Rally from Kolkata to Kultali to understand climate change from children’s perspective
2 min readKolkata: Climate change poses a great threat to the wellbeing of future generations. Children are key stakeholders for their future. A team of public health scientists from Johns Hopkins University and the Child In Need Institute (CINI) organized several activities with kids on the occasion of National Youth Day, to highlight children’s perceptions of climate change impacts and solutions.
CINI also organized a unique rally from Kolkata to Kultali with the children under the theme ‘What Children Want’ to create awareness about Climate Change. Children in Green vehicles decorated with plants, grass thatched roofs, posters, banners, and educative display materials communicating the issue of interest left for Kultali from Kolkata to raise awareness about climate change.
The rally was equipped with Informative Educative Communication materials in form of posters, danglers and handouts arranged and organised by CINI to facilitate the interactive sessions and incite analytical repertoire on the subject of climate change and its effects on day to day life.
Sujoy Roy, National Advocacy Officer, CINI, said, “This event is a means to engage the citizens of tomorrow to think about, and bring about, a wider more sustainable solution for climate change. We, the citizens of today, need to listen to them. CINI will continue to present these issues to various government forums and think tanks on a regular basis to ensure a representation in various global platforms and to motivate citizen’s participation in the global movement for a paradigm shift in consciousness towards a greener and safer earth.”
Dr. Aastha Kant from the Johns Hopkins Maternal and Child Health Center India said, “Art has been used throughout history as a way for people to convey emotions, communicate thoughts. We are providing children from Sundarbans, whose futures will be deeply impacted by climate change, a platform to express their perspectives about climate change, and become change makers to advocate for their future and that of future generations.”
Upon reaching Kultali the young brigade met the local congregation of 20 young children and teenagers resident in the Sundarbans area, who are active members of the local district child parliaments, were invited to express their perceptions about climate change through art around two themes, “Mother Earth is sick. Are we the virus?” and “We don’t have a Planet B”.