CLIMATE CHANGE
ANNUAL STREET ART EXHIBITION
DECEMBER | 13TH – 14TH, 2012 | LUGARD ROAD | FORT PORTAL
“Communicating Climate Change through Art”
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BACKGROUND
The Fort Portal Climate Change Annual Street
Art Exhibition was a showcase of visual
communication of climate change.
The event
was organized by Kabarole
Research and Resource Centre and Jabulani
Africa with financial and in-kind contribution
from Care Uganda, Broederlijk Delen, Mpanga
Growers Tea Company and Coca Cola.
Based on the theme, “communicating climate
change through art” was officially opened by
Julius Mwanga, the Director of KRC, Mr.
Godfrey Ruyonga, the Kabarole District
Environmental Officer and closed
by
Honorable Alex Ruhunda, the Member of
Parliament, Fort Portal Municipality.
Photo:
Kiwanuka of Jabulani Africa Arts interpreting the
message on the art piece about climate change.
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PARTICIPATION
The picturesque event attracted an audience
of over 300 people and participation of key
actors in the Civil Society and Private Sector
that are championing the Climate Change
agenda. Led by Kabarole Research and
Resource Centre, these actors have embraced
new thinking in the way we communicate
climate change.
.
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KEY MESSAGES
The key message of the event was:
Bringing climate change realities into the
public domain &
Promoting sustainable environmental
behaviors and practices among individuals
and communities
This messages was communicated through
street display of artworks, comedy, drama and
community theatre, mobile cinema,
photography and live music by different
performing groups and individuals.
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LAUNCH OF THE EXHIBITION
Director KRC
The Director KRC, Julius Mwanga lauded the
innovation of communicating climate change
through art. He said that it’s necessary to bring
this new thinking and methods to
communicate climate change because a cross
section of people in rural communities still
regard it an abstract phenomenon and difficult
to visualize, “Climate Change is real”, he said,
and appealed to the people not to look further
for signs of climate change but to observe the
extreme weather events like erratic rains and
droughts, floods and mudslides and changing
weather patterns, as pointers to climate
change. He underscored human activity as the
single most important contributor to climate
change. He hailed the interest of private sector
actors like Mpanga Growers Tea Company and
Coca Cola in climate change work because it
directly affects their production and entire
value chains. He called upon the communities
to embrace the work of civil society and private
sector in regard to climate change, saying
“there is no life without the natural
environment”
The Director KRC, Julius Mwanga
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DISTRICT ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER
Mr. Godfrey Ruyonga, the Kabarole District
Environmental Officer, posed four engaged
the audience in a provocation exercise with
the
following
questions
to
which
appropriate responses were generated.
Mr. Godfrey Ruyonga, the Kabarole District Environmental Officer
Questions
Responses
What is the
natural
environment?
These are living and none-living things that
were handed down to us by our ancestors for
use by this generation and the generations to
come. Destruction of these things potentially
contributes to climate change.
Who is the
custodian of
the natural
environment?
Every person, man/woman, rich/poor is a
custodian of the natural environment. We all
naturally assume a stewardship role in
conserving the natural environment. We cheat
ourselves when we for example, drain water
catchment areas.
What should
we do to curb
climate
change?
For example, plant trees. Do not plant
Eucalyptus and pine in water catchment areas.
Planting trees does not require huge chunks of
land to plant wood lots. Start with one tree in
your home. For example, Ficus Natalensis
(Omutoma) has value to supply animal feeds,
soft wood, and back-cloth.
Who is
affected by
climate
change?
Every human being, fauna and flora, are affected
by climate change. This relates to the
stewardship role given to humanity to preserve
the natural environment for generations to
come.
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ART WORKS
Artists may have no ready climate
change solutions, but they have capacity
to come up with the images to make
visible and important the most abstract
and distant of climate change
challenges. This is what was displayed
by Jabulani Africa to communicate
climate change in a uniquely visual way.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Communicating Climate Change using photo action
is an effective communication tool to engage local
communities who are often left out of climate
change negotiations. This is the strategy that
Kabarole Research and Resource Centre is
championing to address this gap and in particular
during the climate change street art exhibition.
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DRAMA
At the event Toro Cultural Research and
Development, a local community theatre
group treated and endeared the audience
to climate change educative drama.
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MUSIC
Traditional music is
rich in folklore and
teaches
values
of
preserving the natural
environment.
This
communication tool
was used by Kigambo
Araali, a legendary
local artist.
He
performed
a
provocative traditional
song
known
as
“Ekirale”
while
engaging the audience
in a discussion of what
trail they are making
in preserving the
natural environment
and actions to curb
climate change.
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CINEMA
Kabarole Research and
Resource Centre exhibited
the power of film through
mobile cinema to influence
perceptions and practices
about climate change.
At the climate change street
art exhibition, a film entitled
“Turning up the Heat”
produced
by
Oxfam
International was relayed to
the
public.
This
documentary examines the
impact of climate change on
agriculture, health, and
water resources in Uganda,
with the aim of raising
awareness of these issues in
the community and through
building
constructive
dialogue,
contribute
to
improving
and
strengthening
adaptation
strategies.
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OUTCOMES
The event envisaged to identify key issues from which to base future
outcome-oriented, dialogue-based initiatives that would contribute to
making real impact on future climate change arrangements. The event
brought together over 20 leading actors working in this area representing a
broad group of Stakeholders.
As a result, leaders of government, civil society and the private sector agree
that the annual street art exhibitions be organized going forward to provide
people–oriented platforms for dialogue and negotiations along specific
themes of climate change.
Attracting the will of the private sector to join the climate change
negotiations and debate at the street art exhibition was a significant outcome
of the event.
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WHAT THE MEDIA SAID
Saturday, December, 22nd 2012
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Reviews/Using-art-to-halt-climate-change
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OFFICIAL CLOSURE
The event was officially closed by
the guest of honor, Hon. Alex
Ruhunda, Fort Portal Municipality.
He said that he was fascinated by
the innovation that KRC and
Jabulani
had
put
into
communicating climate change.
He appealed to them to continue
in the good work aiming at
leaving foot marks for the
generation
to
come.
Understanding climate change he
said, has remained elusive to the
rural communities and continues
to affect production and entire
livelihoods. He said there was
urgent need to explore alternative
communication methods that will
make climate change appear real
to the people. The climate change
street art exhibition is one unique
way to do it, he said.
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EVENT PROGRAM
Time
Activity Description
Day one -13th December
2012
Responsibility
Day Two - 14th
December 2012
Responsibility
8.30–9.30am
Arrival and Registration of
exhibitors
KRC & Jabulani
Exhibition by different
Artists and film
show
All exhibitors
9.30am
Official opening of the event
Exhibition by different
Artists and film
show
All exhibitors
10.00am
Opening Remarks & Launch
of the exhibition
Director KRC to Officiate
at the Launch
Exhibition by different
Artists and film
show
All exhibitors
10.30–11.00am
Tour of stalls
Invited Guests
Exhibition by different
Artists and film
show
All exhibitors
11.00am– 1.00pm
Exhibition begins (Music,
Drama, Photo and Art
works)
All exhibitors
Exhibition by different
Artists and film
show
All exhibitors
1.00 – 2.00 pm
Lunch break
2.00pm –5.00pm
Exhibition Continues ((Music,
Drama, Photo and Art
exhibition)
All exhibitors



Film Shows
KRC
6.00 -8.00pm

Exhibition by
different Artists
and film show
Closing Remarks
Film Shows
All exhibitors
Hon. Alex Ruhunda
(MP Fort Portal
Municipality
KRC
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