By Aryeh Shell | Education & Training Director
This summer, ArtCorps teamed up with FUNDAECO, one of our partner organizations in the Gulf of Honduras Creative Conservation Project, to take part in their exciting Campaign for Cocolí Bay Pride campaign. Our mission: to bring together and engage the local fishermen, the Committee of Women and students from the Creek Chino communities of Livingston, Guatemala to build awareness and improve the management of the Cocoli Bay, calling particular attention to endangered species such as shrimp, robalo fishes, manatees and mangroves.
ArtCorps provided creative support by helping to design and implement a community mural project on the exterior walls of the fishermen cooperative. FUNDAECO initiated a student drawing contest at three rural schools. Seventeen drawings of local fish, manatees and other endangered species were submitted and we were able to incorporate aspects of all of them into the final design. Over sixty community members of all ages, including students, neighbors, fishermen, women and families came together to paint the mural over the course of three full days - exchanging ideas and using their paintbrushes to express their shared vision of a protected Bay.
A Kaleidoscope design now colorfully fills three walls of the fishing cooperative, depicting all of the species in danger of extinction with the largest wall representing the ideal landscape of Cocoli Bay.
While paintbrushes, pencils, laughter, vivid colors and popular music created a festive atmosphere, this mural project is part of a serious strategy to strengthen relationships between fishermen, the community and government authorities to sign an official agreement for co-management of the Cocoli Bay. While the official agreement is still pending, the mural signifies a watershed moment for community engagement in Livingston and their pledge to protect the vital resource of the Cocoli Bay for generations to come!
The ArtCorps activities create the perfect space for young people to learn together opportunity to learn and have fun too!” - Junior Rodriguez, Technical Coastal Marine, FUNDAECO
With your help, ArtCorps continues to bring greater impact to grassroots changemakers across the globe.
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