The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Plogging Nigeria, and other organisations working on environmental sustainability are set to hold Abuja’s first Ploggathon event.
The maiden event will hold in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, on Saturday to commemorate World Clean-Up Day.
Other organisations supporting the event include the Danish Embassy, Swedish Embassy, Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance(FBRA), Aquaworld, Let’s Do It Nigeria, Chanja Datti Recycling, Ecosmart Initiative, Clean Tech Hub, Rotaract Club, Abuja Run Club, Pathfinders Network and Global Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP).
According to the organizers, the Ploggathon is a simultaneous marathon and cleanup exercise where participants race to beat plastic pollution. Participating athletes will cover a total distance of 10 kilometers competing to collect the most waste along their route and reach the finish line at the earliest possible.
The event is expected to bring about 400 people from different walks of life to create awareness about the importance of a clean and sustainable environment through accelerated community and corporate actions to hasten the transition to a less plastic-burdened society.
Mayokun Iyaomolere, the Founder and Executive Director of Plogging Nigeria, explained that Ploggathon presents an intergenerational opportunity for young people and adults who will be in attendance to jointly lend their energy and voices to the cause of environmental sustainability by cleaning the environment and raising awareness about climate finance and loss and damage on World Cleanup Day, a day for massive civic action across the planet.
Also, the project manager of the climate change and natural resources and extractives project at the CJID, Felicia Dairo, said considering the menace of plastic pollution in Nigeria, especially its impact on the environment, “this event will give the opportunity to create awareness of the importance of proper waste management and how the concerted efforts by individuals contribute to environmental sustainability”.
Quoting the United Nations, Mrs Dairo said the world is choking on plastic, and it is important that we create environmental sustainability consciousness in the minds of people through events like this for a saner planet.
Following the marathon, the event will also feature conversations around climate financing, loss and damage in Africa as well as sustainable waste management.
The race will start at 7:00 AM at Jabi Lake Park and end at the Moshood Abiola stadium, Abuja, where the conversation about Climate loss and damage and climate financing in Africa will be held amid prize presentation to the top three winners across the male and female categories, respectively.
About World Clean-Up Day
World Clean-Up Day is a global initiative that aims to raise awareness about the importance of environmental protection and to encourage people to take action to clean up their communities. As an annual global social action program aimed at combating the global solid waste problem including the problem of marine debris, activities marking the day include litter cleanup and waste mapping activities spanning every time zone across the globe.
