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Contact: Colby Parkinson
[Lexington, KY] North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) will host its 48th Annual International Conference along with its 16th Research Symposium from October 15-19, 2019 at the Lexington Convention Center in Lexington, KY.
With more than 1,000 formal and nonformal environmental educators from more than thirty countries, this conference is one of the largest gatherings of environmental educators in the world. This year’s conference focuses on educating for a more just and sustainable future, building on the three interwoven pillars of sustainability—social equity, shared prosperity, and environmental integrity. The conference will also highlight the role of education in inspiring action and how every individual, community, and organization can inspire hope and create positive change.
Special events include a Share Fair for nonprofit organizations to highlight successful programs and inspiring ideas and an Authors’ Corner highlighting the talented writers who will be attending the conference. The heart of the conference features more than 400 sessions focused on all aspects of environmental education for professionals at all levels—from young professionals to seasoned experts. The conference will also host the Environmental Professionals of Color annual meeting and more than 15% of all sessions focus on equity and inclusion to ensure that field is increasingly relevant in a changing world.
An attendee from last year’s conference in Spokane, WA, said, “I loved the cross-section of people at this conference—K-12, university, public institutions non-profits, businesses.” That multi-sector approach continues this year with varied keynote speakers including Mona Chalabi, Data Editor and Journalist for The Guardian; John Flicker, President of Prescott College; and an international panel led by four Environmental Education 30 Under 30 awardees.
“It’s such an inspiring conference with educators from all parts of the world coming together to share, learn, and advance our collective work,” says Judy Braus, Executive Director at NAAEE. “There’s never been more urgency for the work we do as a field to further environmental literacy and civic engagement and to highlight the importance of creating a more equitable and inclusive movement that grapples with the complex issues of our times.” The conference is hosted in partnership with the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education.
Early-bird rates end on August 23, and there are reduced rates for students, retired professionals, NAAEE members, and exhibitors.
About NAAEE
For nearly five decades, the North American Association for Environmental Education has led efforts to use the power of education advance environmental literacy and civic engagement to create a more equitable and sustainable future.. NAAEE supports a network of more than 20,000 educators and 56 state, regional, and provincial affiliate organizations working in environmental education in more than 30 countries. For more information, visit www.naaee.org.
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