The Go Green Campaign was developed by Mr. Ahsan Ali Thakur, the Chairperson of ICA  Asia and Pacific Committee on Youth Cooperation (ICYC) in 2018, to highlight that environment is changing and the scale of cutting down of trees for the development of a city, country and region needs to be reduced. The goal of the campaign is to gather youth from different cooperatives in Asia and Pacific region to plant trees through ‘self-help and solidarity’. In order to fight climate change, planting of trees can be the ideal way to mobilise youth for a common cause and to showcase the role of cooperatives in environment protection.

The International Mother Earth Day is celebrated every year to remind us that the Earth and its ecosystems provide us with life and sustenance. The day provides an opportunity to raise public awareness in the world about the challenges faced by the planet Earth.

This year, ICYC in collaboration with ICA Africa Youth Network organized the Go Green Campaign 2.0 from 21st to 23rd April 2019, in commemoration of International Mother Earth Day on the theme- ‘Protect Our Species’ through ethical planting of trees. Participants in the campaign included eight cooperatives, a school and ICA Asia and Pacific regional office.

A brief report of their participation in the Go Green Campaign 2.0 is as follows:

All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC), China

The campaign was carried out by the students of ZJIET under the aegis of ACFSMC. The students were mobilised using offline and online communication channels such as posters and mobile based communication apps. 200 students participated in the campaign by planting 5 Holly trees and 5 Pansies which suit the climatic conditions of Hangzhou. In addition to this, they also participated in quizzes held by ZJIET on environment and session on designing eco-bags, thereby raising awareness on environment protection among students.

Rah-e-Roshd Coopreative Educational Complex, Iran

Over 30 students and staff members of Rah-e-Roshd Cooperative Educational Complex along with the Chief Executive Ms. Anahita Eslahpazir celebrated the International Mother Earth Day by planting 280 flowers in their campus.

NACCFL in collaboration with its member, the Bhabisya Nirman Small Farmers Agriculture Cooperative Ltd. participated in the campaign. They planted 30 saplings of Cryptomeria, Hog Plum, Mango, and Pines around their office. NACCFL has also set a target to replicate this campaign in its own network by making youth aware about the need for environment protection and motivating members to plant one tree each whenever possible.

NMC-COOP undertook the campaign in the premises of its Model Agriculture Project. The participants included teachers and students from nearby schools and local municipality officials. They planted 100 saplings.

Karachi Co-operative Housing Societies Union Ltd. (KCHS Union Ltd.), Pakistan

CP & Berar High School for Girls Karachi also participated in the campaign this year.19 students planted Neem trees in the school premises.

Sindh Graduates Cooperative Housing Society participated in the campaign in collaboration with Rotaract Club of Jamshoro and planted 25 Neem trees in barren land. They also assigned a gardener to water the trees

AIMCooP, Philippines

AIMCoop participated in the campaign by undertaking tree plantation and coastal cleaning exercise. They planted 24 saplings of Falcata tree in Aurora and cleaned up a coast in Tukuran.

KSouth Huru Huduma SACCO, Kenya, Africa