New Delhi

On Earth Day, Magsaysay awardee and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk from Ladakh presented a block of snow from Khanddung La after cycling Himachal Pradesh to Dalai Lama. He along with other activists cycled down the distance to raise awareness about the severe impact of global warming and climate change on Himalayas.

Wangchuk, whose life and work had inspired the famous character of Phonsok Wangdus played by Aamir Khan in the Hindi film Three Idiots has undertaken the Leh to Dharamshala journey on bicycles to highlight the issue of global warming,

Earth Day

He wanted to highlight the issue of global warming and its impact on the Himalayan glaciers. A three-day international conference on climate change is also starting here on Friday.

Wangchuk, while talking to media persons in Dharamshala said that he and a team of young climate activists hiked and bicycled to transport a block of Himalayan ice from Khardung La, one of the world’s highest passes, to Dharamsala.

“The ice block that has been preserved in low carbon insulation will be presented to the Dalai Lama to serve as an urgent reminder of how fast the Himalayan glaciers and

Wangchuk Tweeted after reaching Khardungla:

FINALLY THE ICE REACHED DHARAMSALA...
in 4 days, to highlight urgency for #ClimateAction while promoting solutions like #bicycles, #ebikes, #PublicTransport, #ElectricVehicles & local Pashmina
The ice will be presented to HH the Dalai Lama on #EarthDay at #DialogueForOurFuture pic.twitter.com/dvtHN0zGIk

— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) April 21, 2022

An innovator and advocate of local resources and knowledge had done an experiment to pack the ice in insulations made of the wool of Pashmina goat rared in Changthan in Ladakh to push PM Modi’s “vocal for local” campaign.

The ice was intact after such a long journey.

He said the glaciers around the world are melting due to climate change.

Earlier Sonam Wangchuk had posted the story behind his effort as he and other cycled to Dharamshala in a post on Twitter:

ICE FROM LADAKH GLACIER TRAVELS
to Dharamshala over 4 hot days!
Will it melt or reach?
Team of eco enthusiasts cycled upto Khardungla, collected a block of ice to be presented to HH the Dalai Lama on #EarthDay at #DialogueForOurFuture calling for #ClimateAction #TimeToAct is now pic.twitter.com/CF7vrtKPZ4

— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) April 20, 2022

The delegates are in Dharmasala for the three-day conclave titled ‘Dialogue for Our Future: A call to Climate Action’ in commemoration of World Earth Day. The event is being co-hosted by the Tibet Policy Institute, EURAC Research, Czechs Support Tibet, and the International Campaign for Tibet.