On the occasion of World Earth Day 2023, the CYFC (Chicalim Youth Farmers Club) in collaboration with DCE (Diocesan Commission for Ecology, Goa) organised a variety of activities, such as T-shirt painting, talent hunt, fancy dress and more.
The theme for this year’s World Earth Day was ‘Invest In Our Planet', and hence the progamme emphasized the critical need to prioritise our time, resources and energy towards addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change and other environmental issues.
The convener of DCE and mentor to CYFC, Dr Fr Bolmax Pereira, spelt out the aim of this event, which was first held in 1970, to create environmental awareness and to pledge support and protection to Mother Earth.
The first proposal for a day to honor the earth was offered by peace activist, John McConnell, in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. Since then, the occasion has played an important role in raising awareness on other environmental issues, informed Fr Bolmax, while exhorting the participants to take part in the events and invest their time, talents and creativity to achieve the goals of this programme.
ABOUT THE EVENT
The members of the Chicalim Youth Farmers Club performed an ecological dance, which was choreographed by Jerrico Vaz, to set the mood for the event.
Dressed up as a bubbly butterfly, 5-year-old Eldora D‘Costa delivered a heart-touching ecological message urging the people to take a stand in protecting Mother Earth with sheer dedication.
Children were seen displaying their artistic skills and creativity as they painted their T-shirts to convey the theme of the competition ‘Earth, Our Common Home’. The competition was won by Melifa Fernandes from Baina.
A fancy dress competition was organised, where participants donned eco-friendly outfits made of leaves, fruits, flowers and other plant parts, and gave a message to help save Mother Earth.
The competition was won by Chrysane D’Costa, who was dressed as a mango tree, and urged the audience to save trees with her recital of her Hindi poem, Pedd. “Save trees so that your future generations may see greenery,” she concluded.
‘Just a minute’ was an opportunity offered to those present to express their ecological concerns for Mother Earth by referring to the picture which flashed on the screen.
Around 12 ex-tempore participants took the liberty to express their concern for Mother Earth, in which Vanessa Fernandes emerged the winner.
‘Talent hunt’ allowed participants to showcase their talents by lending their voices to take a stand for Mother Earth, in which little Rhesa D’Souza rendered a beautiful song in her melodious voice, while Sr Monica, head nurse at Sub District Hospital, Chicalim, recited her Konkani poem, Xristi, to walk away with the prize.
The CYFC also felicitated villagers, Martinha Fernandes and Antoneta Fernandes, for always being with the youth to guide and help them in farming as well as other activities, and appreciated the inspirational farmer, Rui Costa Araujo.
The Earth Day concluded with a traditional dinner, prepared by CYFC where the people were served naturally-grown brown rice, tasty prawn curry, toranchio xhiro, brinjal pickle and kokum juice.
