Haitian National Coalition for the Environment

The National Environmental Initiative was held 2-4 July 2007 at the Hotel Cyvadier in Jacmel, Haiti. The event began with an Opening Plenary of distinguished speakers:

• Keynote Speaker Josette Perard, Director of the Lambi Fund of Haiti
• Agronomist Isaac Cherestal, President, CAPAS (Centre d'Appui a la Production Agricole du Sud)
• Thomas Tripp, President, Big Frog Mountain Corporation
• Nestor Sanchez, Director of External Affairs and Government Relations, The Nature Conservancy

The second day featured presentations by Mr. Max Antoine II, Director of the Commission for Development of the Border Region, Mr. Dimitri Norres, representative of the Ministry of the Environment, and Mr. Jean-Mari Romain, the Director for the South East Department for the Ministry of the Environment. The NEI also featured one and a half days of meeting time in Open Space, a method that maximizes participation and creativity.

The goals of the NEI were:
• Information sharing about work that is ongoing throughout the country;
• Disseminating details of the Haitian government’s programs for the environment;
• Educational workshops on topics such as alternative energy sources, education, and training;
• Discussion of ecological targets for major projects, such as the border region and river watersheds; and
• Networking and consensus building towards a more united movement for Haiti’s environment.