Spotlight on ‘ecocide’ through large mural at Viharamahadevi park

The Youth Wing of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) volunteers are raising awareness of the climate crisis by creating a mural highlighting deforestation and the changing global climate. This will be the largest ‘ecocide’ mural in Sri Lanka and will be on display at the Viharamahadevi Park, opposite the Nelum Pokuna roundabout thisFriday.

The public is invited to join the WNPS Youth Wing, Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE), Extinction Rebellion (XR) Sri Lanka, The Pearl Protectors, Earth Guardians Sri Lanka, and Climate Action Now Sri Lanka on Friday, March 19 at Viharamahadevi Park, Nelum Pokuna roundabout from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in solidarity with their stand against the rampant deforestation taking place around the country.

This event is conducted in solidarity with the Global Climate Strike 'Fridays for Future'; various creative forms that include dance, art, and theatrical performances that depict the current plight of Mother Nature.

The movement started by Swedish teenager, Greta Thunberg, has now gone viral as the cause resonated with the world. On the 19th, millions of activists worldwide will be stepping out to the streets demanding governments look seriously at climate change issues and ensure proper evaluation and monitoring of all development activities.

Ecocide is an umbrella term used for human activities that violate environmental justice principles by substantially damaging or destroying ecosystems or harming the health and well-being of life found within them. Formed to reflect the word genocide, the term ecocide originated in the aftermath of the Vietnam War when biologist Arthur W. Galston used it to denounce the United States Army's use of a particularly toxic defoliant known as Agent Orange.