Presenting climate change and GPS at the press conference. The sound system (the speaker and 2 microphones) was run with power generated by the cyclist at the back.

On September 18, 2013, a press conference announcing the launch of a Vietnam Power Shift campaign took place earlier today with the participation of more than 40 news media reporters and artists including the campaign ambassador, singer-songwriter Thanh Bui in Ho Chi Minh city.

Along with Australia and Sweden, Vietnam is one of the first three countries to launch a Power Shift campaign as part of 350.org’s Global Power Shift phase II, a campaign which was first launched earlier this summer in Istanbul with the congregation and training of over 500 climate activists from 135 countries.

Vietnam Power Shift aims to create a campaign centered on climate change action at an unprecedented scale.

Speaking at the conference, Ms. Hong Hoang, 350.org East/Southeast Asia Coordinator says, “We are looking forward to building a climate change campaign that is community-oriented, with the goal to popularize clean energies among the people of Vietnam. Moving forward from our previous calling for energy savings we are aiming for community mobilization and participation contributing innovations and solutions in the field of green energy. Only then will we have a chance to win the fight against fossil fuels and to cope with climate change.”

Vietnam Power Shift was put together by 350.org Vietnam under the patronage of CHANGE (a local non-profit organization working on climate change and youth mobilization). The campaigns’ key themes are clean energy and community empowerment to be carried out over 3 phases until the end of 2014. These phases include: a communications and awareness phase, followed by a connection and team-building phase ending with an expansion and localization phase.

The key activities planned out for Vietnam Power Shift’s national program include:

• “I AM A CLIMATE CITIZEN”: National Climate Leadership Workshop for 60 young leaders from over 20 provinces and cities between October 1-4 2013 in HCMC.
• National Day of Actions: on October 27, 2013 calling for mobilization in creative and inspiring activities to advocate clean energies.
• Local-level Power Shift: Selection and funding of 10 local projects initiated by young leaders after “I Am A Climate Citizen”.
• International Conference on Clean Energy: To discuss the overall picture of energy in Vietnam, targeting economic development with low carbon emissions, and introducing clean energy solutions other local communities have benefitted from worldwide.
• Community Projects: Continue to expand the Solar Bottle project, boot biomass energy project, and the Solar Road project.

Sharing his excitement over the launch of Vietnam Power Shift, Jamie Henn, 350.org’s Co-Founder and Communications Director emphasized how “young people in Vietnam are at the forefront of the international movement to solve the climate crisis. 350.org works all around the world, but there are few places where people have taken up the cause of environmental protection with so much energy, intelligence, and focus. Vietnam Power Shift is a historic event and a big step forward not only for the climate movement in Vietnam, but world wide.”

At today’s press conference, 350.org Vietnam also launched the Network of Artists Acting for Climate (NAAC). Musician Thanh Bui is the first formal member of this network while San Art’s artists have also signed on to participate in the network. Their mission will be to use their talent and influence to spread the message for climate change action in Vietnam.

Vietnam Power Shift gains the support of journalists and correspondents attending the press conference. The country’s three top media agencies – Tuoi Tre, VTV6, and VOH – have become the long-term media partners, committing to mandate the media’s voice to spread out 350 Vietnam’s activities not only on Vietnam Power Shift, but also on further climate actions.