Elena G. Petrova
Department of Geography, Moscow State University
117234 Moscow Vorobyovy Gory
RUSSIA
TEL: (095)939-37-89
FAX - (095) 932-88-36
With marketization and the subsequent change of societal values in Russia, public environmental education and training has acquired new importance. Participation in international environmental organizations provides youth with such training. The experience of the "Young Nature Friends" might be particularly important. This organization was founded in Austria in 1895 and currently has branches all-over the Europe. In 1975, the "Young Nature Friends International" (YNFI) was founded to coordinate activities of national groups, to stimulate contacts between the youth of different countries, to facilitate exchange of information, experience and ideas. The YNFI pronounced itself in opposition to capitalist industrialization. Its main goal is to develop an active social position of the youth with respect to human and nature rights. Currently, the YNFI unites over 400.000 people from 23 countries. Russian branch of the YNFI - Union of Young Nature Friends - was registered in Moscow in 1993 at the basis of the Youth Council of Nature Protection of the Moscow State University. In 1994 it has organized an international environmental seminar on "soft tourism" (active pedestrian, bike or water tourism) as an alternative to the industrialized and commercialized leisure which is destructive for environment.
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