Car-Free Street in Front of City Hall on the 19th for Earth Day
Nationwide Lights-Off Event for 10 Minutes Starting at 8 p.m. on the 22nd
The city of Gwangju announced on the 16th that it will be operating "Climate Change Week" from April 21 to 25 in celebration of the 55th anniversary of Earth Day (April 22).
Climate Change Week is held annually to raise citizens' awareness of the climate crisis and to encourage active participation in climate action. During this period, various events such as the Earth Day commemorative ceremony, nationwide simultaneous lights-off, and promotional programs for carbon neutrality and resource circulation will provide opportunities for citizens to recognize the importance of the Earth and the need to practice carbon neutrality.
The Earth Day commemorative ceremony will be held on the 19th in front of City Hall, with over 1,000 participants including more than 70 environmental organizations, related institutions, and citizens from the Gwangju area. The event will include a report on the progress of Earth Day, appointment certificates for the Citizen Action Group for Posters, awards for the citizen slogan contest, and a performance.
This year's Earth Day slogan is "A Green Earth with Our Power," which encourages all citizens to protect the Earth together through small actions in daily life. Side events will include a bicycle parade, a children's drawing contest, a children's resource circulation market, and a "Game Zone" set up on the road.
The exhibition and experience booths will be organized under five themes: energy, natural environment, green health, resource circulation, and green transportation, providing a variety of information to help citizens practice carbon neutrality in their daily lives.
In particular, at the "No to Single-Use! Yes to Reusables" booth in the resource circulation zone, drinks will be provided free of charge to those who bring a tumbler. At the "Sobunshop Sobunsobun" booth, citizens who bring recyclable plastic containers will receive liquid soap. At the "Making a Business Card Wallet with Paper Cartons" booth, those who bring paper cartons will receive souvenirs, offering various events to help practice carbon neutrality in everyday life.
The road in front of City Hall, where the Earth Day event will take place, will be operated as a "car-free street." From 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., vehicles will be restricted along the 370-meter section from the City Hall intersection (Deungiguk) to the Bank of Korea intersection. On the car-free street, there will be a variety of exhibition and experience booths for citizens to enjoy and participate in.
On the 22nd, from 8:00 p.m. for 10 minutes, a nationwide simultaneous "lights-off event" will be held. In Gwangju, more than 100 public institutions such as City Hall and district offices, as well as apartment complexes, will participate. In addition, each district, institution, and organization will conduct their own events, such as the "Visiting Gamtan Seogu Environmental School" (Seogu District Office), "Pyeongdume Wetland Children's Ramsar Wetland Exploration Team" (Bukgu District Office), "Climate Crisis Documentary Screening" (Urban Corporation), and "Carbon Diet Challenge" (Gwangju Economic Promotion and Win-Win Job Foundation).
Na Byungchun, Director of Climate and Air Policy, said, "On Earth Day, I hope everyone will take a moment to reflect on the importance of our planet and join in small actions to protect it in daily life," adding, "I hope many citizens will participate in the Earth Day commemorative event and the lights-off event to create a 'Green Earth with Our Power' together."
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