Citizen-Participation 'Earth Day' Ceremony Held in Front of City Hall
About 1,000 Citizens Attend... Exhibitions and Experiences on Five Themes
Car-Free Street... Launch of Daejabo Urban Citizen Action Group
Gwangju Mayor Kang Kijeong is participating in a performance with the citizen action group in front of the city hall road on the afternoon of the 19th at the '55th Earth Day Event'. Provided by Gwangju City
To mark the 55th Earth Day (April 22), Gwangju City held a citizen-participation 'Earth Day Commemoration Event' in front of City Hall on the 19th. The event was attended by Mayor Kang Kijeong, Gwangju City Council Chairperson Shin Sujeong, and approximately 1,000 citizens.
This year’s Earth Day slogan, “GREEN Earth with Our Power,” was chosen to raise awareness of the climate crisis and to encourage everyone to protect the planet together through small acts of carbon neutrality in daily life. The event featured an Earth Day progress report, appointment letters for the Daejabo Urban Citizen Action Group, awards for the citizen slogan contest, and a performance.
In particular, the road in front of City Hall, where the event took place, was transformed into a “car-free street,” hosting a variety of exhibitions and hands-on booths for citizens to experience and enjoy. This highlighted both the symbolism of eco-friendly practices and the festive atmosphere.
Side events included a bicycle parade, a children’s drawing contest, a children’s resource circulation market, and a game zone set up on the street. The bicycle parade saw 100 citizens participate, racing from City Hall along a route that passed through Gwangjucheon, Yeongsangang, and Seochanggyo, before returning to City Hall.
On the City Hall lawn, 120 children participated in the drawing contest. Lower-grade elementary students drew pictures on the theme of “Paths We Want to Walk,” while upper-grade students focused on “Sustainable Development.”
Exhibition and experience booths were also set up under five themes: energy, natural environment, green health, resource circulation, and green transportation. These booths helped raise citizens’ understanding of environmental issues and provided concrete methods for practicing carbon neutrality, thereby achieving educational effects as well.
Mayor Kang Kijeong stated, “Given the increasing disasters caused by climate change, our most certain solution is to become a Daejabo city, which cannot be achieved without citizens’ empathy and action. Gwangju City will continue to build infrastructure, such as the opening of Subway Line 2, and citizens will take strong steps toward becoming a Daejabo city by getting accustomed to using public transportation.”
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