Congratulations to shortlisted nominees of DTRF 2018

Global Reconciliation and the Desmond Tutu Reconciliation Fellowship (DTRF) committee would like to applaud the work in environmental care that is being undertaken by many activists around the world. Nominations for the 2018 DTRF have been outstanding. We would like to celebrate every one of them, but commend and bring to your attention in particular the shortlist of nominees for the 2018 Fellowship:

David Michael Terungwa, for campaigning on environmental care issues and creating the capacity building youth training movement of students to address climate change across schools in Nigeria.

Gordon Edwards, for extensive work as an adviser across all societal levels and, in particular, as an educator helping to equip indigenous and non-indigenous communities across the world to make decisions and engage in battles for sustainability using sound scientific, economic and environmental arguments. His work has had a particular emphasis on the subject of uranium mining and processing.

Johnson Malih Ole Kaunga, for recognition that ‘reconciliation cannot occur in isolation from inter-connected projects of environmental care and justice’. He also created the Indigenous Movement for Peace Advancement and Conflict Transformation (IMPACT) in Kenya and was the driver behind the Ewaso Ng’iro Camel Caravan.

Kanchana Weerakoon, for journeys with youth to raise awareness of waste and recycling issues in Sri Lanka and India, educating for a zero-waste lifestyle and promoting environmental volunteerism. Weerakoon is the founder of Eco-V and co-founder of Journeys for Climate Justice SriLanka/Australia.

Nícia Coutinho, for her work helping indigenous communities in Brazil to remain resilient in the face of destruction, and towards saving the biodiversity and natural resources of the richest biome in the world, the Amazon.

Timothy Mugerwa, for training thousands of young people and adults in South Africa and Uganda and mainstreaming climate change awareness into popular culture through the use of music. Mugerwa has spread climate change action in Kenya, Rwanda and Ethiopia, and awareness to individuals, groups, organisations and governments, as well as initiating and leading the ‘Keep Mama Africa Green’ campaign.