Gwalior, March 28 (IANS) WWF India, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), on Saturday organised awareness and outreach activities in Gwalior to mark 20 years of Earth Hour, with a nationwide call to “Give an Hour for Earth”.​

The activities were conducted under WWF-India’s Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme (EIACP) as part of the nationwide observance of Earth Hour.​

The programme was held in the presence of Nameeta Prasad, Joint Secretary, MoEFCC, and Lipika Roy, Joint Director, along with participation from trainees of the Green Skill Development Programme (GSDP) on “Nature Conservator cum Eco-Tourism Guide”.​

An Earth Hour awareness campaign and exhibition were organised at The Scindia School, Gwalior, engaging students and promoting sustainable lifestyles and environmental responsibility.​

The initiative was further carried forward at the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), Gwalior, in the presence of Dr. Chandra Shekhar Barua, Assistant Professor – Tourism Studies and Chairman and Placement Officer – MBA (Tourism and Travel Management).​

The observance included a symbolic switch-off of lights from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. to reinforce the message of energy conservation and climate action.​

Earth Hour, the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement, marks its 20th anniversary this year. Since its inception in 2007, it has grown into a global initiative across over 190 countries. In India, it has evolved beyond the symbolic “switch-off” to encourage people to dedicate one hour to the planet through activities such as clean-up drives, tree plantation, biodiversity walks, cycling campaigns and sustainability workshops.

​The initiative on Saturday was strengthened by the presence of Dr. G. Areendran, Director – Tech for Conservation, WWF-India, and Environmental Information, Awareness, Capacity Building and Livelihood Programme Coordinator, who emphasised the importance of youth engagement and capacity building in environmental conservation.​

Students from more than 15 States and Union Territories actively conveyed messages during Earth Hour and committed to promoting sustainable lifestyles.​

Across the country, GSDP students participated in a unified nationwide switch-off, reaffirming their commitment to promote Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and the Save Energy theme by adopting responsible habits and reducing energy consumption.​

Iconic monuments, heritage sites and government buildings across the country joined the initiative, with a switch-off observed from 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. in various regions.​

--IANS

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