Youth Plant Trees for a Greener Future at Heartfulness Institute in Hyderabad

The G20 Global Land Initiative (G20 GLI) at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in collaboration with the Heartfulness Institute, successfully concluded the 'Youth Acts - Planting for a Sustainable Future' event at Kanha Shanti Vanam, the global headquarters of the Heartfulness Institute in Hyderabad.

The event brought together 2,500 enthusiastic students from across the region for an enriching day dedicated to environmental conservation and land restoration. The event provided young participants with a hands-on experience in environmental conservation, focusing on the vital role of land restoration in combating climate change and enhancing biodiversity.

In the face of escalating environmental challenges, educating and empowering the next generation is crucial. 'Youth Acts - Planting for a Sustainable Future' was more than just a tree-planting initiative; it was a comprehensive program that included interactive sessions, expert talks, and engaging activities designed to instill a deep sense of environmental stewardship in participants.

By fostering a connection to nature and providing practical knowledge, the event aimed to cultivate a generation of environmentally conscious individuals dedicated to making a positive impact on the planet. This event represented a significant stride towards global land restoration efforts. By involving youth in meaningful environmental activities, we not only restored degraded land but also sowed the seeds of a sustainable future.

Each sapling planted and each lesson learned during this event contributed to the broader goal of combating desertification and promoting ecological balance. Muralee Thummarukudy, Director, G20 Global Land Initiative, UNCCD, while speaking to the media said, "We have a global mandate to achieve 50 percent reduction in degraded land by 2040. We are talking about the equivalent land mass of China, one billion hectares. We have to work in all type of landscape to achieve this. In agriculture landscape, in arid land, in marsh lands, in lakes and rivers. One another thing which is important is to capture the imagination of the new generation. We call that regeneration restoration".

"The experience here in heartfullness centre was very good. The ambience here was very beautiful and I found that it was a very good experience in moving from the pollution city and noise and moving to such a good place," said a student Khushal Ghosh.