ULK hosts the official launch of International Climate Emergency Day
Today 22nd July 2022, Kigali Independent University ULK hosted a public lecture on effects of climate change and how to confront them. The lecture was delivered by a delegation from Climate Clock and Ministry of Environment in Rwanda. On behalf of Climate Clock was Mr. MATTHEW Mensah, the spokesperson of Climate Clock, while Rwanda’s Ministry of Environment was represented by Hon. Michelle Defreese, Senior Green Growth Officer at the ministry. It was also attended by ULK officials including the Vice Chancellor, Dr. RUSIBANA Claude, the Chairpreson of Internal Control Committee, Mrs. Rebecca BALINDA, the Dean of Students’ Services, Mr. MBONIGABA Théoneste, to mention but a few.
All started with a welcome note by the Vice Chancellor of Kigali IndependentUniversity ULK, Dr. RUSIBANA Claude, who thanked the organizers of the event for bringing the public lecture at ULK. He went further to reiterate that climate change effects endanger not only people’s health but also the economy.
“Climate change affects negatively communities around the world, and as clearly seen, if nothing is done today, human health will continue to be affected while the demand in energy will hike. Therefore, we need to join hands in finding adequate and durable solutions to this catastrophe”, he said.
Delivering his message, Mr. MATTHEW Mensah said that Rwanda was chosen to host climate change lectures due to the fact that the country has continued to take the lead in protecting the environment and ensuring that human beings live in harmony with the environment around them.
“Rwanda is one of the countries making the lead in protecting the environment with a view to mitigate the dangers caused by climate change. If all other countries could emulate the example of Rwanda, then the future would be more certain and harmless for everyone”, he told the gathering.
Hon. Michelle Defreese complemented what previous speakers had said, and she stressed that if everyone played their part, dangers caused by climate change will be nowhere to be witnessed.
“Rwanda has achieved things that others thought were impossible. This is a testament that all of us can change things and stop the horrendous suffering people around the world are facing. Let’s change from being quiet to loud, passive to taking action, and shy to bold”, she urged the participants.
Towards the end of the lecture, Madiha Mahamat Alhadi, student from ULK was given the floor to share young people’s views about environmental protection and climate change. As she said, young people are the drivingforce for whatever governments can achieve across the globe. She added that any positive change should start at the individual level before reaching the global level.
“The fight against climate change effects is something we all have to won not only for the betterment of Rwanda but also the world at large. As the young generation, let’s make the initiative ours no matter where we come from. And for better results to be registered, we need to start from ourselves, then continue until the whole world is free from climate change dangers”, she was quoted as saying.
It is worth noting that the public lecture was spiced up with questions which were satisfactorily answered before everything was wrapped up.
