Small steps to spread the message and save the planet
The Good Market at the Colombo Racecourse had something more for its shoppers last Saturday with “Festival for Our Planet” - a day of environment advocacy through expert talks, fun performances and exhibits.
Poster power: Creative ways to drive the message home. Pic by Priyanka Samaraweera
The event marked the public debut of NGage Goodvocacy, the brainchild of Nimal Gunewardena, Chairman & CEO, NGage Strategic Alliance with the aim of making people engage in advocacy for good through their products and services.
“Lately our focus shifted to important issues in the world to which we need to apply our communications knowledge, to make people aware, mobilise and make them act on social and environmental issues,” said Nimal. “We don’t want people to think these environmental issues are bigger problems, but to think I can even do something small. Not using plastic for a start,” he said stressing the importance of individual efforts to make a better planet.
The message was also conveyed through installation art pieces. ‘Project Sanni’ had distorted masks made with polythene, plastic, wood and metal spare parts depicting the face of pollution. Designed by Dillai Joseph and Charith De Silva, they were a novel representation of the traditional masks of ‘Daha Ata Sanniya,’ an ancient ritual performed to ward off illnesses.
Sabdha Sanniya
Suffocated by polythene bags, choking and stifling, the Polythene Sanniya depicted how people create their own doom through the bags they continue to use. Gas Kapana Sanniya and Plastic Sanniya represented deforestation with the two harsh extremes of drought and flooding. Sabdha Sanniya was a replica of human heads which wake up every day to endless noise.
“We wanted to have a connection with the past, take that essence to communicate new issues in educating the public,” Charith added.
Environmental experts, activists and celebrities also delivered talks on climate change, global warming, sustainability, renewable energy, biodiversity and wildlife conservation while a kids play shop saw children drawing trees and animals, highlighting the message of saving the planet for future generations.
A collection of informative posters designed by the agency was also on display.