People from different age, gender, class, caste, profession and status participated in the ReGreen Chennai Marathon on December 17, 2017.

Caritas India joined ReGreen Chennai Movement in the marathon to share the journey to revive green cover of the city. During the inauguration of the event, Fr. Paul lit the torch and as he was holding it, the entire congregation joined him in 2 minutes silence paying their respect to the victims of Cyclone Ockhi. The runners took pledge to play a lead role in increasing the green cover of Chennai from 4% to 33%.

Re-Green movement commits to plant ten lakh trees for chennai in ten years along with sustained campaign on water management, disaster preparedness, good food and a life style in harmony with mother nature.

Around 25,000 participants took part in the marathon to show their passion for greener city. One of the Participants,Thomas working in BNP Pribas in Paris expressed, “It is a fitting moment for me to register as volunteer with Caritas India and run along with the organisation to support the cause”. Caritas India had its own success by registering 5 young volunteers.

Runners  who covered 3, 5 and 12 km mark expressed and recorded the concern and  solidarity of the people towards mitigating the city from the disasters to which it is currently exposed to.

The success of this event has led to planting 1.5 lakh saplings in and around Chennai in the next one year. Caritas is partnering in this movement with 27 organisations and 300 volunteers to prevent Chennai from “Urban Decaying”. Steered by sheer volunteering, this movement is picking up momentum very fast extending its arms to more volunteers.

The event was a mega hit touching the height of professionalism and that too only with volunteerism.