Schoolchildren in the Ashanti Region joined a growing global call to protect the environment on April 25, 2026, as the Rights of Nature Ghana Movement (RoNAG) led by Dr. Dickson Adom, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, hosted a vibrant Stop Ecocide awareness event funded by Gower Street Trust, U.K. Held in collaboration with Stop Ecocide International.
The program brought together pupils from Akrofrom Basic School and Royal Nicky’s Academy to explore environmental protection through expressive art.
The initiative forms part of a global environmental art project aimed at educating young people about ecocide, which is the severe destruction of the natural environment.
At the heart of the event was a creative drawing and painting exercise designed to contribute to an upcoming international film titled “Change The Rules!” The basic schoolchildren were invited to express their understanding of environmental issues through imaginative and creative illustrations ranging from depictions of polluted rivers to scenes of endangered wildlife, and climate action.
Using bold colours and striking imagery, students tackled themes such as illegal mining (galamsey), deforestation, plastic pollution, and ocean conservation. Many drawings contrasted healthy ecosystems with degraded environments, delivering powerful visual messages about the consequences of human activity on nature.
One popular theme, “Save Our Rivers: Stop Galamsey!”, highlighted the devastating impact of illegal mining on Ghana’s water bodies. Others, such as “Our Forests, Our Future” and “Say No to Plastic Pollution”, emphasized sustainable practices and community responsibility. Through these artworks, pupils demonstrated both awareness and concern for the future of their environment.
Organisers noted that the project not only nurtures creativity but also empowers children to become environmental advocates. “When young people understand the importance of protecting nature, they begin to see themselves as part of the solution,” RoNAG’s boss, Dr. Adom, said.
The event also featured educational discussions encouraging students to view nature as a living entity with intrinsic rights aligned with ecocentric principles as well as earth jurisprudence and rights-based theories. This perspective aligns with Stop Ecocide International’s broader mission to advocate for stronger global legal protections for the environment.
READ ALSO: MTN Ghana, Nova launch 2026 Mini MBA to empower SMEs
The schoolchildren, under the coaching of members from RoNAG’s Youth Wing, Marvellous Mensah, Maureen Jones Nkrumah and Kelvin Boateng and the teachers from participating schools, were helped to accompany their drawings with relevant themes that resonated with the schoolchildren’s motivations for their artistic creations such as “Protect Nature, Protect Our Future” and “Stop Ecocide—Save Our Planet,” reinforcing the messages behind their artwork.
As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, initiatives like this highlight the role of education and creativity in shaping a more sustainable future and in advancing understanding of emerging concepts such as ecocide, the rights of nature, and earth jurisprudence. Schoolchildren in Ghana are already picking up the brush and the responsibility to defend the planet against severe destruction of nature – Ecocide!
