Empowering Children: Art, Awareness, and Endangered Animals

The Values Innovation Education Foundation, with the generous support of the Cyprus Environment Foundation and Petrolina has successfully completed their unique initiative titled “Empowering children to use their skills to raise awareness of endangered animals”.

This project saw students dive into the world of endangered animals. The Mediterranean Monk Seal, a vulnerable species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, was introduced to the students of The Falcon School by the team of Enalia Physis Environmental Research Center. Simultaneously, the Herpetological Society of Cyprus educated the students of The Junior School about the snakes of Cyprus, including the threatened Cyprus Grass Snake which is an endemic subspecies found only on the island.

Following these educational lectures, the children channelled their creativity and newfound knowledge into art. They drew the animals they had learned about, which were then digitized and transformed into patterns featuring on various products. The students used their entrepreneurial skills to promote their work and played a crucial role in raising funds for the conservation of these endangered species. The products can be purchased from the online concept store dibujothiki.com, at the following links:

Mediterranean Monk Seal drawings of The Falcon School students

Snakes of Cyprus drawings of The Junior School students

The project culminated with the children recording podcasts about their respective animals. These podcasts served not only as a platform for the children to share their stories and the knowledge they had gained but also as a medium to propose their own solutions for protecting these endangered species. The podcasts, aiming to educate the public about the species and their threats, can be found in the following links:

“PROTECT MEDITERRANEAN MONK SEALS” by The Falcon School students

“LEARN ABOUT SNAKES” by The Junior School students

This project has demonstrated the power of education and creativity in raising awareness and driving action for wildlife conservation. It is a testament to the potential of our youth in voicing their concerns and advocating to solve environmental challenges.

More information about the project can be found at the Cyprus Environment Foundation website, or at the project webpage by the Values Innovation Education Foundation.