An Initiative by ALERT,Founded by Vandana Chavan

Pune: The 'Big Green Fest,' organized by Pune Climate Warrior (PCW),which is an initiative of ALERT, in association with PMC,Cummins and Janawani,will be held on 18th January 2025 at Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru Auditorium, Ghole Road,in between 10am to 6pm. This marks the third year of the fest, and entry is free for all.

The event was announced during a press conference held at Pune Shramik Patrakar Sangh, where Vandana Chavan, former MP and founder of ALERT, along with Sanjay Shinde(Deputy Commissioner of PMC’s Environment Department), Mangesh Dighe(Environment Officer of PMC), Divya Chavan(project coordinator for PCW), Sachin Naik(President, 'Srushti' ), Swapnil Dudhane, Harshada Abhyankar shared details about the upcoming festival.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Sustainable Living: Nurturing Tomorrow’s Changemakers.” The event is expected to see participation from over 1000 attendees, including school students, teachers, parents, educators, environmentalists, citizens, small businesses working towards sustainability, and community members. 80 schools each year and 40,000 students every year participates in various activities of Pune Climate Warrier.

The festival features various activities such as eco stalls, workshops, competitions, talks and performances.Eco stalls, open from 10 am to 6 pm, will showcase projects from schools, NGOs, and a marketplace offering sustainable products like bamboo goods, bioenzymes, and eco-friendly apparel. 

Workshops such as cloth bag painting and terrarium making will run from 11 am to 3 pm, providing practical learning experiences. The ‘Fashioned by Nature’ competition, scheduled between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, will have participants across four age groups presenting eco-friendly designs.Green talks are planned from 3 pm to 5 pm, featuring speakers such as Anuj Khare, who will discuss 'Pune’s biodiversity-rich hotspots', and Satish Khade, who will speak on ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Environment.’ 

A poster competition on the theme ‘Guardians of the Wild: Echoes of Change and Sustainable Futures’ will also be held during the festival.Cultural performances, street plays, and art installations will be showcased in the Eco Expressions Zone, emphasizing environmental themes.

 Additionally, the Green Careers Hub will offer guidance on careers in conservation, sustainability, renewable energy, and policy-making. Sustainable food counters promoting eco-friendly practices and waste segregation will be available at the Green Spoon food stalls.

Various NGOs and organizations are collaborating to make this festival a vibrant platform for sustainability and community engagement, stated a press release.