The Earth: home to over 7 billion human beings. Evolution has brought us to the prime of physiological, philosophical and scientific development. However, with the invention of locomotives, us human beings have gone faster and further than any other living creature in nature within the past centuries.
The widespread production and use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers have rendered vast tracts of land sterile: sterile in the sense that an ecosystem of healthy microbes to insects and animals have been cleansed, leaving fruits and vegetables that have chemicals that have been found to have lingered in human body cells for years after consumption, leading to undesirable health conditions.
This year, the world is making a change: one sustainable step by individuals such as ourselves; something that is environmentally friendly, that we would do beyond the Earth Hour.
On 26 March this year, the island nation, Maldives will participate in the global event by turning off the lights of iconic buildings and landmarks; from the Maldives Monetary Authority, the Velaanaage Office Building, The President’s Office, to large private buildings, to the Maldives National University, colleges, schools and government buildings in the 200 inhabited islands scattered in the 1,192 white sandy islands that comprise the Maldives.
The country has appointed 5 ambassadors; celebrities who will carry forward the message of the Earth Hour, beyond the hour. Amongst them are Moosa Waseem, a prominent news reporter and anchor of MNBC One television channel; Mohamed Zahir, an environmental expert from the Ministry of Housing and Environment; Ibrahim Ali and Mariyam Unoosha, music artists who represent the National Center for the Arts; and Ibrahim Fazeel, better known as Oppo, a football player from the Maldives National Football Team.
In addition, community organisations such as the Scouts Association of Maldives, ECOCARE Maldives, Maldives Girl Guide Association and Junior Chambers International Maldives are also participating in events and activities that demonstrate the importance of sustainable actions to reduce carbon footprint, amongst others.The Scout Association of Maldives has been leading the Earth Hour campaign in the country since 2009.
People from the islands of Maldives will be walking on the streets of Malé, beginning from the western end of Ameenee Magu, all the way down, coming to a standstill at the platform on the sea wall facing Varunulaa Raalhugandu (the eastern coast of Malé).
“Vesheege govaalun”, which translates into ‘Calling of the Land’, will be held immediately after, where school students will give their opinion on whence the world has formed and what we need to do to prevent from being washed away on rising tides.
A prime example of an entire nation under threat from rising sea levels resulting from global warming, the Maldives has come under international spotlight following the heroic campaign sparked off by the Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed, with the underwater cabinet meeting in 2009.
Taken from Maldives Traveller
No comments:
Post a Comment