IYASA singing “There is an answer.... to find the way..."
Photo: ActionAid
There is an answer to find the way……….. Help us to put the past behind us.Ooohhhhhh!!!!! please help us, to find the way……., help us to put the past behind us……………. Let us love one another..........
IYASA performing arts group based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on Wednesday 23 November 2011 put Caravanites (of the Caravan of Hope) and other delegates in an emotionally moving and pensive mood when they pleaded with polluters “help us to find the way and put the past behind us…………..” in a song they were mimicking popular African Artist PJ Powers. In addition the song urged Africans “to love one another and find the way to deal with climate change”.
The thousands of people who attended the official petition signing ceremony held at Ampitheatre Theater in the country’s second capital city, Bulawayo stood up in a “frenzy like mood” for about 15 minutes to join the IYASHA performing arts group in singing the emotionally moving song which was also echoed by the Ministry of Local Government and Environment and Tourism Officials who attended the ceremony.
"The challenges we face on climate change are caused by human beings. A clean environment starts with where you are," Bulawayo Mayor Councilor T. Moyo pleaded with Zimbabweans to take responsibility in causing climate change but he urged “all to work together” and “love one another” as the country takes climate change head on.
"Let us start thinking that climate change is with us and the answer lies with us", Mr. Moyo said.
Ministry of Local Government representative, Mr. T. S Magura, who spoke on behalf of the Governor of Bulawayo, Mr. M. G. Matema, said effects of climate change were increasingly being felt in Zimbabwe with increases in temperatures, a recent heat wave, erratic droughts which were worse in the southern parts of the country and increases in school drop outs as school attendance is erratic as children go to school with empty stomachs.
Speaker after speaker hoped that “something fruitful” would come out of the COP 17 meeting in Durban. “We want pro-poor climate sensitive policies” to be developed from the COP 17 meeting,” a United Nations Development Programme representative, Daisy Mukarakate, who attended the official petition signing ceremony, said.
