On 1 August 2024, One Earth School participated in the #Plant4Mother event organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC). One Earth School founder Guruji Anand Krishna’s initiative #ServeMotherEarth resonated with Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s #Plant4Mother campaign.
Director of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), Shri Naveen Meghwal conveyed the significance of the #Plant4Mother activities associated with World Environmental Day. To ensure the sustainability of life, it is important that we plant more trees. As more trees are planted, the soil structure will improve, and the amount of water and mineral composition in the soil will also increase. When we are closer to nature, our emotional balance will be better maintained. By being surrounded by trees, our negative emotions will be released, and we will become healthier.
Guruji Anand Krishna also advised all students that in the Ancient Sunda Scriptures (West Java), there are teachings related to caring for the environment. If we take care of the trees, the trees will take care of us. If we protect the forests, the forests will protect us. If we do not pollute the rivers, the rivers will provide us with the water of life. Our slogan is to “Serve Mother Earth”, not to ‘Save the planet’ or ‘Save the Earth’. Ancient wisdom teaches us to care for the environment and serve Mother Earth. Bung Karno stated in his writings that in ancient times, our archipelago was known as Mataram – which means Mother Earth.
The tree plantation conducted at One Earth School, alongside the Director of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), Shri Naveen Meghwal, symbolizes the friendship between India and Indonesia. Essentially, India and Indonesia are part of the same civilization, which is the Sindhu Saraswati Sundanese Civilisation. Culturally, we share many similarities because we originate from the same roots. One of them is the culture of touching or hugging trees. By hugging trees, our turbulent emotions can be calmed. Furthermore, this ancient wisdom teaches us to always serve all forms of life namely water, fire, wind, soil, space, trees, and our Earth.
