LOCAL ARTISTS GO GREEN – 100 ARTISTS FOR 100 TREES

This year’s World Environment Day slogan” Green Cities- plan(t) for the planet” was backed enthusiastically by many local groups within Kenya. One of them, the Kikwetu Association, a young artists and journalists’ organisation based in Nairobi made a considerable green change in the city by pulling all their creativity and energy together to make WED a special day of planting trees and raising awareness about the environment through the use of art. In partnership with UNEP, the City Council, the Kenya Bus Company, the Ngong Forest Station, the National Theatre and NGOs, university students and youth groups, Kikwetu Association organised a lively and colourful event starting the day with the clean up along the road and a tree planting happening between Muthaiga and Panagani Roundabouts. Assisted by Pangani youth groups and local residents more than 100 artists planted 100 Nandi Flame tree seedlings along the road! The event attracted the attention of many people, including a helpful police officer and the busdrivers who could not let this opportunity pass to play their parts… To ensure the survival of the tree seedlings and their regular watering in the coming months, Pangani youth groups agreed to collaborate with Kikwetu Association and help with the watering. Surely a heavy job to water 100 trees every day at least once a day, better twice during the first month! The Pangani Youth Groups also agreed to assist Kikwetu in future planting activities in exchange of arts and dance classes taught by Kikwetu Association members. With the generous support of Kenya Bus Company and Crown Berger Paints, who again agreed to have 5 Metro Shuttles painted by artists of the GoDown Artscentre, Kuona Trust, Ngecha and Banana, all participating tree planters were then driven in colourfully decorated Metro Shuttles to the National Theatre. Artists, invited guests and the public were entertained with an afternoon of performances, poetry and music around the realities of the environment, green and grey cities as well as plastic waste. Hiyo plastic! Truly an inspiring event where culture and nature were interlinked and many stimulating partnerships were born! How many more artists and local residents will adopt a tree during this year and the next World Environment Day? Kikwetu is ready to take up the challenge in the future together with UNEP and many other partners and engage local communities in planting trees, environmental education and awareness raising through visual and performing arts in order to make a visible change towards a greener and healthier city.