The Dawn Project has announced the commencement of the 2023 Dawn Project Competition in a bid to raise awareness on climate change through competition.
Dawn Project is an environmentalist group whose primary aim is to raise awareness about the consequences of climate change through artistic expression.
The group, who made the announcement recently in Lagos, while joining the rest of the world to mark the 2023 World Poetry Day, also used the UN observatory celebration of Poetry to announce its climate change agenda for the past four years.
This year’s competition is themed ‘Nature’s Resilience, The Beauty of our World.’
Speaking at the launch event, Dr. Pamela Ajayi, one of the collaborators said: ““the world and nature is very resilient and that’s what we are celebrating this year. We have to remember (however) that there’s danger. There’s danger in not taking cognisance of what is going on in the environment and making sure we do our part.”
While explaining the theme of this year’s competition, ‘Nature’s Resilience, the Beauty of our World,’ she revealed that, majority of people do not understand the impact of their actions on the environment but hopefully, this year’s competition will build upon the awareness that past competitions have achieved.
The increasing temperature, changing pattern of rainfall in recent years, the terrible flooding incidences even in the Northern Nigeria where there is usually not much water, Ajayi said, were some of the evidence of the impact of global warming in Nigeria.
To her, “Nature, indeed, has been resilient in reconstructing itself regardless of the endless abuse, but for how long? – It is not sustainable if everyone does not play their part. Through the theme this year, we are celebrating resilience and calling on participants to share their interpretation of how they see the beauty, strength and adaptability of the earth, presenting it in the form of poetry, prose, photography, art, digital creativity or even a song.”
She said, music was incorporated into this year’s Dawn Project Competition as a way of expanding its scope, adding that, “submission of entries through our website is open from now to June 5 to allow students to work on their projects over the Easter holidays but there is also an opportunity to win additional prizes if you submit early.”
Also present at the occasion was the commissioner for Health in Lagos, Prof. Akin Abayomi, who himself is a strong promoter of One-health in Lagos State.
While lending credence to The Dawn Project for using expressive art and youth oriented competition as a tool for fighting climate change, he enumerated some of the causes of the environmental issues faced by the world today.
“Unnecessary over consumption, deforestation, pollution, increasing size s of cities, and industrial activities” were among those listed.
He explained that there exists a strong thread that connects the health of the environment to that of humans and other organisms in it
One of The Dawn Project Collaborator, Angela Emuwa, while thanking the supporters of the programme for their “unwavering support towards promoting environmental sustainability and inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders” reiterated that, the theme for this year’s competition highlights the beauty of preserving and protecting our environment.
She believes that this year’s competition will help in deepening the awareness and encourage actions especially among young people.
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