Harmonizing Change: A Song For Saafhawa Elevates The Clean Air Movement

On the International Day for Clean Air and Blue Skies,   AirQualityAsia released an inspirational anthem for the clean air movement  for one of the most polluted hotspots on the planet, South Asia. The anthem, titled Saafhawa, is  linked to the UN BreatheLife campaign and reaches out to the wider South Asian citizens  through evocative lyrics and music by some of the region’s most celebrated music artists. 

“Climate change is real. Having travelled on many of my adventures in the Himalayas I see the  change. That’s why Saafhawa© is a very important campaign. It’s a clarion call to make  everyone aware that clean air is our fundamental right. I am glad I could contribute to  Saafhawa© by creating this song,” said Shantanu Moitra, the music composer/producer of the  song. Zeb Bangash is lead vocalist, Mir Ali Husain is lyricist, Layth Sidiq added violin/strings. 

The song’s lyrics also touch upon this year’s theme for the day - the air we share. Home to over  1.85 billion people, South Asia is the world’s most populated region, comprising middle and  lower-middle income countries with similar pollution sources that share a regional air-shed. While  Air quality management is addressed within the geographical boundaries of cities and countries,  impacts of global warming are acutely affecting the entire region with increasing heatwaves,  devastating floods, and cyclones. South Asia’s common challenge to tackle high emissions to reduce  both air pollution and climate change are shared problems that require shared solutions. 

These efforts must extend beyond the fight for clean air, feel the artists. “With the disastrous  floods in my country, clearly climate change presents a future of consequences to be borne by  our children. Saafhawa© is a heartfelt ode to Clean Air written and rendered as a love song. I am  extremely happy that I could be the voice for Saafhawa©,” said Bangash. 

Through the song, the artists have termed clean air as a birthright. “Artists are ambassadors for  positive change, and I hope that this song will bring that positive change,” said Sidiq. 

The idea was born out of inspiration from other global environment movements. Shazia Rafi,  Convener, AirQualityAsia said, “For governments to take the painful steps to rolling back a  pollution-based industrial model, civic momentum is essential. I thought of US environmental  movement; the music of Joni Mitchell, John Denver that galvanized the nation leading to the  

1970s Clean Air Act; a strong EPA. From that the idea of Saafhawa© was born.” The song can  be accessed at www.vimeo.com/saafhawa.