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| Green Organization CEO Roger Wolens, center, encourages ASEZ through supporting signature. Courtesy of Church of God |
By Kim Ok-kyung
The World Mission Society of the Church of God, led by General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol, has received international environmental awards.
On Nov. 22, the church said that its university student volunteer group "ASEZ" and its young adult volunteer group "ASEZ WAO" were honored with the Green Apple Award and the Green World Award, respectively. These awards are officially recognized by the European Union and the United Kingdom's Environment Agency. In 2018, the Church of God and ASEZ received the Gold and Bronze Green Apple Awards, respectively. With this year's recognition, the environmental protection initiatives they have been carrying out are again in the spotlight.
The Green Organisation, an international non-profit group, recognizes and awards excellent cases of environmental best practices. The organization launched the Green Apple Awards in 1994 and have now offer the Green World Awards as well. Committee members in relevant areas evaluate environmental best practices based on nine factors, including innovation, commitment, social benefits and planning for future development, and select the winners.
The awards ceremony was held at the Royal Horseguards Hotel in London on Nov. 15. This year marks the 26th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), making this year's awards, which took place a few days after the conference, timely and meaningful.
ASEZ won the Gold in the Green World Awards 2020, and was appointed as the "Green World Ambassador" in recognition of its "Greenship Network," which connects individuals and organizations to protect the environment. This project is an expanded version of the "Greenship" project ASEZ established, emphasizing the environmental responsibilities of global citizens.
It is an environmental campaign that connects individuals, communities and countries around the world, so that they can work together. Through this project, ASEZ connected 168 government agencies and local authorities, and established partnerships with 226 international or civic organizations, as well as 56,168 individuals. Some of the world's leading experts, including futurist Jerome Glenn, and government officials, have volunteered to serve as consultants and give support to ASEZ. On top of that, ASEZ has contributed to raising public awareness of and participation in practices of environmental protection all around the world.
ASEZ WAO won a Green World Gold Award and a Green Apple Gold Award for Environmental Best Practices 2020, and was appointed as the Green World Ambassador. Moreover, ASEA WAO received a Green Apple Silver Award for Environmental Best Practices 2021. It has also been determined that ASEZ WAO will receive a Green World Award and be appointed as the Green World Ambassador in 2021. The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held next spring. These awards are presented in recognition of its outstanding performance in the "No More GPGP" project, aiming to raise awareness of plastic waste, and the "Green Workplace" project, aiming to save energy and water at work.
The "No More GPGP" project aims to collect 80,000 tons of plastic waste by 2030, under the slogan of "No More Garbage Patches!" This campaign has been conducted more than 710 times in 27 countries, including in: the United Kingdom, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa, Mozambique, Philippines and Cambodia. Through campaigns, seminars and forums, the project promotes community awareness and participation, and participants have continued their activities by signing MOUs with central government agencies, local authorities and many other organizations. Impressed by their youthful passion and energy, people from all walks of life have given them encouragement through their supporting signatures.
The members of ASEZ and of ASEZ WAO said, "We will work harder to protect the earth's environment, by raising public concern and participation, for the health and happiness of all people across the world." At the awards ceremony, people from all walks of life, including Green Organisation CEO Roger Wolens and Environmental Activist Phil Williams, were present, and encouraged the Church of God's young adults in their love for the environment, by providing their signatures of support. CEO Wolens said, "These organizations have developed several programs to give ideas to numerous young people around the world through their volunteer services and networks.
"ASEZ" stands for, "Save the Earth from A to Z," while "ASEZ WAO" stands for "Save the Earth from A to Z" and "We Are One Family." The two organizations have been continuously carrying out diverse volunteer activities, including for environmental protection.
The altruistic services of ASEZ and ASEZ WAO are based on the social contribution activities of the Church of God. The Church of God has been continuously carrying out volunteer services such as environmental cleanups, blood drives, disaster relief efforts, and consolatory visits to government offices, according to the needs of the community. In recognition of its contribution, the Church received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2016. The Church has contributed to creating a pleasant living environment by cleaning up parks, railway stations, streets and residential areas in various regions of England, mainly in London and Manchester where the Church was established. The Church provided relief and recovery efforts to Oxford, which was suffering from frequent floods. When there was a severe blood shortage due to COVID-19, the Church took the lead in donating blood. Further, the Church has been contributing to unity in the community and its development through visits to nursing homes for the elderly, welfare facilities for the disabled, and fire stations, as well as support for food banks. Especially in these days when loneliness among the elderly has become a serious social problem, the Church is a great example for everyone.
The World Mission Society Church of God works in 175 countries around the world, where the Church has over 7,500 branches. The Church believes in God the Father and God the Mother, whom the Bible testifies about, and practices God's teaching: "Love your neighbor as yourself." In recognition of its devotional activities, the Church has received over 3,000 awards from various countries, including the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service from the British Queen, the President's Volunteer Service Award (the highest honor for groups, which it received 48 times) from the U.S. President, and the Republic of Korea's Presidential Citation.
Kim Ok-kyung is a former Sisa Magazine journalist.
