On April 28, 2013, the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation held the 15th New Life Family Walkathon to help the climate refugees around the world at Seoul Olympic Park. It was sponsored by Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, Seoul Metropolitan Government, International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN] Korea Council, Korea Energy Management Cooperation, Green Start, Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciale [AIESEC], and many others. Honorary Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah, H.E. Margaret Clarke-Kwestie the Ambassador of Ghana to Korea, Nepalese Consul Raja Ram Bartaula, WeLoveU Sponsor Chairman Lee Soon-jae, Head of Korean Council of IUCN Seo Young-bae, Director-General of Green Start Kim Hee-sung, and people from many different fields participated in the walkathon. With more than 12,000 WeLoveU members living in Seoul gathering, the event was a success.
Climate Refugees Suffering From Rapid Climate Change
Climate refugees are those who suffer from losing their homes by climate disasters such as floods, droughts, and typhoons. The residents of developing countries, which lack water storage facilities and flood control facilities, are directly affected by global warming caused by imprudent carbon emissions of developed countries. Therefore, WeLoveU decided to help climate refugees around the world while working to protect the environment. The 15th walkathon was held with the purpose to help the climate refugees in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal under the slogan, “A Rainbow of Hope from Bengal to the Himalayas!”
Mountain villages in Nepal are going through drought and water scarcity as the Himalayan glaciers and ice caps are rapidly disappearing. Some other areas are flooded with water from melted glaciers and ice caps, which also causes flood damage in West Bengal of India and Bangladesh. In particular, Bangladesh, where more than half of the land is less than five meters above sea level, is vulnerable to sea level rise. As a result, thousands of people lose their homes every year and become climate refugees due to drought, flooding, and the influx of seawater.
The Walkathon to Help Climate Refugees
In the first part of the ceremony, Honorary Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah asked the participants to show concern and give help to climate refugees, saying, “We cannot be completely free from the pain of climate refugees because we live in the same fence called the ‘global village’ and share the same environment.” She also added, “Every step we take today will be a song of courage and hope to the climate refugees.”
After the congratulatory address of Sponsor Chairman Lee Soon-jae and other guests, the donation pledge promising the support of daily necessities and medications was delivered to Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. The second part of the walkathon started with the powerful fanfare of the military band. The members who left the Peace Square walked happily on the course and then returned to the square. At each section of the course, posters were placed such as “Use Stairs to the Third Floor,” “No Disposables,” and “Turn Off the Light,” through which the members learned what they should do to prevent climate change in their daily life.
In the Peace Square, various events were prepared: Climate Refugee PR, Eco-friendly Experience, Climate Refugee Photo Exhibition, and many more. The booths where participants could experience natural dyeing, making natural fabric deodorants, and riding human-powered bicycles were popular. The distinguished guests experienced the event activities with Honorary Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah as their guide. H.E. Carlos Victor Boungou the Ambassador of Gabon to Korea said, “The youths of the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation came to Gabon and held the seminar and environmental campaigns with the youths of Gabon. This happened after we had signed a pledge to take a joint action against climate change with the WeLoveU Foundation last year. It helped people have awareness of the seriousness of climate change. I think today’s event too will have an important influence on the whole world.”
Steps to Save the Earth
The members said it was nice to spend quality time with their families and think about environmental protection. Many members said that it was a good education for their children. Kim Nan-hui (from Gangseo-gu, Seoul) with her daughters who are in elementary school said, “There are many booths to experience, and it was also good for my children because the event is well-organized. I also learned things that I did not know before. I hope that my children would not just see and hear all these things but grow into people who practice what they learned.”
“Our planet is becoming hotter due to car exhaust emissions and carbon dioxide, so walking is the most important and easiest thing to reduce CO2. I hope today’s sharing will bring peace to the earth and today’s walking will be the first step in preventing global warming and saving the earth.” Head of Korean Council of IUCN- Seo Young-bae
According to climatologists, there are more than 40 million climate refugees in the world, and the number will increase to one billion after 30 years from now. The members who realized the seriousness of climate change resolved to practice environmental protection, beginning in small ways. Until the day when people from all over the country pay attention to climate refugees and work together to protect the environment, the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation will make efforts to save humankind and the planet.
