World Earth Day celebrated in Gojal
Press Release
Gilgit, April 25: WWF, Pakistan and GILGIT SERENA HOTEL SEED Program (Social and Environmental Education Development), jointly celebrated Earth Day 2008, by engaging school students at Ghulkin and Sost villages of Gojal on 22-23 April 2008, in environment related activities.
The ceremony was attended by sixty students and twelve teachers of Diamond Jubilee School Ghulkin, Nasir Khisrow Model Academy Ghulkin, Government Primary School Ghulkin, D.J High School Sost, F.G Boys High School Sost and AL Hussain Model School Sost. Members of Ghulkin Nature Conservation and Khunzherav Villages Organization, also attend the event.
The basic purpose of celebrating the event was to aware the students, teachers and community leaders about some human activities, such as deforestation, waste generation, excessive use of power sources and growing usage of plastic bags, that leads to the environmental degradations and add to the phenomenon called climate change.
As part of the “A Call for Climate” theme clean up campaigns of Borith Lake and plantation in the vicinity of D.J High School Sost were carried out. Presentations related to importance of Biodiversity of Khunjerab National Park in dealing with climate change and SEED Program of Serena Hotel were representatives of these organizations. The program was also followed by documentaries on natural resources of the Northern Areas and songs by the school student, showing their reverence for environment.
Community leaders, in their remarks appreciated SERENA HOTELS SEED Program and WWF-Pakistan, Northern Areas for celebrating the event in the far flung areas of Gojal and awaring the students, teachers and community leaders to protect their Mother Earth, for a better tomorrow. They urged the students and teachers to celebrate all the environmentally significant events and conduct practical activities, such as clean up campaigns, nature walks, and plantation on sustainable bases.The speakers included Mr Bahadur Khan, president of KVO, Mr Iqbal Karim, principal of DJ School, Sost, Ms Rukhsana Saleem of WWF and Mr Asghar Khan of Serena hotel, Gilgit.
This compain was started some youth of KVO. later on due to personal gain and interest of groups this was distorted by the then Ruling political leaders to spreat the different villages for their personal interests. The compain was appriciated by Dr. Jhon Mock and other Scholars who worked in depth with a well understading the local cultural, social, educational and other aspects of the area.
Thankx to all the international organizations like WWF, IUCN nad othe NGOs whom opend their eye after a period of eight years. I humbly request to all members to SAVE this God gifted area for the comming generations just a small GIFT OF GOD AND NATURE.
I do hope that, the villagers ll not lookafter their on imterest individually but as a whole GOJALI, HUNZUKSH and Northerians.
Some of the spelling must be correct— it is KHUNJARV not KHANJARAB as IUCN and WWF printed a Book from Lahore. Just in the other article KALAM DARCHI it is wrong please QALANDER CHI has a meaning in the local dialects.
This is great effort of WWF and other NGO’s who works very keen intrestly to motivate and giving awareness from grass route level for presevation of enviornment to the communities of Hunza and gojal.