Sabino Canyon International College (SCIC) today hosts the World Desertification Day commemorative celebrations to raise awareness about the impact of desertification on the environment. The learning institution encourages the conservation and promotion of sustainable practices including afforestation and reforestation.
The Day was commemorated worldwide on 17 June 2024.
The theme for this year is “United for Land: Our Legacy, Our Future,” highlighting the future role of land stewardship in ensuring the stability and prosperity of billions of people around the world.
“Every second, an equivalent of four football fields of healthy land becomes degraded, adding up to a total of 100 million hectares each year. Up to 40% of the world’s land is already degraded, affecting close to half of humanity. Land restoration lifts people out of poverty and builds resilience to climate change
“During the commemoration, there will be a line-up of activities including Poetry, Debate, and Quiz. We will also have interactive sessions on eco-entrepreneurship. There will be a massive tree planting campaign; and poster displays,” said SCIC Event Curator, Ms Teverai Chigogo.
She encouraged stakeholders to join the commemoration and share their thoughts on combating desertification and drought on social media using the hashtag #UNited4Land.
She said participation in the global observance event will help create a world where the land is thriving and communities are resilient.
The SCIC recently hosted the World Environment Day celebrations.
The celebrations, which also created a platform for dialogues related to recycling and climate change, drew stakeholders and more than 60 participants from different walks of life which include Purple Signs Global, Greening Kuwadzana, Our Africa Honey Producers, Oxford Study Centre, The Climate Friends (TCF), Asylum Arts and G-shots.
In her address, SCIC Event Curator, Ms Teverai Chigogo, reiterated their institution’s commitment to instilling and reinforcing a culture of environmental stewardship into their learners while calling for collective efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change through better waste management.
“At Sabino Canyon International College, we are committed to promoting sustainability. We also encourage our students to participate in environmental activities and projects, hence these commemorations.
“Unfortunately, our planet faces numerous environmental challenges, including climate change, deforestation, pollution, and wildlife extinction. These issues not only harm the environment but also have significant impacts on human health and the economy. To address these challenges, we must adopt sustainable practices in our daily lives. This includes reducing, reusing, and recycling waste, using public transport or cycling, and conserving water and energy.
“Today, we call on everyone to join us in our efforts to protect the environment. We urge you to adopt sustainable practices, reduce your carbon footprint, and support environmental initiatives. Together, we can create a better future for our planet,” said Ms Chigogo.
She further expressed their unquenchable desire to positively preserve the ecosystem and contribute to the development of the environment through participating in other national initiatives such as clean-up campaigns and tree planting among others.
“We would also want our school to engage with the local community through environmental initiatives, such as clean-up events and environmental education programmes. By working together, we can make a significant impact on environmental conservation. We believe that empowering our students with environmental knowledge and skills is crucial for creating a sustainable future,” she added.