Environmental Action through Cultural Approach

(A Report)

We of the Bohol Goodwill Volunteers Cooperation Circle (adult interfaith group now led by Ludwig Bon Quirog & Marjorie Angalot) and the Trust, Understanding, & Learning Among Youth (TULAY) Cooperation Circle (now led by Kristine Genita), with the help of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) learned through our previous project (the Coastal Clean Up Project) that the youth in the locality where we did the coastal clean up did not bother to help.

We also noticed that they were interested in the arts, such as joining musical groups (a band) and dramatics clubs. But when we saw their performances on Youtube (the Dimiao Youth Band) it was our impression that they lacked training to improve their performing skills.

This gave us the idea that it might encourage them to help take care of their local environment if we offer them free training to improve their performance skills, and in exchange they will do coastal clean up. Our original plan was to give the training to only one group.

We put together a two-day Basic Theatre Workshop for local youths which incorporates in its module some inputs on environmental advocy and ends with an actual coastal clean up in the nearest seashore. On October 15-16 2011 we held a Basic Theatre Workshop for the local band members composed of chilren as young as ten playing the trumpet, an elementary school teacher playing the clarinet, a policeman who plays the saxophone, and youth leaders. We explained to them what happened to us during our first coastal clean up project in the locality. We frankly told them that we felt that they did not bother to help us take care of their own environment.

We showed them photos of our first coastal clean up project. We gave them a chance to express their own insights about global climate change and related environmental problems through artistic expression. In the course of the workshop for the band, members of the local dramatics club took a peep of our sessions and requested that we also give them a similar workshop. They also expressed the willingness to do their own coastal clean up.

Indeed, on October 29-20, 2011, barely two weeks after the first workshop, we held the 2nd Basic Theatre Workshop, this time for the members of the dramatics club of the St. Nicholas Academy High School. While we targetted only to hold one workshop and one coastal clean up, it turned out that we were able to hold two workshops (for the local band and dramatics club) and two separate coastal clean ups. We also got the support of the parents of the youth band members, the local parish church volunteers, and the mayor.

The first workshop was participated by 18 members of the local band, while the 2nd workshop was participated by 36 youths mostly composed of dramatics club members.

Please see attached photos of the 1st and 2nd workshops and the two corresponding coastal clean ups.