HCM CITY — The Earth Hour 2018 campaign themed “Connect to Earth” was officially kicked off in HCM City on March 10, with the participation of over 2,000 volunteers students, leaders of relevant departments and business executives.

Held by the Sài Gòn Giải Phóng (Liberated Sài Gòn) newspaper in collaboration with the departments of Natural Resources and Environment, and Industry and Trade, the HCM Communist Youth Union, and Saigon Co.op, the campaign aims to call on individuals and organisations to save energy.

According to the organisation’s board, the campaign this year continues promoting traditional activities, including "Green Movement", "Green Community", "Green Destination", "Team to help privileged households renovate electricity system for free” and “Green connection" projects, with the purpose of spreading the spirit of the campaign to people of different ages, occupations and living environments.

Nearly 1,000 voluntary students and singer and actor Isaac - the ambassador of the Earth Hour 2018 campaign - rode bicycles on several streets in the HCM City’s centre to call on residents to switch off lights and unnecessary electric appliances to save energy.

The bicycle rides will continue for two more weeks throughout the city.

In the campaign, many volunteers stand at crossroads in the city to call on drivers of motorbikes to turn off engines when stopping at red lights to reduce consumption of petroleum and waste into the environment.

The campaign’s main event of “10th Anniversary of Earth Hour in Việt Nam - Join Global Lights Off” will take place from 17:00-22:00 on March 24 at the Youth Cultural House in a call for lights to be switched off for one hour in the world (at 20:30 Vietnamese time).

It is expected to attract more than 5,000 young people in the city.

First introduced to Việt Nam in 2009, the event has seen a considerable increase in the number of participating organisations, businesses and individuals. — VNS