● The theme of the event was Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action
● Winning change-makers were awarded cash prizes; with first, second, and commendation 3rd, 4th and 5th prizes at Rs 50,000, 30,000, and 25,000, respectively
Celebrating youth as the torchbearers of the nation’s dream and harbingers of a sustainable future, Mobius Foundation in association with the Climate Project Foundation, India organized the Youth for Earth Campaign 2023. The event was conducted on day 2 of the 5th International Conference on Sustainability Education (ICSE) at the India Habitat Centre. With more than 200 entries coming from South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka) on the theme Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action, only ten were shortlisted. The campaign aims to motivate young minds to bring a revolution for positive climate action. The action projects under the campaign were completed by youth groups during the period January to July 2023 and a total of 200+ projects formed part of the competition
The event saw the participation of esteemed dignitaries from over 15 countries. Mr. Pradip Burman, Chairman of the Mobius Foundation; Mr. Kamal Meattle, Trustee Chairman Emeritus, Paharpur Business Centre & Software Technology Incubator Park; Mr. Krishan Kalra, Trustee, Former Secretary General of PHD Chamber & Former Additional Secretary General and Adviser, FICCI; Dr. Ram Boojh, CEO of the Mobius Foundation; and Mr. Aditya Pundir, Director, Climate Reality Project India and South Asia lit the lamp and inaugurated the session. Thereafter, the event commenced with a cultural program from the students of St Mary’s School, Dwarka.
On the occasion, Mr. Pradip Burman, Chairman of the Mobius Foundation, said, “Climate change is an undeniable reality that requires our immediate attention and decisive action. The moment to act is upon us, and it is the younger generation that stands as the most promising and capable leader to drive this critical mission forward. I am delighted to declare that the long-awaited shift toward addressing this change is now underway. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the young winners and participants who have tirelessly worked at the grassroots level, for it is here that the foundation of genuine transformation is laid. Witnessing the remarkable enthusiasm of the younger generation for climate action, I am filled with hope that the stewardship of Mother Nature rests in capable hands.”
Participant entries were divided into two categories: junior (classes from 9th up to 12th) and senior (graduation/postgraduation). The first prize in the senior category was grabbed by Project TamiraSES from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment for advocating for river restoration and rejuvenation of Thamirabarani. The second prize went to Team Nirmiti, St Joseph’s University for making natural cleaners called bio-enzymes to combat the disposal issue of toxic household cleaning products into the water bodies, while the third was fetched by Team Polyfueler, Sershah Engineering College, Sasaram that utilized an innovative machine for converting plastic waste into fuel.
In the junior category, the first prize for the Youth for Earth was grabbed by Project Neerja, Tribal Residential School, Rohile, Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Maharashtra. Their ground-breaking initiative is dedicated to watershed development, constructing continuous contour trenches and loose bold structures. They addressed the problem of severe soil erosion in Rohile village, which is a heavy rainfall area. The second prize was fetched by ICONIC-BacWP, The Iconic School Bhopal making biodegradable sanitary pads aiming to drive systematic change for menstrual hygiene and proper waste decomposition. They used readily available natural resources like water hyacinth, bagasse, and papaya fiber for making napkins. The third position was acquired by Project Passionately Natural from TVS Academy, Hosur, which advocated organic farming with the aim to create kitchen gardens minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides towards a sustainable food system.
There were also commendation prizes of Rs 25000 each for 3rd, 4th and 5th rank holders in both categories with a cash value of Rs 25,000 each. The 5th ICSE encompassed 17 special thematic sessions, that revolved around the different aspects of its core theme: Educating for Climate Action and Sustainability.