A testimonial for Mr. Mika Vanhanen (2010)
I am writing this letter in support of Mr. Mika Vanhanen as a candidate for UNEP’s Champions of the Earth award, under the “Inspiration and Action” category. For ten years Mika has dedicated his talent to the Environment Online Program as its coordinator and since 2005 he has been partnering with the Jane Goodall Institute and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program for youth of all ages around the world.
He has helped to conserve threatened species and ecosystems in southern Africa and was integral to establishing ENO Africa. Together with the Jane Goodall Institute, he and ENO have been working to achieve the goal of planting 100 million trees by 2017 in countries across Africa where deforestation has severely threatened ecosystems.
Additionally, he has been coordinating these planting days to fall on the International Day of Peace, as these trees represent peace with the environment and can foster peace between peoples.
The mission of ENO, that Mika helped found, is vital because it emphasizes that every single person can make a difference by acting locally but thinking globally. I couldn’t agree more with his mission and work with ENO.
I whole-heartedly support Mika for this award as he has proven time and again his dedication to resolving environmental issues by engaging individuals and communities across continents. He is truly an inspiration.
Yours sincerely,
Jane Goodall PhD, DBE
Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
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Schools and communities have planted millions of trees for twenty years now, contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for all of us. Mika Vanhanen is the founder of ENO and the network has been a driver and inspiration for this to happen. Trees and forests are crucial for life on planet earth and we are grateful to those who both teach us about them and plant them!
22 Nov 2023
Margot Wallström
Former EU Commissioner for the Environment
Foreign Minister of Sweden 2014-2019
Mika is a true innovative spirit, a warrior of a mighty cause, a man of integrity, vision and skills, a great soul and craftsman who turns into reality the dream of sustainable future that all of us share but only a few realize in action. Mika leads the way, one of the truly great Finns of our time.
- Esa Saarinen, professor of applied philosophy, Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
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"Mika Vanhanen is a true champion for environmental education and has been an inspiration to thousands of educators and students around the world for many years. His longstanding commitment to sustainability and ensuring generations of youth have opportunities for awareness and informed involvement is truly admirable" .
Jennifer Corriero,
co-founder, TakingIT Global