Maurice Ile Durable Week

After all, what is MID? It is likely to be an attitude rather than a project, a state of mind rather than an idea, a culture of consciousness rather than a programme. In other words, this means that every decision we take should be carefully pondered, taking into account our common future. That way of being, when it permeates into all fields of our life, will make MID a reality…
This may be the most important conclusion reached at the end of the MID Seminar held at the University of Mauritius from 16 to 18 March 2009 in the context of the MID Week proposed by the Government. The Seminar aimed at presenting the first results of the ongoing research on MID.

Amongst many other activities during the MID Week, a website on MID was also launched by the Prime Minister. University staff, along with other volunteers, contributed actively in its creation, an endeavour to promote the participative dimension of the MID project.

There is now a better understanding the holistic nature of such a project with the presentations made at the University during the Seminar. In fact, in the opening of the Seminar, which coincided with the launch of the Centre for Studies on Sustainable Development, translated craftily as ‘Centre d’Etudes MID’, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Renewable Energy and Public Utilities, confirmed the need, also, for a more integrated institutional set-up, instead of overreliance on the current MID Fund Committee.

This issue was raised again when the comparison between Reunion and Mauritius was made during the Seminar. However, it was also remarked that the socio-economic cohesion of the Mauritian case, an essential part of our sustainability, is an asset that is lacking in Reunion. First studies on Ecotourism and MID revealed also the negative perception vis-à-vis the social and environmental impacts of conventional tourism. The need for a participative democratic process was highlighted. Such an element was indeed a cut-across issue raised by most participants, whether when considering MID f rom the perspective of Cultural Heritage, Health and Environment, Sustainable Energy, Transport and Land Use, or the Reengineering of the Cane Sector. The latter topics also raised significant concern as to the coherence of some current policies. An international workshop in late April 2009, at the University of Mauritius, will provide the opportunity to finalise the reports based on this first series of studies on MID.

Presentations from Pr N. Themelis on Waste-to-Energy, from Pr F. Odendaal on Cultural Heritage and from ABC Motors representatives on the Electric Vehicle Project added a distant-yet-pertinent dimension to the Seminar. A reminder that our past as well as our future have a sense of purpose only if we adopt ‘sustainability’ as a way-of-being now. And also that we need to be conscious that we are certainly not alone in the world. A consciousness that leads to an ability to raise to the challenge of setting an example for the world. Never as a mark of arrogance, but out of a common pledge to act responsibly…

www.maurice-ile-durable.com
Dr K Elahee, Head of Dept (Mech & Prod Eng), FOE