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Bali residents observe World Silent Day
Two hundred people listened as a 16-year-old girl explained why she would be turning her phone off for four hours, on Sunday at Vihara Vimalakirti Buddhist Temple in Badung Regency
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wo hundred people listened as a 16-year-old girl explained why she would be turning her phone off for four hours, on Sunday at Vihara Vimalakirti Buddhist Temple in Badung Regency.
Novia Claudia Wijaya was among dozens of teenagers who took part in the World Silent Day campaign, a day when people are required to turn off electricity, mobile phones and other gadgets to let the earth take a “rest” from hectic routines.
With her friends, Novia was addressing the temple’s visitors to support the World Silent Day Campaign.
For the last few weeks, Novia and other promotors have been collecting 10 million signatures to promote the idea to invite the global community to set up World Silent Day.
The idea was inspired by the Balinese Day of Silence, which fell on March 16.
On that day, Balinese Hindu were required to turn off lights, refrain from leaving their homes and enjoying any leisure activities.
“It was very difficult for us to ask our friends, teachers and family to turn off their mobile phones for only four hours today [March 21],” Novia said.
A number of NGOs grouped in Bali Collaboration for Climate Change raised the idea to call for the global community to observe March 21 as World Silent Day to follow up the UN Climate Change Conference hosted by Bali back in December 2007.
The idea of World Silent Day was to encourage people to use less energy sources including electricity power, oil and gas, coal as part of the global efforts to clean up the Earth and to reduce pollution rates in any country involved in the campaign.
The group of NGOs planned to launch a petition to the United Nations to adopt the World Silent Day as a global action to curb pollution problems and to preserve the planet.
Siska Kusumadewi, a representative from the NGOs, called for Bali and Central governments to immediately follow up this idea.
“We already collected 9,000 signatures and we will continue seeking support from local, national and global community to support World Silent Day,” Kusumadewi said.
Numerous members of Bali community held various activities including garbage cleanup programs, river cleanup programs, discussions and workshops involving teenagers, school students, banjar (traditional village) communities.
The idea was inspired by the Balinese Day of Silence, which this year fell on March 16.
