On May 29-30 ""Burg" Youth Environmental Center" NGO organized a youth tour entitled "Let's Preserve the Water". The tour was organized in Tavush region with funding from the United Nations Armenia office and with the support of SIS NATURAL Ltd., Regional Environemtnal Center for Caucasus and Gosh Foundation.
   The main objectives of the tour were to raise awareness of water resources among the tourists and the local population, develop a caring attitude towards the water resources in the country, present the importance of their conscious usage of and involving the population in the activities aimed at cleaning and preservation of water resources.
   During the tour meetings with marzpet of Tavush region A. Ghularyan, head of the Gosh village community H. Veranyan and other officials were organized. Marzpet A. Ghularyan was informed about the objectives and principles of the tour. Issues connected with the preservation of Gosh and Parz Lakes were discussed.
    As a result of the discussions, marzpet Ghularyan expressed his willingness to support the organizations involved in the tour with the implementation of several projects in the region. Further prospects of cooperation between Gosh Foundation and the Gosh village community were discussed with community head H. Veranyan and representative of the Gosh Foundation S. Grigoryan. Issues connected with waste management in the community were discussed.
   During the two days of the tour the participants visited Gosh Monastery, Gosh and Parz Lakes. "Karin" folk group was encouraging the tour participants and the local population with its beautiful and unique performances. The shores of Gosh and Parz Lakes were cleaned up and signboards appealing to keep the shores clean were set up.
   The Armenian population lacks an orientation towards ecologically safe production, there are no mechanisms of wase recycling and processing. This is why the organizers of the tour aimed at showing the advantages of ecologically safe production, recycling and waste processing especially of plastic items.
   This is why SIS NATURAL juices in glass bottles were selected as ecologically safe products. The plastic waste collected during the tour was sorted and prepared for recycling.
   Information booklets presenitng the goals of the tour, the importance of water recources and other issues were distributed to the tourists and the local populaiton. A short seminar on preservation of water resources was organized for schoolchildren in Gosh village after which the children were given presents.
   T-shirts with water logos were an indispensible part of the tour. Around 50 young people participated in the tour including members of "Karin" folk group, "Center of Bird Lovers" NGO, "Young Tavush" NGO, "Victory" Club and other organizations.
    Parz and Gosh Lakes were selected for the tour because of their ecologically disastrous condition and the great potential for development of ecotourism.
   Lakes Parz and Goshi have been chosen to have in view their ecological situation and great potential for development of eco-tourism. For additional information please contact with Maria Nalbandyan by e-mail burg@freenet.am or burg@gorvard.com.