Kolkata, February 05, 2023: With one day to go for the official flag-off of Move for Earth – a movement to celebrate and inspire climate action, 5000 cyclists supported this initiative across 80 cities, and 10 states of India with pop-up cycle rides in their respective cities. 1000s of climate conscious folk cycled through their cities, villages and towns to amplify the collective voice of climate champions, equip communities with key tools, resources, new age skills, and create a networked ecosystem for them to be the ambassadors of change.
The pop-up cycle ride in Kolkata saw cyclists set out from Science City and traverse through the East Kolkata Wetlands – often referred to as the kidneys of Kolkata. Similar pop-up cycle rides were organised by cycling enthusiasts and climate-conscious folk in cities, towns and villages, all with one common cause – to raise awareness and inspire climate action.
Launched by SwitchON Foundation to mark its 15th year, this initiative aspires to help build a smarter and brighter future for ourselves, our children, farmers and life on earth. As Move for Earth is flagged-off from Victoria Memorial in Kolkata tomorrow (February 6th, 2023), Vinay Jaju, Managing Director of SwitchON Foundation, and fellow cyclists – comprising farmers, youth, women, environmentalists, partners and stakeholders, are all set to embark on a ride for the climate, across the state of West Bengal, covering over 800 km to highlight the urgency for climate action. As it progresses, the cycle yatra will connect with urban and rural communities, interacting with farmers, women and youth, to discuss, deliberate and decide on purposeful, climate-friendly steps to build a sustainable, healthier future. The cycle yatra will also be taken up in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, the Northeast and several other states across India through the year.
At the heart of the Move for Earth movement is a pursuit to offer solutions to community-specific issues related to water, soil, energy and clean air that are directly impacting the livelihood and health of citizens.
Move for Earth will facilitate climate-friendly purposeful events and activities that will range from skill development training, stakeholder meetings, seed festivals and buyer-seller meets, to handicraft fairs, millet and tech expos, street art and puppet shows. In each state, the ride will conclude with a Citizens Jury for Earth in which small groups of farmers and urban youth will interact with experts and get involved in the process of making recommendations on our collective future, leveraging the values of democratic decision making.
In the year 2008, Vinay Jaju – Co-founder of SwitchON Foundation, accompanied by the founding team, set out on a ride from Kolkata to New Delhi on their bicycles. The ride inspired and sparked the impetus to a fifteen-year journey of serving and strengthening communities through clean energy and other sustainable ways of living.
SwitchON is presently working in 10 states across India with a focus on Environment Sustainability and Equal Opportunities, through its two programmes:
– Empowering Energy, Water, Agriculture Nexus (EEWA)
– Clean Air & Sustainable Cities (CASC)
The organisation focuses on creating a networked ecosystem with a practice to policy approach, to spearhead and support interventions, enterprises and networks to reduce social inequalities and mitigate climate impact.
Today, in the face of a devastating climate crisis, SwitchON is setting out on a similar ride to celebrate and inspire climate action. Through Move for Earth, SwitchON Foundation along with various partners, will host a series of activities in cities, towns, and villages across different states of India to build resilience with future-friendly skills, technologies, and practices to mitigate the climate crisis our planet Earth faces.
Media Dossier
Contact: Vinay Jaju | M: +91 9331178105 | Email: VJ@SwitchON.org.in
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