Through the “journey with Mizu to protect the environment” programme, children gain knowledge about protecting the environment and water resources. — Photo courtesy of Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam

NINH BÌNH — Primary pupils for the first time joined in a training and field trip programme on forest, water and environmental protection at Cúc Phương National Park in Nho Quan District, Ninh Bình Province.

The event, themed “Journey with Mizu to protect the environment”, was jointly organised by the Central Youth Union Council in collaboration with the Forest Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), Suntory Holdings, and Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam and the Centre for Sustainable Development Education.

The activity is part of the “Mizuiku - I love clean water” programme, to raise awareness among future generations about water protection through learning in schools, forest expeditions, and enhancing access to clean water for pupils and teachers through various facilities.

The activities are designed as “classrooms in the forest” to raise the awareness of youth and children about the important role of forests, the close relationship between forests and water sources, and forest protection issues, which will contribute to land preservation and the protection of groundwater sources, as well as foster environment-friendly living habits.

Through “journey with Mizu to protect the environment” program, children have more knowledge about protecting the environment and water resources. — Photo courtesy of Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam

The programme took place at Cúc Phương National Park in Ninh Bình Province and will be organised at Cát Tiên National Park in Đồng Nai Province on December 13 and 14, with over 100 teachers managing the teams and 400 elementary students participating in training and forest activities.

“Journey with Mizu to protect the environment” not only organises extracurricular forest activities but also scales up sustainability by establishing environmental information corners at national parks, installing waste management systems and organising training sessions for employees and volunteers at national parks, contributing to spreading awareness and emphasising the role of forest protection in protecting clean water sources for Vietnamese children.

The "Mizuiku" programme is an educational initiative to raise awareness of water saving and protection among elementary students, initiated by Suntory Group in Japan in 2004. Việt Nam was the first country that Suntory chose to expand this project outside Japan in 2015, with the desire to spread awareness about water and environmental protection to students and the community. After nearly nine years of being active in various provinces and cities nationwide, millions of students, teachers and citizens have benefited from the programme. — VNS