Comments on: The Origin of Orangutan Awareness Week – by Gary Shapiro, Ph.D. Chairman, Orang Utan Republik Education Initiative. http://orangutanfoundation.wildlifedirect.org/2008/11/13/the-origin-of-orangutan-awareness-week-by-gary-shapiro-phd-chairman-orang-utan-republik-education-initiative/ Conservation - Research - Education Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:50:11 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Gary Shapiro http://orangutanfoundation.wildlifedirect.org/2008/11/13/the-origin-of-orangutan-awareness-week-by-gary-shapiro-phd-chairman-orang-utan-republik-education-initiative/comment-page-1/#comment-506 Gary Shapiro Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:34:18 +0000 http://orangutanfoundation.wildlifedirect.org/2008/11/13/the-origin-of-orangutan-awareness-week-by-gary-shapiro-phd-chairman-orang-utan-republik-education-initiative/#comment-506 We need to encourage participation in the schools internationally to reach the children through educational institutions as well as enroll NGOs that are interested in promoting the event in places like South America, Europe, etc. Having a unified website to place translated materials would be of benefit. There are many ideas we can share but having someone take the role of a volunteer coordinator is something that is definitely needed. I do not think we need to have another Orangutan Week in August as it would diminish the value of the special week. In reality every week is orangutan week for many of us. I don't think the public is ready for 2 special weeks per year. Why not Primate Week or another week that could subsume orangutans and other endangered animals? We need to encourage participation in the schools internationally to reach the children through educational institutions as well as enroll NGOs that are interested in promoting the event in places like South America, Europe, etc. Having a unified website to place translated materials would be of benefit. There are many ideas we can share but having someone take the role of a volunteer coordinator is something that is definitely needed. I do not think we need to have another Orangutan Week in August as it would diminish the value of the special week. In reality every week is orangutan week for many of us. I don’t think the public is ready for 2 special weeks per year. Why not Primate Week or another week that could subsume orangutans and other endangered animals?

]]> By: Dawn Forsythe http://orangutanfoundation.wildlifedirect.org/2008/11/13/the-origin-of-orangutan-awareness-week-by-gary-shapiro-phd-chairman-orang-utan-republik-education-initiative/comment-page-1/#comment-505 Dawn Forsythe Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:33:14 +0000 http://orangutanfoundation.wildlifedirect.org/2008/11/13/the-origin-of-orangutan-awareness-week-by-gary-shapiro-phd-chairman-orang-utan-republik-education-initiative/#comment-505 Thanks very much for this post! This was a great idea then, and makes even more sense with each passing year. How do you think we should expand on it, to reach more children in North America, South America and Europe? Zoo orangutans are marvelous ambassadors, and zoos put on great educational programs, but zoo attendence is relatively low in November... What would your organization and OFI (and the others) think about starting an additional outreach day in August? Or do you think that would detract from this special week? Thanks very much for this post! This was a great idea then, and makes even more sense with each passing year.

How do you think we should expand on it, to reach more children in North America, South America and Europe?

Zoo orangutans are marvelous ambassadors, and zoos put on great educational programs, but zoo attendence is relatively low in November… What would your organization and OFI (and the others) think about starting an additional outreach day in August? Or do you think that would detract from this special week?

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