Dancing with the Earth
Two winners of the Young Climate Prize share – via an international WhatsApp group chat – their vision of a sustainable future that harnesses creativity in Nigeria and Bolivia to push for system change
words – maxine betteridge-moes; rachel arthur; amara nwuneli; dayana blanco quiroga
location – london, uk; edinburgh, uk; lagos, nigeria; oruro, bolivia
Earlier this year, the nonprofit platform The World Around announced the winners of the Young Climate Prize – a biannual mentorship and award program designed to empower 25 visionary designers, activists and innovators under the age of 25 tackling urgent social and environmental challenges.
Among the winners were 17 year-old Amara Nwuneli, the founder of a youth movement that mobilises climate action through the development of a community park in Lagos, Nigeria, and Dayana Blanco Quiroga, a 25 year-old Bolivian leading a conservation initiative applying Indigenous ecological knowledge to restore a polluted wetland reserve.
The below conversation is extracted from a WhatsApp group chat between the boom saloon team and the winners of the Young Climate Prize and the Jury Prize honoree spanning several weeks.
Preserve our roots = 1
Every bureaucratic process and disbelieving onlookers that tried to hold us back = 0
Sent by amara nwuneli
How did you both react when you heard the news of your Young Climate Prize win?
boom saloon
Dayana
I was honestly over the moon! At that time, my community and I were busy getting everything ready for our Andean carnival [Anata Andino], so there was already a lot of excitement in the air. When I heard that my video was chosen, I was in total disbelief. There were so many incredible and impactful videos, so to have mine selected felt like such a big, unexpected honor. It also made me really happy because it would bring an opportunity to tell the world how mining activities, plastic pollution and climate change are killing our sacred Uru Uru Lake.
Amara
Honestly, I was just grateful to God.
I personally thought the selection process was going to take way longer and I was cooped up in some pre-exam/ college application grind. So when I attended what I thought was a “check in call” and they broke the news, I couldn’t stop smiling; honest disbelief. I too had seen all the amazing video submissions and knew the calibre of the work our fellow 25-ers were doing so I didn’t know what to expect. I always try to expect nothing so I don’t get let down but when I got the call all I could think about was the future of Preserve Our Roots and GREEN. I said the normal pleasantries, “Wow thank you, thank God!!,” and added my mom to the call so she could vet the New York trip. In my head, all I could think of was, “Okayyyyy all the fellowship calls, project iterations and late nights got recognised?”
Preserve our roots = 1
Every bureaucratic process and disbelieving onlookers that tried to hold us back = 0
In my heart I couldn’t stop thinking about the work Preserve our Roots has continuously done, not knowing the wide scale impact but just trusting we were mobilising at least one kid who longs to fight against the environmental and social struggles everyone tells her are “too big for her.”
I literally texted my team… “The five years of youth engagement, grassroots mobilisation and push for systems change is actually changing perspectives and we are not just a group of jobless Nigerian kids making noise.”
Outside of the stickers I sent the YCP team after, I got a rush of energy and dopamine – reinvigorated to seek more landfills and underutilised areas to implement our GREEN Sustainability initiative in. I might have gone back to studying after the call but, trust me, I was focused on making sure school didn’t distract me from my drive to build “mountains in the world’s most populated city.”
Thanks both! That’s so great to hear. Can you explain a bit about how the idea of your respective projects came to be?
boom saloon
Amara
Honestly, it just came from a space of frustration. I had grown to really value the outdoors as a space of recuperation and connection to my heritage, culture and earth the older I grew. However, it felt like a wistful fantasy life that I couldn’t get living in my community. Sometimes I felt like I was born in the wrong generation; whenever I heard stories of my dad and how he used to ride his bike and climb trees… that was not a core memory I got to have growing up in Lagos.
Living in such a densely populated coastal city where 85% of people do not have access to a recreational green space and 40-50% remain affected by pollution related illnesses was jarring. I would drive on a road and see water from the ocean lapping onto the street, coming from the same beach space that used to span out 50 metres but had just been swallowed by water. It felt like a ticking time bomb.
Bruh – houses everywhere, poorly built houses, mansions, unused estates, abandoned houses, random shops, squatter villages, open markets, art markets, factories, slums…
Any grassy land you might see had a time stamp because before you knew it it would just be a plot of concrete soon. But there is no incentive to create spaces like this, even less to build an entirely recycled materials park.
Because the benefits are implicit and long term, I had to do it. For the people who will never get to experience the likes of Karura forest, Lufasi park and Grand Central park. To bring light, sustainability and peace back into people’s lives.
How do people react when you talk about your project? Is there a shared sense of value of green spaces among other people in the city?
boom saloon
Amara
Haha; the reactions I get honestly differ depending on who I am talking to, what they have lived through and their background in general.
For example, when I share it with people who have experienced the climate crisis, rarely had access to nature and understand the true disparity and urban crisis, they are excited. I am just humbled and grateful to God when I say that most conversations I have had concerning GREEN leads to another supporter and #GREENGuardian. You can not show them an almost utopian-like future they can have a part in creating and not have someone support the project.
