“Amader Neel Prithibi” — When Art Became a Language of Environmental Awareness in a Small Town Bengal
“Amader Neel Prithibi” — When Art Became a Language of Environmental Awareness in a Small Town Bengal
Joydeep Dasgupta On 15 June 2025, the Manasatala Boys’ Club in Bhadreswar in West Bengal, India hosted “Amader Neel Prithibi”, a community-driven drawing competition that brought together over 70 children and their families to creatively raise awareness about pressing environmental issues. What made this event stand apart was its intent to bring the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the heart of local consciousness. For the first time in the Champdani constituency, children aged 7 to 17 engaged with themes such as clean water, plastic pollution, sustainable consumption, and climate action, not through lectures or textbooks, but through colour, narrative, and lived experience.
Aligned with the UNDP’s flagship initiative “Climate Promise”, the event echoed the global call to nurture young minds and uplift voices from small towns and rural communities in climate awareness and sustainable practices. Such inclusion is essential to shaping bottom-up climate policies. Everyday concerns from leaky taps and overflowing drains to the widespread use of single-use plastics were reimagined as powerful visual narratives. Through this process, children were meaningfully engaged in an effort to sensitise and empower them as vocal advocates for the climate crisis. This spirit was honoured at the close of the event, as each participant received a certificate and medal, proudly recognised as an ‘Environment Warrior’. A recent article by Indian Development Review (IDR) supports this experiential approach to climate awareness, emphasizing that hands-on and participatory learning leaves a more lasting impact than traditional textbook instruction.
The event was graced by national footballer Mr. Prasanta Banerjee, sculptor Mr. Pradeep Sur, and local MLA Mr. Arindam Guin, alongside respected educators and community leaders. In collaboration with respected Nanda Dulal Biswas and “Durgamoyee Academy”, a local school, over 60 saplings were distributed. The event stood as a reminder that addressing the climate crisis demands collective action where communities, leaders, and young voices must work together towards a greener future.
The initiative was conceptualised and led by me, Amiya Kumar Sur, a joint PhD scholar at the University of Manchester and IISc Bangalore working at the intersection of climate science and artificial intelligence for global water management.
“If environmental education reaches small towns and rural communities through simple language, creative expression, and real-life experiences, it can leave a lasting impact and gradually build a sustainable future,” said Sur.
As the sun set over Bhadreswar that day, what remained was a powerful belief — that even a small town can spark the voice of climate action.
