By 
Neykurendhoo School’s students recently took part in an international art competition and painted the island’s mangrove forest as their submission.
Mangrove Action Project (MAP), an international organisation that conducts researches and field studies on mangroves, hosted their 19th International Mangrove Arts Contest this month.
This is the first time a Maldivian school officially took part in the competition. The awareness contest is open to interested parties from all over the world, and is hosted with the objective of creating awareness, and disseminating knowledge about mangroves and wetlands across the globe.
MAP has been actively advocating for the protection of mangrove forests and wetlands in an international level. The researches and studies spearheaded by the organisation is a testament to their committed work on the cause. Winner of this year’s contest will have their work included in 2021 MAP calendar.
This is an opportunity to exhibit Neykurendhoo’s mangrove forest to the world:
Through the contest, the students of Neykurendhoo School will be able to
showcase their work on an international
platform. A total of 71 students took part in the contest, including 43 girls and 28 boys. The contest is open for participants ageing 6-16 years.
Environmental Coordinator of Neykurendhoo School, Aishath Zaina, stated that since the students took part in the contest, the stress on the importance of the mangrove forest has been re-kindled.
Very creative and Artistic! https://t.co/z2Cef8i3zd
— Yumna Maumoon (@yumna_maumoon) September 18, 2020
While expressing gratitude to the island’s council and Save Maldives, Zaina stated that Neykurendhoo locals have been hoping to find a solution to save the island’s mangrove forest from deteriorating. She also added that, the school and its environment club is fully committed to the cause and will leave no stones unturned in their effort to protect the island’s mangrove forest.
https://twitter.com/hdhNeykurendhoo/status/1305179442302521345?s=20
According to Zaina, parents and students spared no effort in their preparations for the contest. Zaina thanked the school’s principal, management, teachers, parents, and staff of Neykurendhoo School for their hard work and commitment to the cause.
Save Maldives — a helping hand in the effort to protect Neykurendhoo mangrove forest:
Neykurendhoo council have, on multiple occasions, stated that the severity of damage to the island’s mangrove forest is unprecedented. They have estimated over 10,000 deaths of mangrove plants from their Mangrove forest.
With the council’s effort to bring the issue to the nation’s attention, Save Maldives also joined the cause and began their work.
On June 27, a team organized by Neykurendhoo council began a survey using the skillset of International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Mangrove Specialist group, Mangrove Action Project (MAP), and Save Maldives. The survey was funded by Commonwealth’s Human Ecology Council.
https://twitter.com/MangroveProject/status/1306628576641519617?s=20
Save Maldives also executed a survey, in association with the island council of Neykurendhoo on July, to find out the root causes of the sudden mangrove die off.
Following the survey, a team of environmental experts from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture commenced an investigative field operation to determine the large scale die-off of mangrove trees in the protected mangrove area of Kelaa and Neykurendhoo. The survey ended on July 14, 2020.
Since then, Save Maldives has been exerting countless effort in the cause to protect the island’s mangrove forest by providing various forms of assistance.
Following the contest, Save Maldives have also carried out special classes, targeting students, teachers, and parents, to create awareness about mangrove forests. These classes are still ongoing in an online platform, disseminating much needed information on how to treat the mangrove forests and aid its regrowth.
Neykurendhoo citizens for the mangroves:
H.Dh Neykurendhoo and HA. Kelaa houses one of the largest mangrove forests in the country.
Watching the forest deteriorate slowly before their eyes, is a painful predicament for the locals of the island.
The danger that northern mangrove forests are facing has no definitive solution. Neykurendhoo’s island council kick started the campaign in order to create awareness on various media platforms about this concerning matter. Locals of the island have been actively taking part in the campaign as well.
Their love for the environment, mangroves and wetlands can be seen in their actions. The locals of Neykurendhoo expressed their concern and love for the mangrove forest by naming this year’s Eid Al’Adha celebrations “Kandoo Eid Ufaa 1441”.
Neykurendhoo citizens also actively take part in a set of meetings with the council, under the name “Rayyithunge Salla”, where they discuss and share ideas and views about how to save the island’s mangrove forest.
With the students taking part in the international contest, the interest and hope locals had for a much needed change, intensified. The younger generations are more aware and interested in the cause to save the mangrove forest, rekindling the love older generations had for their mangroves and wetlands.
About Post Author
in #Thiladhunmathi
Comments