A lot of the time, people were proud of the dedication – which I was surprised people even saw in a world of ‘end results.’ and deliverables. In Nigeria, it’s really hard to push out public projects – especially projects that take away from spaces that have revenue potential. Land is profit. Plots of land are power. And whenever I delve deep into the lost match I had fought trying to secure a small government space that had turned into a trash centre, they sorta brushed it off. Because it is expected. It’s normal. Routine. Reality, outside of youthful childish optimism.
My older relatives and community elders are honestly the kindest and they really carry that shared sense of values. After realising the rush for modernisation and seeing first hand how we mindlessly traded the two out for one another, I think it brings them calm. Haha – that or maybe the WHO statistics about green spaces and parks are true [people get happier when in that environment – actually breathing clean air].
When I normally share the vision and success of GREEN with someone whose main priority and concern isn’t ‘Green spaces’ but simply to survive… I am met with a bit of nonchalant, ‘why waste your time; is it a passion project?’ type energy. I think that there are some people who have to just sit under a tree for five minutes, removing all protocol and cultural standards to just understand – what is life without these spaces?
But right now, skepticism, passiveness and a complete lack of care really still happens. When we were having the event, the majority of the community members were excited. However, my eyes were drawn to those who will never truly understand the “buzz word” climate change and the why behind GREEN.
This thought saddens me. But it is also what keeps me doing what I do.
Also, the ones who will see these spaces and just get so sad knowing what they have been missing out on and what they can not fully experience yet. Our first GREEN Park is not the size it should be to serve and ground the nation of Nigeria.
I wish it could be more for them already.
But I just have to finish my exams next week and then I’ll continue with the mountain in my city battle saga 💆🏽♀️🧚♀️🤝
The flamingos represent beauty, grace and the persistence of life, even in harsh conditions
Sent by Dayana Blanco Quiroga
That’s totally fair! Hope the exams go well. How about you @Dayana, how did the idea for your project come to be?
boom saloon
Dayana
The Uru Uru Lake Restoration Project came from witnessing firsthand the rapid environmental degradation of Uru Uru Lake and understanding how deeply interconnected this crisis is with the lives of our community. I grew up seeing how the lake, once full of life, became polluted due to mining activities, plastic pollution and climate change. However, I also saw hope because our ancestors have always had ways of living in balance with nature, using native plants like totora for water purification and sustainable land practices to protect water sources.
This project is a bridge between our Indigenous wisdom and modern ecological restoration. By working with local youth and elders, we realised that solutions already existed within our cultural traditions. We just needed to scale them up, integrate them with scientific methods and mobilise people to take action.
Our floating rafts, made from recycled materials where we place Totoras, emerged as a nature-based solution inspired by traditional Andean farming methods. It’s not just about cleaning the lake – it’s about restoring our connection to it, ensuring that future generations inherit a thriving ecosystem that sustains both biodiversity and our cultural identity 😊😊
Brilliant – can you talk about the role of historical knowledge and culture in spurring on a movement? Are there any specific cultural elements [song, dance, etc] that you find is helpful in conveying the message and motivating people to join the movement?
boom saloon
boom saloon
Amara
Dayana
From my own experience and the work we’re doing with the Uru Uru Team, historical knowledge and culture are fundamental in sparking movements. The history of the Vito people, the ancestral connection to the land, and the stories passed down through generations serve as the foundation of our collective strength. These narratives remind us of the resilience and struggles of our ancestors, who fought to protect our heritage, our land and our traditions. By grounding the movement in this history, we can connect people not only to the present but also to a broader cultural identity that spans generations.
One cultural element that’s especially important for us in the Uru Uru Team is the Suri Sicuri dance, which is intimately connected with the flamingos that once dwelled in Uru Uru Lake. The dance itself is more than just a performance; it is a symbol of the connection between the people and the natural world around us. The flamingos represent beauty, grace and the persistence of life, even in harsh conditions. By incorporating the Suri Sicuri dance into the movement, we are celebrating the resilience of the Vito people and their deep ties to the land and animals, while also giving a voice to the struggles of the lake and the environment.
The rhythm of the Suri Sicuri dance, which is inspired by the movement of flamingos, conveys a sense of unity and harmony with nature, which can be deeply motivating for those who participate and watch. It’s a powerful visual and physical representation of the message we are trying to convey – that the protection of our land, our culture and the natural world is essential. When we perform this dance, we invite others into that cultural experience, making them feel part of something that is both a celebration of our heritage and a call to action for the future.
Cultural elements like song, dance and storytelling are incredibly effective in conveying the message of the movement. They tap into a deep, emotional connection with the land, the history and the community, making the cause feel personal and urgent. These traditions create a sense of unity and continuity, reminding us that we are not alone in this fight. By using the Suri Sicuri dance and other cultural expressions, we inspire people to join the movement, to feel proud of their cultural identity and to actively work toward protecting our shared future.
Amara
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