In a significant achievement, the Odisha government’s Ridley Forest project received recognition at the International Olympic Committee’s 141st session held in Mumbai. The project, in collaboration with the IOC’s Olympic Forest Network Initiative, has been lauded for its ecological restoration efforts that go beyond the conventional. Marie Sallois, Director of Corporate Development and Sustainability at the IOC, emphasized the initiative’s alignment with Odisha’s broader vision, focusing on youth empowerment and creating a sustainable future through sports.

The project, managed by the Forest department, aims to plant one million trees in a 1,500-hectare area, with already half a million trees successfully planted. The Odisha Ridley Forest Project forms part of the Olympic Forest Network, contributing to the larger “Sport for Nature” framework, which complements efforts addressing climate change through sports. India’s participation in this initiative puts it in the company of countries such as Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain.