Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA) and other environmental groups are planning a major gathering to endorse the Earth Charter on Oct 9 in Balok Beach, Kuantan, Malaysia.
The event, called Dubbed Himpunan Hijau, or Green Gathering, aims to be a campaign based on hope not fear, and the idea that everyone should take responsibility for their own future and the future of their children. The following paragraph from the Earth Charter expresses the vision of this campaign:
More than10,000 people from all over the country are expected to join this event. Around 80 NGOs and civil society groups have also expressed their support for this campaign.
By organizing this event, Malaysia, particularly the community of Kuantan, will be remembered as a champion in promoting the Earth Charter initiative in such a magnitude. As a result, Kuantan will be placed on the world map and receive international attention, which hopefully will help them to receive benefits particularly in the cultural and tourism sectors.
SEPA’s President Mr. Wong Tack said: We envisioned this to be an annual event whereby on the second Sunday in October every year, millions of responsible Malaysians across the nation will gather at different locations to witness the sunrise and endorse the Earth Charter.
The specific objectives of the event are:
- To call for all responsible Malaysian citizens to gather in Balok Beach, Kuantan, at sunrise to endorse the Earth Charter.
- To propel a change in our way of life, change in how society works, how decisions are made, and how businesses are conducted.
On the event participants will stamp their handprints on hundreds of meters of black cloth to register their presence, which will symbolize the stamping away of darkness in their lives and welcoming a new era. The cloth will be stitched together and handed over to next year’s host, Sabah.
Find here a press release on this event, and the agenda with the details of the activities organized for this endorsement.