7th 'Blue Sky Day', First UN Official Commemoration Adopted at Korea's Proposal

'Clean Air for All' Theme with Subtitle 'The Blue Sky We Create'
Raising Awareness of Clean Air and Promoting Joint Efforts through Various Domestic and International Commemorative Events
7 Government Awards, Kim Jong-ho, Professor at Hanseo University, Receives the Red Stripes Order of Service Merit

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Environment announced on the 6th that they will hold various events on the 7th to celebrate the first-ever 'Blue Sky Day' since it was designated as an official UN (United Nations) commemorative day and a national holiday. 'Blue Sky Day' is the first commemorative day adopted at the UN that was proposed by Korea.

Last August, the National Climate and Environment Council's Public Participation Group proposed the establishment of 'Blue Sky Day,' and President Moon Jae-in suggested the designation of 'Blue Sky Day' to the international community during his keynote speech at the UN Climate Action Summit held in New York, USA, in September. On December 19, the 74th UN General Assembly adopted the resolution for 'Blue Sky Day.'

Accordingly, the government revised the 'Regulations on Various Commemorative Days' on August 18 to designate 'Blue Sky Day' as a national holiday.

This year, the theme of the first 'Blue Sky Day' set by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is 'Clean Air for All.' It means that all of us should work together beyond homes, workplaces, society, governments, and borders for clean air.

The government added the subtitle 'The Blue Sky We Create' to this year's theme of 'Clean Air for All.' This emphasizes once again that clean air and blue skies are not given but something we must create together.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Environment, along with the National Climate and Environment Council and local governments, will operate the 'Blue Sky Week (September 4?11)' around the 7th and present various events to raise awareness of the seriousness and impact of air pollution such as fine dust.

First, the National Climate and Environment Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Chungcheongnam-do will co-host a 'Blue Sky Day' commemorative event on the afternoon of September 7 at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul. Four countries (Korea, China, Japan, Russia) including Shandong Province in China and Nara Prefecture in Japan, totaling 17 local governments, will promote a joint declaration, and a meeting with future generations both domestic and abroad will also be held.

The National Institute of Environmental Research under the Ministry of Environment will hold an event on the 11th at the Environmental Satellite Center located in Seo-gu, Incheon, inviting heads of diplomatic missions from 13 countries including Vietnam and Indonesia. The participating countries correspond to the observation range of the geostationary environmental satellite that Korea launched first in the world in February, and the National Institute of Environmental Research plans to explain the provision of satellite observation information and plans to support the establishment of ground observation networks to these countries.

On the occasion of 'Blue Sky Day,' various commemorative events will also be held by UN organizations on the 7th and 8th. At the UN Headquarters in New York, a ceremony will be held presided over by Satya Tripathi, Deputy Executive Director of UNEP, and at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, a high-level meeting will be held presided over by Executive Director Inger Andersen. Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae is expected to emphasize the importance of international cooperation for blue skies and clean air through a video message and declare that Korea will fulfill its responsible role.

On the occasion of the first 'Blue Sky Day,' a total of seven people will receive government awards for their contributions to air environment conservation, including one medal, four presidential citations, and two prime minister citations. Professor Kim Jong-ho of Hanseo University was awarded the Red Stripes Order of Service Merit, the World Clean Air Federation and Counselor Han Min-young of the Permanent Mission to the UN received presidential citations, and Song Geon-beom, Head of the Air Policy Support Department at the Korea Environment Corporation, was selected for the prime minister citation.

Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae said, "A blue sky without fine dust is not something that is simply given; we must create it," adding, "Let us use Blue Sky Day as an opportunity to change each of our actions with the mindset that we are both victims and problem solvers of fine dust."

Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha said, "Only through joint efforts based on sufficient consensus and solidarity within the international community can we protect the blue sky for all of us," and added, "We will continue to strive to seek cooperative measures in the international community, including the Northeast Asia region."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.