Olusegun Adeniyi

1.1 Exploring New Frontiers: Nigerian Youth Using Art Education to Deliver SDGs (Paper)

Olusegun Adeniyi – RA International School (RAIS), Bonny Island, Nigeria

Abstract:

The Sustainable Development Goals were developed at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2012. The purpose was to create a set of global goals, related with the environmental, political, and economic challenges that we face as humanity. Arts activities can provoke positive emotions such as hope, responsibility, care, and solidarity that, in turn, inspire resilience and action. And if art has the power to inform and provoke, art can help to deliver the SDGs. Beyond aesthetics, art can be used to create awareness about the climate change and provoke us to take action to protect our planet. This paper is aimed at presenting a case study of art as a tool to enact social change; the art-based sustainability projects of the Nigerian youth produced to share their concerns for the environment and to evoke the students, parents, and community interests to re-use, reduce and recycle for sustainable future and survival of the planet earth. The role of art in saving our planet cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to engaging young minds in sustainability. Art provides a universal language that children can use to express their understanding of environmental issues and their solutions. In Nigeria, various sustainability projects led by children, often under the guidance of passionate art educators, are already making waves. The projects have fostered sustainability consciousness and encouraged eco-friendly lifestyle among students, teachers, and parents of the school community and beyond. Conclusively, these projects not only encourage environmental consciousness but also give young people a platform to creatively express their thoughts and solutions for saving the planet. Through these initiatives, art educators and their students are contributing to a more sustainable future, showing that creative expression can indeed change the world.

Olusegun Adeniyi