Inhambane, Mozambique
“Current Conversations 2020”
Technological advancements allow humans across the planet to connect at an unprecedented rate. While human connectivity has increased in the modern era, human connection with the natural world has not. From the bees in the backyard to the fisherman existing thousands of kilometers away, all living beings impact one another. To help build awareness of both human impact on the environment and the connectedness of all human behavior, students from Inhambane, Mozambique are exploring their way of life and how it affects their natural worlds.
Through workshops, children explore animal migration, ocean currents, and the connectedness of all living beings. As the students learn the importance of marine animals, they create artworks to reflect and inspire change. Artist Jonathan Darby collaborates with the youth to paint a massive mural to inform and instigate change within the individual and the world at large.
A swirling ocean current brimming with marine life merges into a youthful face looking to the future. This mural was painted with the hope that future generations can foster better relationships with their shared natural world and with each other.
Specials thanks to marine conservationist, Dr. Jess Williams and teachers Tionilda Carlos Chume and Ann Orlowska for all their efforts. Merci to Dune de Dovela for facilitating!
Dr. Jess Williams has recently completed a Ph.D. in Mozambique, focused on assessing the impacts of illegal turtle fishing on Mozambican sea turtle populations. Jess has generously donated her time and talent and created the curriculum and taught our classes on ocean life.
Johnathan Darby is our talented artist. The children in Mozambique worked with him to design and paint a mural on their school. The mural illustrates their newfound knowledge of the rich ocean life in Mozambique and how the Indian Ocean currents connect them to their new friends across the globe in Canada. Jonathan has been working with children’s charities for many years and has worked with aptART painting magnificent murals all over the globe.
Border closings in Canada, due to the Covid 19 virus, prevented us from being able to complete our wall project in Vancouver Canada.
