Border-Wide EE Conference

Where? Hotel Lucerna, Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

When? June 25-27, 2008

Conference Themes

The Conference program will include concurrent sessions, expert panels and workshops focusing on four main topics:

Conservation Education and Community Involvement
The set of educational tools used to implement and successfully achieve conservation goals—be it for a natural protected area, a specific species or biodiversity in general—traditionally goes beyond formal classroom activities to include such initiatives as informal education as well as participatory community outreach, social marketing, and communication.

Education for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility
In today's binational setting, what represents a socially and environmentally responsible industry?  What role do citizens play in ensuring accountability from the private sector?  How can education empower communities to work hand in hand with the industry for a brighter, cleaner future?

Community Participation and Strategic Partnerships
A lack of funds and attainable resources are just two of the main obstacles in the implementation and long-term sustainability of environmental education initiatives.  Many of these initiatives have overcome this through the development of long-term partnerships with community members.

Research and Evaluation in Environmental Education
Evaluation and Research is the adhesive that holds all the EE program pieces together. Evaluation is the one tool that can help an organization continually improve their program offerings.  However, it is also the one element of program planning and development that is most often overlooked. 

Conference Program

Click here to check the program schedule at a glance...

Workshops
The wide variety of workshops to be held during the conference will offer opportunities for training, collaboration and discovery. See the descriptions of the workshops here...

Concurrent Sessions
Two blocks of concurrent sessions are scheduled for the second day of the conference, with presentations of projects, programs, studies, as well as hands on sessions and expert panels.

Poster Session / Share Fair
This is a session that combines the presentation of posters related to environmental education projects and programs with tables of information on EE organizations. To submit a poster, send an email to encuentro-ee@eeexchange.org with your contact information, title and 40 word description of your poster. If you want to reserve a table to share your materials, select the option on the registration form (there is an administrative fee of $15 USD to cover the rent of tables. If your organization can't cover this fee, send an email to encuentro-ee@eeexchange.org with refund request).

Special Events
Soon we will have more information in this space on special events at the conference. For now we can tell you there will be many opportunities to interact informally during the conference, including a welcoming cocktail, a night of celebration and a group luncheon with a special guest. Please select those special events you plan to attend during the conference in the registration form (these events are included in the cost of registration).

Hotel Information and Travel Information

Hotel Lucerna 

Special rate of $70 when you mention "Conferencia Fronteriza Ambiental" 

Paseo Truinfo de la República, 3976
Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua  32310, Mexico
1-800-LUCERNA (1800-582-3762) 
http://www.hoteleslucerna.com/

Registration and Scholarships

Registration Fees
Early Registration (Deadline May 31)     $95 Dollars
Registration after May 31                     $125 Dollars

Registration includes all sessions, workshops and social events of 25, 26 and June 27, including coffee service, welcome cocktail and lunch the second day.

Register and pay online here...

Scholarships  
A limited number of scholarships will be offered on the basis of financial need. To apply for a scholarship send a letter to encuentro-ee@eeexchange.org with your contact information explaining why you need the support and what benefits you expect to get from your participation in the conference.  Please send your letter by May 20, 2008 to be considered.

Sponsors

The Conference Committee would like to thank the following sponsors and partners:

• EPA Region 9, San Diego Border Office
• The Border Environmental Cooperation Commission
• The Municipal Government of Ciudad Juarez
• The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
• The Environmental Education Exchange
  

If you have questions or comments, please send them to encuentro-ee@eeexchange.org.