Commemorating the 55th Earth Day: Shining Passion of Civil Volunteers

• The Shincheonji Volunteer Group’s Southern Seoul and Gyeonggi-Overseas Regional Association held Climate Change Week for ten days
• Various environmental protection activities were carried out, including environmental clean-up, tree planting, and upcycling experiences

Earth Day commemorative activities organized by a civilian volunteer group took place simultaneously in 55 regions around the world, drawing attention from local communities and concluding successfully. These activities once again confirmed that environmental change begins at the local level.

The Southern Seoul and Gyeonggi-Overseas Regional Association of the Shincheonji Volunteer Group (President Lee Gi-won, hereinafter referred to as the “Southern Seoul and Gyeonggi-Overseas Regional Association”) held Climate Change Week from April 19 to 28 to commemorate the 55th Earth Day, launching various environmental protection activities.

These efforts aimed to raise citizen awareness about environmental issues and lead practical improvements.

To that end, volunteers organized a variety of programs, from hands-on environmental clean-up to citizen-participation activities. These included environmental clean-up, tree planting, upcycling experiences, a children’s drawing contest, and exhibitions — about 23 programs in total.

In particular, in celebration of the 55th Earth Day, activities were held in 55 regions worldwide. In South Korea, they were conducted in 23 areas including Seoul’s Gangnam, Dongjak, and Seongdong districts, as well as Seongnam, Suwon, Osan, Icheon, Pyeongtaek, and Hanam in Gyeonggi Province. Overseas activities took place in 32 regions, including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. in the U.S., Tijuana in Mexico, Burnaby in Canada, and Silang in the Philippines.

These activities received a great response from local communities. In Musamba, Kenya, the Shincheonji Volunteer Group’s Global 1 Kenya Branch signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with another organization to develop various joint volunteer projects for local development.

Among all activities, “plogging” (picking up litter while jogging) was the most conducted. During the activity period, members of the Southern Seoul and Gyeonggi-Overseas Regional Association walked a total of approximately 121 kilometers, collecting around 12,931 liters of waste.

Approximately 2,972 volunteers participated. They shared that they reawakened to the importance of protecting the environment and experienced firsthand how small actions can lead to significant changes. They also pledged to continue participating and practicing these efforts.

Kim Soo-yeon (24, female), a resident of Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, said, “I often frowned at the many cigarettes butts I saw on the roads I frequently pass, so I joined hoping they could become a little cleaner. The encouragement and smiles from nearby shop owners made it a heartwarming time.”

Volunteer Kim Ji-beom (male), who lives in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, said, “I joined out of sorrow that the Earth can’t breathe, hoping to contribute even a little. Walking, talking, and picking up trash with other volunteers was good for both health and the environment. This experience inspired me to look for activities I can do with friends and practice regularly.”

Lee Gi-won, president of the Southern Seoul and Gyeonggi-Overseas Regional Association, said, “We started this volunteer work out of love for our country, its people, and the environment. Many people joined efforts for environmental protection, and through this, we felt we are advancing toward a better future.”

He added, “We plan to carry out even more diverse volunteer activities to lead sustainable change. We’ll do our best to collaborate with local communities not only in environmental protection but also in various fields to have a positive impact. We hope more people will join us.”