WNPS Youth Wing Fosters Conservation Education
The Youth Wing of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka (WNPS), in collaboration with USAID, recently opened the "Tales of Conservation" exhibition, a compelling art exhibition which created activism aimed at increasing environmental awareness and action. The exhibition displayed a diverse collection of artworks that addressed important issues such as waste management, conservation, climate change, education, and policies regarding the environment. Each piece was more than just art, it sparked conversations, provided visitors with practical solutions, and allowed them to interact directly with experts in numerous fields. Sri Lanka, a biodiversity hotspot, is often taken for granted by its own people. Baba Dioum's timeless words resonate deeply: “We will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” Recognizing the transformative power of education in conservation, artists Umaiyanthy Kugendiran and Mahesha Kariyapperuma used their work to shed light on the fragility of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity and the urgent need for collective action.
Kugendiran's digital artwork revealed the harsh realities of regions at risk that have been severely impacted by environmental issues. Through powerful portrayals of the Human-Elephant Conflict, the Meethotamulla Garbage Dump Collapse, and the MV X-Press Pearl Disaster, the artist demonstrated how those who rely on nature for survival are frequently the hardest harmed by degradation of the environment.
Kariyapperuma's interactive artwork used a novel method, transforming habitat fragmentation
into a solution to the issue. Visitors became participants, putting together solutions to restore environmental balance. This experience broke the boundaries between both art and reality, communicating the importance and impact of an individual acts on conservation efforts. The exhibition extended beyond visual art to create a vibrant platform for environmental engagement. Insightful forum discussions encouraged attendees to reflect, learn, and take action within their communities. Moderated by Ms. Pavithra Attanayake; a young conservation enthusiast and a conservation educator, the forum featured an esteemed panel of experts: Mr. Uditha Hettige from Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA), Ms. Narmadha Dangampola from Butterfly Conservation Society of Sri Lanka (BCSSL), Ms. Kanchana Perera from FEO, Dr. Jody Miller; a conservation educator, and Mr. Keshan Perera from WNPS Youth Wing.
The panelists underscored the importance of integrating traditional knowledge systems—such as local medicine and home gardening—into conservation education programs. They emphasized the need for collaboration across disciplines, thorough resource assessment, and mutual respect, all while prioritizing youth engagement. The discussion also highlighted the power of interactive tools like social media, murals, storytelling, and AI to reach and inspire diverse audiences.
Both collaboration and community became one of the major themes within the forum. According to the experts, open dialogue would encourage, as well as empower an organization for shared goals and resources, and such relationships would develop between the organizations and local communities. Effective conservation programs are those that can be tailored to local specificities, align with local contexts, and take the research-and-action continuum into account. It was also identified that defining the values and behaviors would be the first steps towards community-based management systems.
The "Tales of Conservation" exhibition communicated the urgent appeal and important message that preserving the planet is crucial. It inspires the audience to become advocates through which the future would not just be talked about, but instead, worked on toward a vision where the rich biodiversity of Sri Lanka thrives into the generations to come.