TEHRAN – The fifteenth day of Esfand – the last Iranian calendar month, which falls on March 5, has been approved to be registered on the national calendar as the ‘Environmental Protection Education Day’.

Nourollah Moradi, the deputy head of the Department of Environment for educational affairs, said on Tuesday that the Environmental Protection Education Day is the second environmental event to be registered in the country's official calendar, IRNA reported.

Clean Earth Day, April 22, was the first environmental event registered in the national calendar.

He referred to the registration of the Environmental Protection Education Day in the country's official calendar as a valuable event for the environmental society of the country and said, “Education in the field of environment is one of the basic steps to preserve and protect the country's environment.”

It will be an important measure taken to enhance environmental literacy and empower the next generations.”

National tree planting day

National Tree Planting Day is annually celebrated on the fifteenth day of Esfand - the last Iranian calendar month, falling on March 5. The day also marks the beginning of the National Week of Natural Resources.

On November 17, 2015, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, announced the general policies on the environment, emphasizing the need for comprehensive, harmonious, and organized management of vital resources based on ecological capability and sustainability, particularly by increasing capacities and appropriate legal and structural capabilities accompanied by public participation.

Improving environmental conditions with the purpose of helping society enjoy a healthy environment, administering justice and observing intra-generational rights, preventing and prohibiting the circulation of all kinds of unlawful pollutants, recording crimes related to the environment, administering efficient and preventive punishment of polluters and destroyers of the environment and forcing them to compensate for their actions, were also among the policies.

On March 5, the Leader marked the National Tree Planting Day by planting three saplings.

Referring to the slogan "Each Iranian, Three Saplings", the Leader said: “If each Iranian plants three saplings, the government's goal to plant one billion saplings over the next four years will be realized.”

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the importance of planting saplings in preserving the environment, emphasizing that with the help of the people, it is possible to plant one billion saplings.

Experts believe that in addition to planting fruit trees, trees that produce wood should be planted because the export of wood has a significant effect on the country's economy, the Leader stressed.

MT/MG