Iswardi, June 5-8, 2024 – In celebration of World Environment Day, Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM in association with Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) organized an extensive mass awareness campaign on conscious consumption, highlighting their commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement. A series of events was organized at Ishwardi and Pabna on June 5-8, 2024.
The events provided a unique opportunity for the local community to come together, learn, and actively participate in promoting a sustainable future. The events are designed to engage and educate participants on the importance of carbon-free energy. In total, over 1,500 people participated in the events.
As Nina Dementsova, head of the Communications Department of ASE JSC, noted, “carrying out such events is an important and necessary matter. The environmental theme is given great importance, and we, as the general contractor for the construction of the Rooppur NPP, take a responsible approach to environmental issues in this region. For the third year in a row, our events are attended by a huge number of participants, and this once again confirms that we are doing everything right.”
The first day started with a seminar organized in association with Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) on conscious consumption and the ecological features reletad the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Later school children were taught how to craft useful and beautiful items fr om waste materials like plastic bottles and newspapers in the Public information center on nuclear.
On June 6 «Trash to Treasure Challenge» scavenger hunt game was organized at Ishwardi Govt. College. This is a team game wh ere participants start with a bag of miscellaneous items and should find creative ways to use or repurpose them.
Same day students from local schools watched an educational cartoon «Tomorrow» and discussed issues of conscious consumption with Rahedul Islam, PUST Geography and Environment Department Chairman.
Dr Islam shared his experience of the event: “Joint seminar with Rosatom, dedicated to World Environment Day, was a great opportunity for our students to dispel many misunderstandings about environment and nuclear energy. They were able to learn about ways we can change our ecological situation and how can we protect our environment. This kind of events help us to share sustainable practices to the wider audience. We educate students, and they spread this knowledge among their peers, friends, families, creating society, which is more aware about sustainability and nuclear energy”.
The third day featured the main attraction of the campaign – an ecological performance for public at Ishwardi on creating awareness about protecting the environment, and nuclear technology as a clean source of energy.
Besides, an exhibition of eco-friendly items for general public was organized at the premises of Ishwardi Municipality. Local students were given the opportunity to visit Vintage Denim in Pabna, which is known as an eco-friendly green factory.
Additionally, teachers from 15 schools were sent methodological manual in advance for self-conducting interactive classes developing students' understanding of the "Carbon free future" concept.
Reference:
Rooppur NPP equipped with two VVER-1200 reactors of the total 2400 MW capacity is being constructed under the Russian design 160 km from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, in accordance with General Contract dated December 25, 2015. The Russian design with VVER-1200 reactors that had been successfully implemented at two units of Novovoronezh NPP was selected for the first NPP in Bangladesh. This is an evolutionary Generation III+ design which fully complies with all the international safety requirements.