The “Move for Earth” campaign was started by the SwitchON Foundation in Kolkata to celebrate and motivate climate action and to create a better future for ourselves, our children, our farmers, and all species on earth. The issues to be addressed are clean air and sustainable mobility, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy. Vinay Jaju, the co-founder of SwitchON Foundation, will be cycling over 3,000 km across different states in East India, including about 800 km in Bengal, and connecting with over 10,000 farmers, women, and youth.

The six-day Cycle Yatra across West Bengal, which is being organized by the SwitchON Foundation in honor of its 15th anniversary and as part of the “Move for Earth” movement, will engage farmers, youth, the government, financiers, technologists, and civil society organizations. It will provide solutions to local problems with water, soil, energy, and clean air that have a direct impact on residents’ quality of life and health. This movement strives to connect and amplify the voices of Climate Champions, provide communities with vital tools, resources, and cutting-edge skills, and build a networked ecosystem so that they may serve as change agents.

In order to build resilience with environmentally friendly skills, technologies, and practices to lessen the climate crisis our planet Earth is facing, SwitchON Foundation, along with a number of partners, plans to host a number of activities in cities, towns, and villages throughout different states of India, aside from West Bengal.

This initiative will encourage urgent climate action and facilitate purposeful events and activities that will range from skill development training, stakeholder meetings, seed festivals, and buyer-seller meets, to handicraft fairs, millet and tech expos, street art, and puppet shows. In each state, the ride will conclude with a Citizens Jury for Earth in which small groups of farmers and urban youth will interact with experts and get involved in the process of making recommendations on our collective future, leveraging the values of democratic decision-making.

The West Bengal leg of the Cycle Yatra will commence on February 6, 2023, from Kolkata and then pass through Ranaghat, Krishnanagar, Burdwan, Durgapur, Asansol, Purulia and culminate in Bankura on February 11, 2023. Honorable Mayor Firhad Hakim shall be flagging off the Cycle Yatra from Kolkata on February 6, 2023.

SwitchON is urging the citizens to join the movement, by simply visiting www.MoveForEarth.in and signing up as a volunteer or partner, or join the ride and help switch on a climate-conscious movement that holds the potential and promise to build a better future.