Community Engagement on Climate Action

World Children's Day is celebrated every year on November 20th to honor the rights of children. The Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace marked this day on September 28, 2023, with a special focus on climate change. The theme for the event was “Making Young People Aware of their Role in Protecting the Environment: Inclusion for Every Child". Climate change and its extreme weather conditions pose a constant threat to the survival, growth, and development of children worldwide. The event aimed to raise awareness among young people about the need to protect our environment through tree planting exercises. Participants were taught about various actions they could take to save the planet, such as planting trees, adopting renewable energy, afforestation, reforestation, climate-resilient agriculture, reducing food waste, and more. At the end of the event, Mararaba Gurku Primary and Secondary Schools in Nasarawa State planted approximately 120 seedlings, including flowers and economic trees, in their school premises. The planting exercise was carried out by teachers, students, and pupils.