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Energy Swaraj Celebration in Cambodia

The Embassy of India in Phnom Penh will organize “Energy Swaraj-Gandhi Global Solar Yatra” also named as “Student Solar Ambassador Workshop” on 23rd October, 2019 to commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian Nation. The mega event will be organized in the presence of H.E. Ms. Manika Jain, Ambassador of India and H.E. Im Koch, Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Kingdom of Cambodia. 500 students from Government schools, India-Cambodia Friendship School and Liger Leadership Academy will assemble the solar lamps at prestigious National Stadium, Phnom Penh.

Student Ambassador Workshop is an ambitious Government of India project which aims at encouraging use of solar energy globally in a sustainable manner. Government of India has organized Gandhi Global Solar Yatra (GGSY) in several countries across the globe on 02nd October, 2019 and worldwide more than 4,00,000 students have participated in the Solar Ambassador Workshop. Workshop will continue to be organized during this year across the globe and is being organized in Cambodia on 23rd October, 2019 to increase awareness and promote use of solar energy. Cambodia, being a solar energy rich country with a vast scope of its use, is one of the focus countries for propagation of the idea of use of solar energy. Under this project, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, which is the nodal agency for implementing the project, had trained Master Trainers for assembling and upkeep of solar lamps, who in turn would be training students in National Stadium on 02nd October, 2019. 500 Solar lamps will be provided by Embassy of India to the students of Cambodia who will assemble the lamps under the guidance of Master Trainers and will then take the lamps for their personal use.

As we know, today’s world is at the crossroads of a contradictory energy scenario wherein, on the one hand, energy access has to be provided to billions while, on the other hand, increasing demand and usage of energy is causing catastrophic climate change. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 calls for ensuring the access to affordable, reliable, sustainable & modern energy for all. However, still, more than 1 billion people lack access to electricity while an estimated 2.8 million people lack access to clean cooking fuels. However, on the other hand, the over-exploitation of fossil fuels has made the world already hotter by nearly 1° C. The 2018 IPCC report find “limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require “rapid and far-reaching” transitions in energy and there is need to adopt 100% Renewable Energy as early as 2050 in the purview of the climate.

The GGSY is being organized in the context of climate change, energy access, self-sufficiency in energy and global harmony marking the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This will also facilitate people who do not have access to energy for various reasons. Solar energy is renewable, cost effective, off grid and easy to use which even school children can put together the parts of the lamps and have access to energy and light. Following outcomes are anticipated:

- Sensitization towards the dire consequences of climate change
- More than 1 million Global Students Solar Ambassadors across 70 countries
- Skill development for millions of students in school across the globe
- Awareness about off-grid solar solutions for complete, cost-effective and reliable energy
- Policy dialogue with key stakeholders about decentralized solar energy access at scale
- Promotion of International day of Non-Violence to Environment

Climate change has an impact on the lives of all inhabitants of the mother Earth. There is an urgency to act fast for mitigating the changing climate on one hand and to ensure energy access to those lacking it. In this context, the Gandhi Global Solar Yatra (GGSY) is planned. You can also be an essential part of this yatra in the form of Collaboration, Sponsor, Partner, Promoter and Patron.

 
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