Volunteers from churches and organisations cleaned up Mt. Pulie Badze in Kohima for International Biodiversity Day.
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DIMAPUR — About a hundred volunteers participated in a clean-up campaign at Mt. Pulie Badze on May 22 to mark International Biodiversity Day on the theme "Acting locally for global impact" and in support of "Jotsoma Nature Conservation and Eco-Tourism".
The clean-up was a joint initiative of Living: Empathy, Action and Fellowship (LEAF) and the Social Concerns Department of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), in understanding with the Jotsoma Village Council, stated an update.
Volunteers from different churches under the Kohima Baptist Youth Fellowship (KBYF), the Youth Department of Baptist Church Jotsoma, Calvary Baptist Church Jotsoma, Christian Revival Church Khriesarüü Khrotho Jotsoma, and the Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) took part in the drive.
A programme was held at Chaheki, the base point of Pulie Badze, before the clean-up activity, chaired by Chuti Semy, Coordinator of LEAF. Semy introduced LEAF as a collective of young people whose concern is to care for, preserve, and protect the land and the Naga identity, describing the clean-up of Pulie Badze as a way of asserting responsibility in protecting the land.
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Shwisolo Kemp, representing the LEAF team, shared insights on "Empowering one another". He underscored that creating an ecosystem for all to sustain is an expression of showing reverence to God.
Dr. Villo Naleo, Secretary of Social Concerns, Nagaland Baptist Church Council, speaking on the theme of the day, said, "Biodiversity needs everyone’s cooperation; it won’t be saved by one person’s heroic act, but it can be saved by hundreds, thousands and millions of people making 1% improvement in their habits and behaviours, which is necessitated by everyday commitment."
Jongpongnukshi, aged 86, from Ungma village, Mokokchung, was the oldest volunteer. He was visiting Kohima when he heard of the clean-up and stayed to support the youth. He turned up with his friend Lhouvitsu Kesezie, another octogenarian from Kohima village.
Lhouvitsu recalled that the first time he climbed Pulie Badze was when he was about 17, more than 65 years ago. He remarked, "when none of the people that I met today were even born, but by God’s grace, I am still here today."