Russian Youngsters See the Wood from the Trees to Win Volvo Adventure

Russian Youngsters See the Wood from the Trees to Win Volvo Adventure

A campaigning project to rescue and revive an endangered and
environmentally-sensitive urban park in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod has
won the 2008 Volvo Adventure and the US$10,000 first prize, the five students of
the ‘Green Sail' team, beating off stiff competition at the World Final in
Gothenburg today (Tuesday).


Having won their own Russian national title, the power of five young students,
Arthur Erofyev, Darya Aleksandrova, Mary Ermylova, Nastya Horytonova, Julia
Udina was demonstrated on stage at the Gothenburg Convention Centre on Monday as
they brought the plight of the park to the world in an inspired and impassioned
presentation to the Volvo Adventure World Final jury and an audience of over 500
young environmentalists.

Dubky Park, which has a unique ecosystem with high biodiversity including
thousands of mature carbon absorbing trees - amongst them almost 1,000 oak trees
over 200-years-old - and is ‘home' to a wide variety of bird, animal and insect
life - had been threatened by plans to replace the only green space in the area
with a retail park, but the young environmentalists from the ‘Green Sail'
project thought differently.

“We have campaigned for two years now to save Dubky Park, arguing our case with
a well-planned project of research, analysis and action and winning the 2008
Volvo Adventure is recognition that our efforts have been worth all the effort,”
said 12-year-old Artur Erofeev, his -year-old team-mate Anastasia Kharitonova
(15) adding, “Thank you to the people of our city of Nizhny Novgorod and also to
the Volvo Adventure for sharing, recognizing and rewarding our passion for our
park, locally, nationally and internationally.”

The 2008 Volvo Adventure brings with it a first prize of US$10,000 with the
second and third placed teams winning US$6,000 and US$4,000 respectively.

‘Green Sail' team leader Andrey Patyaev celebrated victory by saying, “This is
just the end of the beginning for the project whereas two-years-ago it was the
beginning of the end for Dubky Park.

“Our team has worked tirelessly in order to save the park, its ‘residents' and
the local ecosystem and we are honoured to have our project recognised on the
international stage (he / she) said, adding, “We will reinvest our prize money
back into the project and help take it onto the next level.”

Commented Siv Persson of WWF, the 2008 Volvo Adventure World Final jury
chairperson, “This is an outstanding and brave project on the conservation of a
natural park.  When the park was threatened with destruction from industry, the
students cleaned up the park and gave it new life to re-engage the community to
enjoy this place and protect it for the future.”

She added, “Protecting old trees, the local heritage of the park and the quality
of water in the local river are all benefits of this project and ‘Green Sail,'
is a very deserving winner of the 1st Prize of the 2008 Volvo Adventure.”

Tony Larsson, Sponsorship Manager, Volvo Group said, “In just seven years, the
Volvo Adventure has become the most significant environmental competition for
young people, complementing the Volvo Environment Prize and dovetailing
perfectly with Volvo Group's passion for and commitment to environmental care.”

He added, “Our congratulations go to the ‘Green Sail' team from Russia and
indeed each and every one of nearly 400 teams taking part this year; the
enthusiasm with which the younger generation is embracing the environment is
very encouraging and we are delighted to continue supporting such a powerful
platform as the Volvo Adventure.”

Cecilia Kibare of UNEP, the environmental endorsing body for the Volvo Adventure
said, “My congratulations go not only to the winners, ‘Green Sail,' but also to
all the teams in the Volvo Adventure World Final and indeed all those who have
taken part this year all around the globe.

“It is both exciting and encouraging to note that a good percentage of the
projects in general and those brought here to Gothenburg are associated with
mitigating the effects of climate change, an issue of the highest concern and
priority to the United Nations and UNEP and we are pleased and heartened that
the youth of the world are so deeply engaged with this key issue and are
committed to making a difference to climate change.”

Runners-up and recipients of the US$6,000 second prize was 
the ‘Green Action,' team from Macedonia for its project to save the nation's
endangered population of water buffalo, whilst the third podium place was taken
by Volvo Adventure debutants, the Junior Ecoguards of Comoros, the students from
the tiny Indian Ocean island saving the Hawksbill Turtle from extinction. 

It has been an highly-adventurous 2008 Volvo Adventure, with the team from the
American Community School at Beirut, the representatives from Lebanon unable to
attend due to the worsening security situation in their country whilst the
Junior Ecoguards of Comoros faced flight and visa delays only to make it to
Gothenburg with hours to spare.

Meanwhile, speaking from Beirut, Gabriella Romanos the Lebanese project
commented, "We are all terribly disappointed not to have been able to make it
over the Sweden for what was the culmination of a year's work for us but we
would wish all those teams there every success with their project. Her colleague
Natalia Alvarez said, “We would like to reassure everyone that, despite our
current circumstances, our environmental work goes on and indeed becomes even
more important at this time."

Notes to Editors:

•	The Volvo brand and the Volvo Adventure are shared between Volvo Cars and
Volvo Group.
•	The Volvo brand has three core values, Quality, Safety and Environmental Care.
•	The Volvo Adventure, now in its seventh year is a global Internet-based
environmental competition for young people aged between 13 and 16-years-old.
•	Volvo also sponsors the Volvo Environment Prize, which is now in its 19th year
is awarded annually by an independent foundation to the person / persons judged
to have made the most significant contribution in the fields of environmental
and sustainability studies and related initiatives. It carries with it an award
of SEK1.5million (approx US$250,000 / €160.000).
•	Editors are invited to send reporters and photographers to any part of the
Volvo Adventure and content is especially relevant to environment, youth and
education correspondents.
•	Full background material, interviewees and royalty-free imagery is available
for preview features.
•	For further information please contact: 
	Maria Bohlin
Volvo Car Corporation Newsroom
E-mail: mbohlin1@volvocars.com 
Tel: + 46 31 59 65 25