World Environment Day was celebrated jointly by the Environmental Protection Society (EPS) and the University of Swat on June 05, 2022. This year the theme of the day was ‘Only One Earth’. The event was held at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry – University of Swat. University students, faculty members, administration representatives, EPS officials, and Councilors were present on the occasion. Before the start of the event, a joint walk was organized in which the participants displayed Day relevant banners, and play cards with amazing messages decorated through colors.

The event started with the recitation of a few verses of the Holy Quran after which Prof. Dr. Fazal Rabi (HOD Institute of Agri. Sciences and Forestry) highlighted the background of World Environment Day, its objectives, and the current situation. He also highlighted the role of EPS in environmental conservation.

Mr. Akbar Zeb – Executive Director in his speech stressed the students' role as well as that of EPS. He stated that issues related to environmental degradation, forest fires, drought, heat wave, and climate change are enormous but we have to work holistically to meet these challenges and play the due role on our part. He raised his concerns about the recent forest fires at various locations and pointed out that it is just an assumption that these forest fires were due to cigarette remains or picnic fires. He told that there is the involvement of humans' deliberate intentions. He passed a resolution in favor of an independent inquiry commission headed by the Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court for the current forest fires in almost 8 sites of District Swat, Shangla, and Buner.

In the concluding remarks, Mr. Fazal Mabood – Dean of the Social Sciences Department who participated on behalf of VC Swat University, highlighted key grey areas of concerns like scarcity of water, current heat waves, and forest fires and told us that it is our joint cause to work together and work better to protect our environment and provide a better place for our future generation.

(Masroor Ahmad – Programs Manager EPS)