Three organizations joined forces on August 16 in holding a storytelling session with children of barangay Looc, Mandaue City that highlighted the importance of sharks.
The storytelling session served as a post activity in relation to the National Sharks Summit held last August 14-15 at the Capitol Social Hall. The storytelling session was organized by the University of Cebu (UC) College of Law, Basadours, and Oceana.
The Basadours is a group of volunteers who are advocates for reading and storytelling while Oceana is an international non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and revitalizing the world’s oceans.
The event’s press release said the storytelling session was organized to raise awareness about sharks and its importance to the economy and ecosystem.
“Sharks are at the top of the food chain in virtually every part of the ocean. When the shark population declines, the marine ecosystem loses its balance. It is important to teach the young about the need for their protection and, as future leaders, be at the forefront in calling for action to promote sustainability of shark fisheries and trade and the marine environment as a whole,” the press release noted.
In her column in Cebu Daily News, Oceana representative and lawyer Gloria “Golly” Estenzo Ramos said: “The Basadours regaled the kids with stories, with attractive cut-outs and materials about bakawan (mangroves), corals, the species that depend in our seas including sharks and the various species, and of course, the destruction that humans have caused such as making them a dumping ground of used resources like the perilous plastic.”
She added: “The endeavor was also an opportunity for the UC law students to appreciate that their knowledge can be applied even to the youngest of our folks….Hopefully, they will be able to replicate what took place last Saturday in other communities and touch more young hearts and minds.”
A total of 120 children attend the storytelling session with the Basadours as storytellers. The children were also treated to a morning of games, arts and crafts, and school supplies as giveaways.
Photos of the storytelling session can be viewed at the Basadours’ website (www.basadours.org) or the group’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/basadours). Ramos’ full column can be read at the Cebu Daily News website through this link: http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/39856/touching-young-hearts-and-minds.
