The Church of God University Student Volunteer Group signed an MOU with The City of Tshwane to implement the SDGs. One step ‘together’ towards the common goal of humankind, where everyone in the global village is Happy.
On the morning of the 21st, ASEZ, a university student volunteer group of the World Mission Society
Church of God (General Pastor Kim Joo-Cheol) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with
the City of Tshwane to implement the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the
Tshwane House. The two organisations will join forces to develop and implement various types of
volunteer programs and collaborative initiatives. ASEZ, a university student volunteer group of the
Church of God is based in 175 countries around the world, and has the meaning of ‘Save the Earth
from A to Z’.
An ASEZ official said, “The SDGs are 17 common goals for humanity that were resolved by the 70th
UN General Assembly in 2015 to be achieved by 2030 with the motto of “no one will be left behind”.
The purpose is for all countries to strive towards the prosperity of mankind and protect the
environment. We expect that the range of activities will broaden as we signed the MOU, resulting in a
synergistic effect.”
One section of the MOU between ASEZ and the City of Tshwane, reads “We recognize that the SDGs
are for the rights and happiness of all people and that we share responsibilities for future generations.
We will make concerted efforts to make progress.”
The MOU also states:“We will continue to work in solidarity with government agencies, universities,
and local communities to spread the love of Mother, Street environmental cleanup movement, and strive to
purify the city as well as the global environment like mothers taking care of their families.” The ASEZ
official emphasized, “The ‘Mother’s Street’ environmental cleanup campaign is an activity that makes
the area pleasant and safe from crime.”
About 50 ASEZ members including seniors and juniors from Pretoria and Johannesburg attended
the MOU signing ceremony. ASEZ presented campaigns carried out at home and abroad, and past
achievements for their efforts towards the fulfilment of the UN SDGs.
Kingsley Wakelin (MMC for corporate and shared services), who signed the agreement on behalf of tthe Mayor said: “You are putting the boots on the ground and making sure that it gets done. There are very few organisations that do speak to that and are also doing that . And I am extremely proud
to be part of you with Save the Earth from A to Z”.
Speaker of the Tshwane Council, Mncedi Ndzwanana said: “I think the route you are taking is very
important and it shows that we do have the country tomorrow. What you are doing, you are making
our country a better place, mostly our city a better place to live in. Thank you so much and congratulations on signing the MOU.”
Since 2017, ASEZ has held international forums for the implementation of the SDGs 13 times in 10
countries, including Korea, the US, Malaysia, Peru, and India. ASEZ is concentrating its efforts on
realising the common goal of human happiness for all people around the world. It has signed MOUs
with 23 countries including Korea, the US, Australia and Brazil.
As of May, 108 crime prevention campaigns were held in 77 countries, and 1095 crime prevention
and environmental improvement activities were held in 52 countries. Crime prevention education,
forums, and seminars, including these two activities, were held 1226 times in 99 countries, with about
80,000 participants. In addition, global citizenship education, climate change response activities, and
community service activities are also being carried out.
The ASEZ Blue Carbon (ABC) movement has been ignited this year on World Environment Day (June
5) and World Oceans Day (June 8). The ABC movement is a campaign to simultaneously publicise
the importance of blue carbon, which is carbon dioxide that the marine ecosystem absorbs; and to
purify rivers and sea coasts. In South Africa, such activities were carried out in Walkerspruit and
Hennops River.
In 2021, as part of biodiversity conservation activities with the Tshwane City Hall, ASEZ removed foreign
trees that destroy the ecosystem in the Klapperkop Nature Reserve and cleaned up the area.
When the University of Cape Town was devastated by the Table Mountain fires, the group helped restore
the library, bringing comfort and hope to the community.
Last month, Worldwide ASEZ Summit 2023 was held in Korea, with around 1,500 university students
from about 500 universities in 40 countries gathered. They gathered under the theme of sustainable
society and environment; to plan climate change mitigation and adaptation, crime prevention, and
global citizenship. They also adopted the U500 (500 Universities) Joint Declaration for Human
Happiness and Realization of a Sustainable Society.
In response to the passionate volunteering of ASEZ university students from all over the world,
governments, local governments, and institutions in 23 countries signed 151 MOUs to support and
encourage ASEZ.
Along with this, ASEZ carried out social welfare, awareness raising, emergency relief, and
environmental protection activities around the world, and has received the US President Volunteer
Service Award (Gold), the Green Apple/Green World Award, and the UNCCD Executive Secretary.
For more information, please visit ASEZ site or reach out to:
Media Contact
Thobela Toyi
Email: thobelatoyi123@gmail.com
Phone: 0790850460