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From: Dr. Vladimir Boreyko, Chair EEIU KECC, Kyiv, Ukraine (Sent via Dr. Vitaly Grishchenko)
To: Prof. Otto Kinne, EEIU President, Headquarters, Germany

Dear Professor Kinne,

I am writing to you to report news about the Eco-Ethics meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, held in the third week of May 2001. Over 30 participants attended from Ukraine, Russia and Azerbaijan. The main topics included the history of eco-ethics, relationship between eco-ethics and religion, culture, aesthetic, and local traditions. There were discussions on nature protection, hunting and also the publications appearing in EEIU on humanitarian and environmental issues.

As far as I can see, everything was very interesting and useful.

Warm regards,

Dir. Vladimir Boreyko

Report, May 25, 2001

The 1st CIS international school seminar 'Ecological ethics in 21st century' ('Tribune-7'), organized by Kyiv Ecological-Cultural Center and the Center for Protection of Wildlife (Moscow) was held May 23-25, 2001. The Seminar was hosted by the T. G. Shevchenko Kyiv National University, and it was dedicated to the 12th anniversary of the Kyiv Ecological Cultural Center. Forty-five people participated in the seminar. They represented ecological, social, scientific and state organizations of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. In all, 25 papers and oral communications were presented addressing different aspects of ecological ethics; a discussion was arranged on amateur hunting; there was a large meeting of the editorial board of the 'Humanitarian Ecological Journal', and new publications of Kyiv Ecological-Cultural Center were presented, devoted to the modern concept of wildlife.

The participants of the seminar argued that the present ecological crisis is accompanied by a crisis of moral values. In connection with this, attention should be devoted towards the development of ecological ethics and its increase in popularity among the people. The future of the movement of nature protection depends on the moral health of society.

The participants of the seminar noted that the interest in ecological ethics has grown recently with respect to the movement of nature protection of the CIS states. However, there is practically no relevant literature in this area, and the subject is rarely discussed, nor is it the subject of organized conferences and seminars. Principles of ecological ethics are not used in the preparation of programmatic nature-protecting documents, legislation, ecological education or reservation. Pertinent literature on this subject, published abroad, is practically unknown in CIS countries.

Participants of the seminar wish to develop ecological ethics by:

1. Addressing the International Social Ecological Union, representatives of MCOP in CIS states, project GEF 'Preservation of Russia's biodiversity', Russian representatives of VVF, Center for Protection of Wildlife, Ecological Educational Center 'Reserves', ICAP-Moscow, ICAP-Kyiv, Eco-Center 'Dront', and Kyiv Ecological-Cultural Center. They request the initiation of the issue of both native, and translated literature (initially textbooks) on ecological ethics.

2. Drawing the attention of managers of universities and high schools to the need for courses on ecological ethics for students — biologists, ecologists, geographers and others — as well as teaching the basis of ecological ethics in high school.

3. Recommending organizers of nature protection conferences and seminars to dedicate sections to ecological ethics, especially in the area of long-term resolutions to today's problems.

4. Drawing the attention of managers of reserves and national parks to prevent and ultimately ban the mass sampling of animals and plants for scientific research, as well as the unnecessary use of animals during scientific experimentation.

5. Considering the support of studies of natural areas, sacred landscapes, people's traditions and their significance for the development of ecological ethics.

6. Drawing the attention of managers of reserves to the necessity of identification and protection of sacred areas which have traditional and cultural significance.

7. Recommending the invitation of representatives from the world of art, religion and civil movements to assist in the attempt to raise awareness and increase the popularity of ecological ethics on all scales.

8. Recommending the creation of libraries whose main focus is ecological ethics, using existing regional state libraries as a base.

9. Drawing the attention of the public interested in the protection of nature to establish a more critical view of sport-hunting in society.

Participants of the seminar request that:

The President of Eco-Ethics International Union, Professor O. Kinne (Germany), supports a European Conference on Eco-Ethics in Kyiv.

A. A. Nikolsky (Moscow), Doctor of Biological Sciences, should elaborate methods for strengthening the ethical expertise of scientific investigations in reserves and national parks.

The Centre for Protection of Wildlife, as well as editorial boards of newspapers and journals 'Zapovedny vestnik', 'Zapovednye ostrova', 'Zeleny mir', 'Spasenie', 'Bereginya', 'Bulletin of Moscow ISAP', 'Vesti CoEC', 'Sila tyagoteniya' and others should publicize essential messages of ecological ethics on the pages of their editions.

The Kyiv Ecological Cultural Center should increase circulation and the intensity of publication of its 'Humanitarian Ecological Journal', to attempt to increase its subscription level as well as to create Theme Sections devoted to ecological ethics and humanitarian ecology.

The participants of the seminar:

Support the proposition of Kyiv Ecological Cultural Center to conduct the next international school seminar ('Tribune-8') on theme 'Ethical, Religious and Cultural Values and Principles of Reserves Matters'.

Thank the Vice-President of the Eco-Ethics International Union, academician of NAS of Ukraine, Dr. Biol. Sc. G. G. Polikarpov, for his active popularization of the concepts of these ecological ethics.

Thank Kyiv Ecological Cultural Centre and the Centre for Protection of Wildlife for the excellent organization of the seminar.

This page was last updated on 25 June 2003.