In many environmental circles, the need to establish a national centre engaged in heightening society's awareness has been put forward for a long time. After discussions and consultation, the Minister of Environmental Protection, Forestry and Natural Resources created the National Ecological Education Centre (in November 1991) and charged the National Foundation for Environmental Protection with settin up the centre. The article presents the tasks of the centre in the field of school-level and informal education, its programmatic basis and operating principles.