PAN Europe supports and participates in the Pesticide Action Week - a grassroots initiative orchestrated by Générations Futures, a Pan Europe member organisation in France, taking place during the first ten days of every spring (20th-30th of March) when usually the spraying of pesticides resumes. Pesticide Action Week has been a powerful force for awareness-raising and action for a pesticide-free Europe. Every year, hundreds of citizens, associations, farmers, companies, teachers, local governments organise a wide range of events: conferences, film screenings, theater shows, open door days, organic cooking classes, exhibitions, workshops, information booths, farmer markets, community organic meals, etc.
The public is invited to get better informed about the health and environmental challenges caused by pesticides and learn more about alternatives by taking part in one of the hundreds of organised activities.
Through PAN Europe's involvement, this movement is now reaching beyond France to other European countries. PAN Europe has been assisting organisations from Central and Eastern Europe. Key documents have been translated into Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian and Armenian, and local initiatives have been supported.
In 2021, the Pesticide Action Week took place mostly online because of the pandemic. Nevertheless, dozens of activities,-online and offline-, were organized in France and elsewhere. On this occasion, PAN Europe met with scientists to highlight the impact of pesticides on wildlife and biodiversity. Dr. Carsten Brühl, ecotoxicology researcher, told us more about amphibians, the silent victims of pesticides.
