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Gulf of Finland Year 2014 to expand cooperation of Russia, Finland, Estonia

HELSINKI, January 21, /ITAR-TASS/. Events under the programme of the Gulf of Finland Year 2014 will bring to a new level cooperation in environmental protection policies among Russia, Finland and Estonia, the head of the Russian delegation, Vadim Tyulpanov, member of the Federation Council upper house of Russian parliament, said at the opening ceremony of the Year in HeIsinki on Tuesday.

“I am sure that this ambitious project meeting challenges of the times will bring to a new level cooperation in nature protection among our countries,” Tyulpanov said. “The countries participating in the project have worked out a broad-ranging programme of research to lead to the signing of the tri-lateral declaration to improve the ecosystem of the Gulf of Finland up to 2021,” he said.

Alongside researchers’ work to monitor the condition of the gulf’s water, the Russian side plans large series of enlightenment functions, he said.

The first one will be the international ecological forum due in St Petersburg in February. The forum will be attended by more than one thousand officials, researchers and business people who will discuss the problems of the gulf’s ecosystem.

The All-Russian Society for Environmental Protection will sponsor the Clean Coast action, the Health Day festival, the children’s ecological camp, a youth forum and a yacht racing, Tyulpanov aid.

“This will draw attention of society to rational management of natural resources and care for nature,” Tyulpanov said. “For, after all, the main aim of the Year is improvement of the quality of life. And ecological awareness and culture in society are essential for that,” the head of the Russian delegation said.

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