University of Baltistan Celebrates World Environment Day with Collaborative Efforts
The University of Baltistan successfully celebrated World Environment Day at its main campus in Hussain Abad in collaboration with WWF, AKRSP, BWCDO, and Mawun Foundation. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan, served as the chief guest of the event. The theme for 2024 was “Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience.”
Key Activities and Participants
The celebration featured an awareness walk with active participation from students, the Green Society, and the Department of Environmental Science. The walk was led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan, Dr. Salar Ali, Head of the Environmental Science Department, Mr. Raza Muhammad, Manager of BWCDO, Ms. Shazia and her team from WWF, AKRSP, and Mr. Suhail Rizwan from AKRSP.
Competitions and Awards
At the end of the event, prizes were distributed to the top students in essay, photography, and painting competitions. The faculty from the University of the Basque Country (Spain) also joined the event. They highlighted that the region’s major environmental concerns include glacier melting and climate-induced disasters. They emphasized that the environment is a major concern in an area where the largest and longest glaciers are present, and the major threats are glacier melting and climate-induced disasters.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of the Basque Country
The Vice-Chancellor announced that the University of Baltistan will sign an MoU with the University of the Basque Country (Spain) to collaborate on glacier studies. This partnership will involve both faculty and students from the Environmental Science Department. He emphasized the potential threat of environmental disasters in the area and the need for future awareness and conservation efforts.
Messages from WWF and BWCDO
Representatives from WWF and BWCDO also shared their messages on the 2024 climate theme of land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.
Cleanup Campaign
The event concluded with a cleanup campaign, in which students from the Environmental Science Department and the community society participated, reinforcing the importance of environmental stewardship.
World Environment Day at the University of Baltistan was a significant step towards raising awareness and promoting action on critical environmental issues facing the region.
