC works with governments, civil societies, NGOs, business sector, academic sector.We work with environmental and health NGOs in several countries.

 

What is the current situation in the field of environment? What can be done?

 

This conference is very important for the region, it's about environmental health and the target is the new generation...

I think the situation is improving in Hungary and the region. It is not the best though because if you see the data of life expectancy is not the highest in Hungary, not in Central Eastern Europe. It is much higher in Western Europe. Though, it's much better than it was 5 years ago.

Changes have been made in the field quality of air, water, soil and waste management, we have better drinking water, waste and waste water management. But the problem is more complex because every third child suffers from respiratory disease in Hungary and in other countries. I don't know the record in Spain or Ireland but it's a problem.

 

In big cities the indoor air quality is not so good and if it is combined with outdoor air quality and the stressful life, heavy traffic it is a serious problem. I think that allergy, pollens come together with air polluton, so it can affect health.

We have a programme in Hungary, we will introduce today the National Breathing Day. It is a very big thing. Italy has this event in the last 10 years. We expect cooperation of doctors, patients, civil societies, NGOs, youth groups and parents to have a better condition for the kids, so it is a very important programme. We would like to invite all of you because you'll find young people can work with us.

 

What can we do to help children's voice to be heard to involve children in decision making?

 

I think it's a very good, important question, especially in the former socialist countries, it's combined with improvement of democracy in the country. In schools children can discuss problems with the school stuff, in environmental issues kids have less opportunity to have a voice, and shape the development of the school. It wasn't in the time when I was in the school. Regarding environmental issues, young people should work together with professionals, experts they believe in. You need good quality of work, communication is of crucial importance, work with media, journalists, etc. And if the quality is good and you invite also your parents, they'll help you and if you join other organisations you can have a stronger voice.

 

What is your opinion about the Young-Minds project?

 

I 've just seen your programme, I'm impessed by the topic you have chosen, the media. You made an analysis about how positive and negative is the media in Hungary and also about the environment and health and yuo came up with a very revolutionary idea, you would like your own TV programme and you will have it from September. I think it's a very good way because families would like their children not just to sit in front of the TV but also to learn from it. Through communication, TV and media you can help, but also you can help in you participate in different campaigns and important events. If you work with this programme or with similar organisations you can shape the work, but htis media is a good idea. So congratulations!

 

Do you think this Young-Mind priject is good to teach children about environmental health problems? 

 

I think it's good because you learn all the time, you don't copy other ideas, you develope your own ideas, fitting to the national needs. So you develope the needs of Hungary. And because it's an international programme you can exchange ideas and learn from other countries. Pollution is across boarders, people and the environment are very much connected in Europe. My answer is yes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with Dr Mihaly Kokeny, the minister of Health, Social and Family Affairs

 

What do you think about advertisments?

We should change the way people advertise things on TV. Most of these advertisments are negative, unnecessary and their influence is bad for the children of Hungary.

 

Could you tell us some examples?

 

For example, TV always shows us medicines you can buy without prescription to spend more money. Just buy, don't care about that you are healty.

 

And what can we do to make things better? What should be the right decision?

 

Everything can be advertised. But you should now the rates. We should make a compromise.

 

Interview with Ms Tuire Nikulainen, official delegate from Finland

 

Could you tell us about your job?

 

I deal with issues how to promote sustainable development in Finland, and also with environmental health.

 

What's your opinion about the Young-Minds project?

 

It's very good. You work with interesting things and you know what young people are interested in.

 

What do you think we should do to make our voice heard?

 

You have to be together. If you are together, your voice is stronger.

You have to think locally and act globally.

This is the first step.

 

 

 

Interview with Adomas Puidokas, the Chairman of Social Affairs Commitee, Lithuanian Youth Parliament.

 

We asked him about the work of the Youth Parliament during the Conference. Having some experience in this field he said that young people should be taught to think critically, encouraged to take decisions and have a say. Unfortunately, he experienced something different here. He felt the lack of debates and the courage in young people (future politicians) to raise their voice before voting.

Interviews

 

What would you advertise in TV to attract children's attention to environmental issues?

 

- Put warnings, pictures in kindergardens about dangerous chemicals, that small children can understand. For example paintings or drawnings which are similar to traffic signs. They can recognize them easier this way and maybe we can avoid the accidents.

 

                                                    (Gyorgy Ungvary from Hungary)

 

- I think we can show something that can stay in children's mind.

Advertisements should be more serious.

 

                                                    (Dr. Lars Sock from Denmark)

 

- We should make something that children understand, and make a connection between them and the government. The programme should be made by children --> for children

 

                                                    (Mirza Delibegovic from Bosnia

                                                                               Hercegovina)

 

- In my opinion, we should pay more attention to the goods we buy.

Children always buy things but they don't actually know what they eat or drink. It's a big problem.

 

                                                   (Jozsef Simo from Hungary)

 

- Young people should do more sports I think. Nowdays, children are lazy and they don't care about their health and body.

 

                                                   (Tatul Halcobyan from Armenia)

 

-I would start with things that happen to children every day, ask them questions about: Do you really enjoy breathing your mother's smoke? Don't you want to go to school by bike? Would you like to play in a park without dogshit?

 

                                                    (David  Rivett, WHO Denmark)

 

- It depens on the age of the children, maybe Iwould make cartoons. If They would be older, we could put music in it. A competition of the best rap song about the environment, for example.

 

                                                    (Niels Larsen, YM coordinate)

 

-I would work with water. I think we shuld show the contrast between clear and dirty water.

 

                                                    (Leif Glud Holm, YM coordinator)

 

- I've already made some advertisements and programmes on TV in this topic. I think if we want to attract children's attention, we need to show shocking things. I would try to break people of the habit of watching Tv, because I'm totally against advertisements. 

 

                                                    (Tibor Kocsis from Hungary,

                                                                                Duna TV)

 

-I would show films, ads about cities, children's play area full of litter to raise awarenes in parents where their children play.  So that, they put pressure on decision makers, at local and national level and do something about it.

                                                    (Malcolm Tipler, United Kingdom)

 

- In Ireland, rubbish is a very big problem. I would make advertisements which attracts children's attention, show them their future, something that makes negative feelings in them about throwing the rubbish.

 

                                                    (Stephen Doherty, Ireland)

 

-First it is very important to make a kind of programme that is understandable! To learn from it! For example I would show the life of an animal in the ecosystem that's the good way and sometimes we make it   wrong, because we effect their life a lot of ways: air pollution, poisoning etc.

 

                                                    (Santiago Villora Moreno

                                                           from Spain, teacher)