Yesterday the Embassy of Sweden together with the United Nations (UN) in Viet Nam and Live&Learn launched an initiative called "The 7 Day Challenge" at the Green One UN House in Ha Noi.
UN Resident Coordinator in Việt Nam Kamal Malhotra (third from left) holds a sign expressing Việt Nam’s commitment to the “7 Day Challenge” campaign at the launch ceremony in Hà Nội on Tuesday. — VNS Photo Bảo Hoa
The 7 Day Challenge is part of the organisors' efforts to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, Agenda 2030 and an important event to mark the upcoming Earth Day 22 April 2018 (theme: End Plastic Pollution). The campaign receives significant support from the Swedish Institute, the Swedish Alumni Viet Nam Network, the Viet Nam Green Generation Network and various universities, schools and mass organisations throughout Viet Nam.
The campaign is challenging as many Vietnamese as possible to live, eat and move smart in Viet Nam during seven days. The Challenge starts respectively on 10 April, 17 April and 24 April lasting for a week each and aims to inspire local people to adopt a smarter way of living.
Speaking at the event, Swedish Ambassador Pereric Pereric Högberg noted: "The purpose of this challenge is to encourage awareness about lifestyle choices and their effect on the environment. To live sustainably and smart can start with you and me! It would be as simple as refrain from using plastic products if you an alternative. Please be part of the solutions and the change, choose a practical change in your daily lives now."
Addressing the launch of the 7 Day Challenge, UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam Mr Kamal Malhotra said that the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development requires not only high-level commitments from governments, but also strong collective efforts accompanied with meaningful actions from 7 billion people on this planet. "The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) sound ambitious but if we can eat, move, and live sustainably, we are creating the change that contributes to the Goals," Mr Malhotra said.
"Air pollution continues to cause severe health problems for Viet Nam's growing urban population. We can and must reverse this phenomena by sharing cars or using public transportation," the UN Resident Coordinator gave examples of actions individual can take in the 7 Day Challenge.
The 7 Day Challenge is a call to action inviting committed individuals around the world to practice sustainable urban lifestyles that will potentially improve their quality of life. The challenge involves seven days of practical sustainable solutions focusing on three categories: Live Smart, Move Smart and Eat Smart that the participants communicate in their social media channels (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Zalo...). They are encouraged to include #7daychallengeVN as their hashtag to highlight and share insights of the activities with their online communities, also connect with the SDGs.
Attending the Launch, Ass.Prof Hồ Kim Thanh, Chairwoman of Labor Union at Hanoi Medical University said: "Lifestyle changing towards eating fresh vegetable, increasing physical activities and breath fresh air is the best medicine to prevent and cure many diseases. Definitely, we will join The 7 Day Challenge and promote it at Hanoi Medical University. Healthy lifestyle is most sustainable way of life".
My Linh is the Good Will Ambassador of the campaign. She called on everyone to join the Challenge: "This is a practical campaign that encourages us to live smart and sustainably together. Please join the 7 Day Challenge with me!"
Meanwhile Ms. Hương, Vice President of the Swedish Alumni Viet Nam Network, said: "We choose lifestyles, eating and traveling ways that ensure a sustainable future for all of us. Join hundreds of us, who have studied and worked in Sweden, to take part in a 7-day challenge. We are committed to positive and green lifestyles so that each individual will make a change and improve the quality of life for individuals and the community."
Everybody is encouraged to join the campaign to gain new knowledge, insights, and make new contacts, while at the same time reducing your carbon footprint: Students, entrepreneurs, change-makers, influencers, persons interested in sustainable lifestyle, staff at an office, the UN or an Embassy.
As a Swedish concept, The 7 Day Challenge has been successfully carried out in Kenya, Brazil, India and Indonesia with more countries to join.
