A three-day workshop on ecological crises and climate change issues in Pakistan, organized by Lahore YMCA, concluded on Sunday. The event was held under the aegis of the Lahore YMCA, the Asia Pacific Alliance of YMCAs (APAY), and the Interfaith Cooperation Forum (ICF).
The concluding ceremony was chaired by Asghar Suleman, President of Lahore YMCA, and attended by Director YMCA John William and Program Secretary Irum Nelson. Resource persons who led the workshop included Baiddio Manalasal, ICF Program Officer from Korea; Nam Boo Won, General Secretary of APAY; Santoshi Wagle from Nepal; Probin Tripura from Bangladesh; and Emanuel Sarfraz, General Secretary of Lahore YMCA.
During his speech at the closing ceremony, Mr. Sarfraz emphasized the importance of youth-led solutions to the challenges posed by the ecological crisis. He highlighted the tree plantation drive and other green initiatives undertaken during the workshop as part of efforts to promote a cleaner, greener environment.
"YMCA plans to hold similar training workshops in other cities, including Karachi, Sialkot, and Islamabad, from where several participants had attended," he added. "The severity of the smog crisis in Pakistan underscores the fact that the country is one of the worst affected by climate change, with its environment in grave peril."