I have observed that on Okyeame Kwame’s Twitter profile, he now identifies himself as the Artivist and also on his website. So I did some digging and found out that the Artivist means the Artiste and Activist together. So yes, I miss Okyeame Kwame releasing new songs, but when it comes to Activism, the artist is trailblazing.
On 21st July, Okyeame Kwame organised about five hundred (500) students to walk from Accra Metropolitan Assembly to Parliament to petition the climate caucus to be more ambitious about climate justice. During the walk, there were chants from the student asking for climate justice, greener Ghana, reafforestation, and sounding the alarm of climate emergency.
To receive Okyeame Kwame, the climate ambassador and the group at Parliament were Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Marfo, the UN resident coordinator, His Excellency Charles Abani, the mayor of Accra, Hon. Elizabeth Sackey, and some members of the parliamentary Climate Caucus. Unanimously, the hosts agreed with the advocates that the world needs climate, especially Africans and indigenous people globally, who contribute to less than 4 per cent to carbon emissions must be compensated for climate injustice since we feel the brunt of the harsh climate conditions today.
Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Marfo also praised and commended Okyeame Kwame and the climate clock team for taking up this very important subject and involving future generations by conscientising them. The climate walk organised was in observation of the Climate Emergency Day, which is every 22nd of July.
Whiles at Parliament, the UN resident coordinator commended Okyeame Kwame for taking on this very important task saying ‘his Activism must go beyond regional level.’
After the walk, the students, teachers and activists were all refreshed by Ekumfi juice to support the initiative.
After the Climate walk, a delegation, led by Okyeame Kwame and his family, went to pay a courtesy call on the head of the united arab emirates Diplomatic mission in accra, His Excellency, Amer Al Alalawi. Together with Nakeeyat Dramani Sam (Youth Climate Advocate), Portia Adu Mensah (lead advocate, climate clock Ghana), and a group of media to speak about youth representation at COP28 which is being hosted by the UAE in expo city Dubai in November. Speaking to the delegation, His Excellency appreciated Okyeame’ s initiative and assured that the UAE is Keen to include youth in most climate discussions and decision-making . He commended Okyeame Kwame and the team for caring about the environment and sharing the vision of the UAE as well.
From the 14th of July to 20th July, the climate clock visited Kwabenya Snr High School, St John’s Grammer High School, Kaneshie Cluster of schools, St. Martin De Porres, to speak to over 1500 students, using the figures of the clock, to explain the climate emergency and the need for action now.
So the climate emergency day is today, 22nd July. Okyeame Kwame will be joined by other climate activists on Facebook and Instagram to observe the countdown of the climate clock to 5 years.
Later in the day, the conversation will be migrated to Twitter spaces, hosted by Kwame Dadzie, where Twitter audiences will meet scientists, to discuss the theme: “what can we do to increase our lifeline”.
The panellists of the discussion will include Dr. Charles Abani, UN resident coordinator, Dr. Tutu Benefo, Head of Climate Change, EPA, Bossman Owusu Jnr, Country Director, Solidaridad, Dr Winston Asante, climate consultant, Gan Golan, chief strategy officer, climate clock, Portia Adu Mensah, lead Advocate, climate clock, Michael David, executive director, GIFSEP, and Okyeame Kwame, musician and Climate ambassador.
The walk was organised by Okyeame Kwame Foundation in partnership with Accra Metropolitan Assembly and sponsored by Ekumfi Juice.
Story By: Akwasi Boateng/Ghananewss.com/Ghana
