Mymensingh, June 5, 2026 — Marking a significant milestone in grassroots climate action, the Socio Economic Empowerment with Dignity and Sustainability (SEEDS) project under Sabalamby Unnayan Samity (SUS) successfully observed World Environment Day 2026 across three upazilas of the Mymensingh district: Dhobaura, Haluaghat, and Phulpur. United under this year’s global theme, “Inspired by Nature. For Climate. For our Future,” the day-long event mobilized communities to actively address local climate vulnerabilities and embrace sustainable living practices.
The celebration drew a diverse crowd of 356 direct participants—comprising 299 women and 57 men—demonstrating a powerful, female-led drive toward environmental stewardship. The gathering brought together key stakeholders from all corners of society, including Union Parishad (UP) chairmen and members, local elites, school and college teachers, Community Support Professionals (CSPs), and members of local Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). Crucially, the event put the community’s youth at the forefront, actively engaging Child Club members, facilitators, and adolescents from the Shonglap and Shonglap Forums along with their parents.
The observation kicked off with vibrant, colorful rallies as participants marched through local areas holding banners, festoons, and placards to capture public attention and spread environmental awareness. The focus then shifted to interactive, practical education. Organizers hosted detailed discussions on the significance of the day alongside live demonstrations of eco-friendly, climate-smart technologies. Community members were shown practical methods for household waste and plastic management, the production of green manure via vermin-composting, the use of sex pheromone traps for chemical-free farming, and energy-efficient cooking techniques utilizing modern rice cookers.
The serious technical demonstrations were balanced by a lively cultural program where the youth used art to inspire change. Adolescents from the Shonglap Forums and Child Club members delivered moving environment-themed poetry recitations, expressive dances on climate change issues, and a compelling educational drama that highlighted the necessity of tree plantation and the resilience mechanics of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies. To bridge awareness with immediate action, a tree plantation initiative was integrated into the day’s events, resulting in the distribution of 113 fruit tree saplings to the young performers and club members.
Local leaders spoke passionately about the urgency of the cause. Mr. Ekramul Hossain Chowdhury, Chairman of Rahimganj UP in Phulpur, emphasized personal accountability, stating that it is the community’s collective responsibility to protect the environment and that pollution can be minimized easily by adopting climate-smart tools. Echoing this urgency, Kajali Chiran, President of the Padma CBO, urged neighbors to be far more vigilant regarding climate shifts and advocated for mass tree plantation efforts.
Ultimately, the World Environment Day 2026 observations created a profound ripple effect across Dhobaura, Haluaghat, and Phulpur. By providing visible, real-world witness to sustainable technologies, the program successfully motivated CBO members to adopt better household-based waste management, plastic recycling, and pit composting. Project organizers hailed the event as a resounding success, noting that the combination of youth art and practical tree-planting will undoubtedly influence neighboring families to begin greening their own homesteads for a more climate-resilient future.