Earth Day 2010 celebrated in city

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

CMPHR displays 5,000 artworks at Sadequain Gallery

KARACHI: Around 500 school children along with their teachers and parents celebrated Earth Day on Thursday with dynamism at Frere Hall's Sadequain Gallery where the Children's Museum for Peace and Human Rights (CMPHR) had organised an exhibition of some 5,000 paintings and drawings contributed by children from various schools of Karachi.

Staying true to the theme of the exhibit "Get Right On", most of the artworks appeared to voice the message of getting right on in saving the climate. The event started off with International Union for Conservation of Nature Pakistan Representative Shah Murad Aliani giving a brief talk to students about ways to conserve water. Next, German Consul General in Karachi Dr Christian Brecht urged the students to play their part in protecting the planet as active individuals. He said 20 percent of all energy sources in Germany were renewable and encouraged the same idea in the case of Pakistan. "You have the sun, and very good wind corridors in Sindh that can be used to create renewable energy," he added.

Sindh Environment Secretary Mir Hussain Ali admitted at the occasion that the state needed to do more to save the Earth. He also urged the children to do their bit to stop nature from getting destroyed, and said children could play a vital role in making their families aware of the dangers of climate changes.

Commenting on the artwork, Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Khuhro said, "These kids have shown life through their paintings, and they show positivity. They seem to have realised that only they themselves can save their home, country and the environment, and nobody from the outside is going to do it for them."

At the event, children also asked the guests some hard-hitting questions, and received certificates of participation. Twenty pictures were displayed in the "Judges Choice" section. CMPHR Coordinator Rasheda Faheem told Daily Times, “The purpose of organising this event was to encourage the children to speak out through their work and to ask questions from the guests.” haya fatima iqbal