Green Desert Project 2007

June 25, 2007

 

June 23, 2007 saw the celebration of the launch of the Green Desert Club, an interest group of Asian Journeys which rallies adult volunteers who would work with youth leaders to bring about environmental education among the schools and youth communities of Singapore and around Asia.

The Green Desert project was placed in my heart since 2002 and after a few rounds of mobilizing volunteers to participate in building the Great Green Wall of China, it ground to a halt, no thanks to SARS.

 

However in January this year, the Green Desert project was resurrected. We managed to mobilize a team of 14 youths from several polytechnics and a few graduates, equipped them, and sent them to embark on the inaugural tree-planting Green Desert YEP in March-April 2007. These apparent novices engaged with green volunteers from Bejing Jiaotong University Green Family society in seminars, forums and a concert to raise awareness about the sandstorms in Northern China.

 

On June 23, these youths stood tall among the small audience at Raffles House, Fort Canning Park ( venue sponsored by National Parks Board), full of conviction as they shared their hearts out complete with powerpoint slides, after 6 months of research and engagement in “green issues”. The National Youth council’s head of Youth Engagement and Youth expeditions, Mr Theodore Teo was our guest-of-honour.

 

Mr Theodore Teo launched the Club officially by unveiling the Club signage which was aptly made from sand art from a pile of sand and signifies that this Club is an example of a youth initiative from ground’s up, as Benjamin Lim, the Club president explained.

What a lovely start to the Green Desert Club’s journeys as we later celebrated the launch with presentation of certificates, quizzes, songs and lunch.

May we creatively care for the environment and invite others on this journey also.

“For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands.”
 

Other Highlights at the Launch …


Daniel Tan, Lawrence Ko and Theodore Teo, with his bike		 Theodore Teo, NYC’s head of Youth Engagement and Youth Expedition was an inspiration at the Launch. He cycled right to the door of Raffles House demonstrating his conviction to burn less fossil fuel. He also enthralled the gathering with stories of his personal journeys on conservation projects.
 
   
 

Dr Yu Mingjie, Jiangli and some China scholars at the launch		 As the Green Desert Club members relish their experiences exchanging ideas and thoughts on environmental issues with youths in China, we are privileged that there are many PRC scholars in our midst studying at the local universities who can help inform us on the issues impacting China.

 

 

Isaiah 55:12

 

 

Posted by lawrence | Filed Under Green Desert 

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