5.6.2013
Happy World
Environment Day! The Mayor of Mwanza has launched a massive campaign and
celebrations around this theme. The campaign kicked off on Saturday the 1st
of June with a big event for the cleanliness of the city. The launching of the
clean-up campaign took place close to the central market of Mwanza. The
population was gathered around the square where there were Pepsi-sponsored
tents and a stage where different authorities of the city gave speeches and
encouraged the population to keep the city clean. The music was loud and the
atmosphere high!
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| Mwanza City clean-up campaign in action, pic. Amin Abdallah |
Different people where
asked to climb up the stage and present themselves to the population. Being the
only two white people (and being part of the Tampere-Mwanza co-operation), me
and my Finnish friend were also pulled up the stage for presentation. Luckily
we didn’t have to dance in front of all those people! I don’t think that would
have been quite as natural for us as it was for the Mayor and other people
there. After the official part, the crowd left the square following the Mayor
and sweeping the streets. The media was widely present and taking pictures of the
Mayor and other authorities cleaning up the city. They showed good initiative
and hopefully we will see Mwanza very clean in the future! Oh, by the way
Mwanza was also awarded the cleanest city in Tanzania! Something to be proud
of!
The World Environment
Day activities continued throughout the week and peaked up today, on the 5th
of June in an event arranged in front of the city offices (the same building
where the Tampere-Mwanza office is found). Me and the coordinator were also
asked to take part in the activity. There was a traditional dance and drumming
group entertaining people while the city officials arrived. The City Director
and the Regional Commissioner gave speeches to the population on the importance
environmental activities and conservation.
The traditional music
and the dancing were entertaining and I enjoyed a lot! In the beginning of the
show the group carried a wooden box in the middle of the area. Suddenly, the
music got tense and quick and one of the men opened the wooden box and pulled
out a huge snake! And another man pulled out another snake from the box! The
crowd went wild! The dancers started playing around with the snakes and putting
them around their bodies! That was crazy and yet so entertaining! An experience
I will never forget!
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| World Environment Day performance, pic. Ruusa Gawaza |
These were the most
memorable World Environment Day activities I have ever attended to! Thank you
Mwanza City!
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