Summary and Award Ceremony of the climate change competition "Today's Initiative, Tomorrow's Environment"

On the afternoon of September 23, 2023, the Honors Program Development Board of Van Lang University organized a summary of the campaign ''Young people join hands with the community to raise awareness and seek climate change response initiatives'' and awarded prizes for the ''Today's Initiative, Tomorrow's Environment'' competition.

The event had the participation of:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ho Long Phi, Director of the Center for Water Management and Climate Change in Ho Chi Minh City, 
• Ms. Vuong Phan Lien Trang, Deputy General Director of enCity International Consulting JSC, 
• Ms. Nguyen Huong Giang, Member of the Vietnam - Denmark Energy Partnership Program, advisor to the competing teams.

 Van Lang University's representatives include:

• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu, the University President,
• MSc. Doan Duy Thai Lam, Deputy Head of the Honors Program Development Department, 
• Dr. Huynh Tan Loi, Head of the Faculty of Environment.

The "Climate Change: Today's Initiative, Tomorrow's Environment" contest was part of a series of programs co-organized by Van Lang University, enCity Company, and the US Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City to encourage Vietnamese young people to propose initiatives to help the community reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and mitigate natural disaster risks.

Within 8 months, the competition has attracted many lecturers, alumni, students from Can Tho University, Hutech University,  Ho Chi Minh City Nong Lam University, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Nha Trang University, media outlets such as Thieu Nien Tien Phong (Young Pioneers) and Nhi Dong (Children) newspaper, Research Institute for Development Communication (RED Communication), and graduate students working in the field of wastewater treatment research. The selected initiatives for the second round will be implemented in six provinces with a diverse range of scales and types, aiming to spread the message of climate change to communities across the country.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thi My Dieu - President of Van Lang University shared: “This is a meaningful contest with deep humanistic values. Thank you all for participating and together creating practical activities that bring positive value. I hope that with these creative ideas and consistent efforts, you will not only achieve awards in the competition, but also apply them in real life.”

Ms. Vuong Phan Lien Trang - Deputy General Director of enCity International Consulting JSC expressed: “The contest has attracted many young people with a certain diversity in terms of ages, professions, and regions when looking at all of the participating teams. It is you and your valuable, innovative proposals that have initially solved pressing issues, making a strong impact on the environment. I'd want to express appreciation for your efforts, enthusiasm, and the genuine commitment you have shown to the community and society through your meaningful and practical projects."

On September 23, 2023, as part of the campaign ''Young people join hands with the community to raise awareness and seek climate change response initiatives',' 07 outstanding projects were selected  to attend the awards and closing ceremony:

Bright Ocean - Bright Medal Project: Aims to increase awareness among citizens, students, and tourists through education and the plastic waste collection competition with medals crafted from recycled waste materials as prizes.

"A market for second-hand, recycled goods Green action" Project: Organize a second-hand and recycled goods market for everyone, aiming to solve shopping needs for consumers while contributing to environmental protection, fulfilling the 3R goal: Reduce - Recycle – Reuse, positively influencing consumer habits, the environment, and helping to reduce global climate change issues.

''Q GREEN - Household organic waste treatment model'' Project: Apply and guide household members to treat organic waste at home using microorganisms, producing organic fertilizers for houseplants. The team provides  product packages and support services to customers from different segments, all at reasonable prices.

''SEAWEED - WESEED: Sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities in Nha Trang” Project': The project's goal is to raise awareness among locals, especially households and young people in Vinh Luong commune, Nha Trang, about the benefits of seaweed in sustainable life.

"Treebank - Pilot to build Treebank mechanism, businesses and communities create shared value, deducting a percentage of the product value to contribute to the tree planting fund" Project: Treebank is a tree fund and organization that designs and implements "green initiatives" solutions focused on environment and society, connecting businesses and communities to have a win - win situation among business, consumers, and communities.

"Implementing the initiative "Organizing creative communication activities to raise awareness among Quang Phu Secondary School students about Energy-Efficient Usage with Natural Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection in Response to Climate Change" Project: Raise Quang Phu Middle School students' awareness of energy-efficient usage, aiming to save costs, preserve natural resources, protect the environment, and responding to climate change, thereby implementing corresponding actions for each stage to achieve the goal. 

"Water treatment and nutrient recovery from aquaculture wastewater" Project: A project to research, experiment, and survey public’s opinion on water treatment model - nutrient recovery from the aquaculture wastewater at the seafood market in Tho Quang ward, Son Tra district, Da Nang City, by cultivating microalgae in the aquaculture wastewater environment.

After listening to the teams' presentations, visiting the project exhibition booths and providing feedback, the judges determined that the project "Treebank - Pilot to build the Treebank mechanism, businesses, and communities creating common value" as the winner due to its practicality and community impact. The second prize went to the project "Implementing the initiative “Organizing creative communication activities to raise awareness among Quang Phu Secondary School students about Energy-Efficient Usage with Natural Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection in Response to Climate Change”; the third prize was awarded to the project "A Market for second-hand goods, recycled goods Green Action."

''Today's Initiative, Tomorrow's Environment'' climate change contest is meaningful and has a positive impact on the environment and society. The support from partners and experts has enabled young people to unleash their creativity in awakening themselves and the community to face challenges and find solutions. This is an opportunity for those teams to connect, exchange ideas, learn from one another, and promote their campaigns, spreading the spirit of green living  to the next generation. Good luck to all participants, keep your passion alive, and continue to create ideas for climate change and environmental protection, bringing positive values to the community.

News: My Nguyen
Photo: Lee Minh Phuong