For World Environment Day, more than 2,000 people in Nepal turned into literal tree huggers in an attempt to break the world record for the largest, simultaneous tree hug. Trees are the lungs of our planet and there is no question to how essential they are to all life on this Earth, yet commercial industries clear cut trees left and right for their own interests.

 

This mass demonstration was meant to bring awareness to how important trees are to the world by taking the message “go hug a tree” to a whole new level. Students still in their school uniforms, parliament members, office workers, and Buddhist monks all joined together in this amazing display for World Environment Day. The giant tree-hug took place right outside Katmandu, the nation’s capital. Participants held trees for two minutes, while drummers held a beat at the National Martyrs and Peace Park.

 

The previous record for largest tree hug is held by 936 people in Portland, Ore. Nearly doubling the amount of participants for this demonstration, this amazing display for the trees of the world will certainly make waves in the Guinness book.

 

It will reportedly take two months for Guinness to decide whether they will recognize this demonstration as the new world record. However, even if it does not make the record books, this feat has sent a powerful message already. Joining together younger and older generations all under the sole cause of reminding the world how important our trees are, this demonstration reflects the way we should feel about trees every day, not just World Environment Day.