The Passionate Walk- Moving the Planet!

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Have you ever woken up any one morning to wow the masses along Nairobi (or any other capital city) streets in a significant splash of style, culture and a powerful message calling for change? Forget the usual propaganda of political change but the unique global voice of environmental change; for people to wake up and MOVE? A voice that is gaining popularity and strength across countries, across generations and definitely across races and gender. A voice so serene yet so powerful. A voice that is diverse yet unifying in its message. Advocating for justice in the climate change crisis. Calling for action. Pushing for environmental rights. Awakening the sleeping lest they swiftly perish in the enjoyment of their sleep. Indeed it is time to wake up and take action. It is time for citizens of the globe to MOVE FOR THE PLANET!

MOVING THE PLANET was a spectacular show of courage, bravery, energy, enjoyment and frustration. Yes, frustration, the youth are frustrated and indeed fed-up of people not taking responsibility for their daily actions that progressively lead to a pile up of carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Who knew that such an event would turn out to be so enormous? Beyond my silent joy of having to walk along the various streets of the capital city with neither hustle nor bustle not to mention the state security escorting us; I was oblivious of what lay in waiting! Setting out with my naiveté and humble jubilation, I was jolted awake at the venue of the event. Wow! Several youths taking part in the walk were ready, the traditional dancers and entertainers were adorning themselves in the beautiful cultural traditional attires &musical instruments and the music truck was ready to go complete with a public address system. The curiosity on the passers-by and hangers-on was not hard to spot.

Setting off from Jeevanjee gardens, the spectacle was a beauty to behold. It was all spread across the faces and actions of the participants. Faces of determination, faces full of hope, faces of eagerness, faces lined with anxiety, faces so tender yet so ripe in their message, restless for change, yearning and calling for environmental care, preaching the religion of environmentalism, warning of the happening and potential disastrous impacts of climate change…calling upon people to move the planet to safety! To use cleaner energy sources, to minimize the use of fossil fuels, to adopt sources that leave the least carbon footprints on the planet, to promote the use of better sustainable means of transport. The emphatic chants of jubilation, the strong echoes of the signature message ‘MOVING AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS’ & ‘WE HAVE FAITH- ACT NOW FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE’ and mix of dancing and joy. Pausing here and there to reach out to the masses along the streets to entertain as well as seek their petitions for climate change justice.

As the event came to an end, if our audience had a hazy understanding of all the ‘craziness’ happening along the streets, we are sure that they clearly heard the strong message delivered by the environmental ambassadors and campaigners. Physically drained from the energetic performances, the participants were glad to have stepped out and been part of this step towards climate justice! As we take a well deserved sigh of relief after such a key event, we all gear up for more. We shall not allow ourselves to grow weary and lose sight of our vision until: the right ears listen, the silent mouths speak, the dusty pens take note, the sleeping actors implement, the right minds think, the cold hearts grow warmer and the lazy masses take action! We are proud of mother earth; we celebrated Moving the Planet.

Riziki Winnie: AYICC-KENYA

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