Chandigarh April 21, 2022
The Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, in association with The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, celebrated 15th UN Psychology Day for the first time ever in the history of the department. The theme of this year was Building hope: Contributions to a roadmap for climate action. The department collaborated with the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh for awareness and sensitization programme on SBM and importance of citizen feedback. The Social development officer, Municipal Corporation Chandigarh, Dr. Vivek Trivedi, was the guest for the esteemed gathering along with his team of four.
Chairperson, Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Dr. Roshan Lal, invited the guests, faculty members and the students of the department for tree planation ceremony to mark the commencement of the celebration. The guests were then received in the Seminar Hall where they were felicitated by Dr. Roshan Lal and Prof. Harpreet Kanwal Chhabra.
Dr. Roshan Lal welcomed the guest and the audience and shared the individualistic and behavioural approach towards the importance of climate change in our day to day lives. The Importance of UN psychology day was discussed the department organisers before Dr. Vivek Trivedi addressed the audience. He interacted with the students of the department to discuss pertinent climate change issues such as the rising use and throw culture with every generation and systemic rise in population and pollution in cities. He drew inspiration from his personal anecdote of switching back to fountain pens in order to reduce non-degradable waste. He shared with the audience how he and his peers push each other to strive for a better tomorrow. One the students enquired about the potential use of psychological tools to map out the future needs of a city in the next twenty five years to which Dr. Trivedi joyfully remarked as he believes not only on the role of psychology in climate change but also how budding psychologists can help sensitize people towards climate change.
Prof. Harpreet Kanwal Chhabra culminated the event with a heartfelt vote of thanks to the guests, Chairperson, Faculty Members and the students. The event was a success not only in terms of the inspiration by Dr. Trivedi but also on how keen the department is, to have him and his team again for a guest lecture regarding the mental health and behavioural issues faced by the street vendors and roadside workers. The Chairperson, Dr. Roshan Lal, extended a heartfelt gratitude towards Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh on behalf of Department of Psychology, Panjab University, Chandigarh.