News
Orissa: A huge celebration of kindness
February 10, 2009, 12:44PM MT
By Sharon St. Joan
School kids march for animals!
School kids march for animals!
By Sharon St Joan, Best Friends Network
Every year APOWA (Action for the Protection of Wild Animals) holds an Animal Welfare Fortnight for the two weeks from January 14 through January 31 in the Kendrapara District in the state of Orissa, in eastern India. Kendrapara lies along the Bay of Bengal, in the river delta where the Brahmani River and the Baitarani River run into the sea.
The aim of the event is to encourage in school students "feelings of love, kindness and compassion towards all living beings."
Some of the activites that take place during these two weeks are animal treatment camps, animal rescue work, establishing new "karuna" (kindness) clubs in schools, and essay and art competitions.
The President of APOWA, Shri Bijaya Kumar Rout, started off the celebration by expressing his concern about increasing instances of cruelty to animals and human/wildlife conflicts to a gathering of 87 people at the APOWA offices.
From January 15 through 18, a poster and banner campaign was held throughout the Kendrapara District, during which young people displayed banners on the theme of kindness to animals.
On January 24, at Tulasidia, the vets of APOWA and the Pattamundai Veterinary Hospital joined together to hold an Animal Treatment Camp for 268 animals, both owned and stray. The entire district and much of Orissa had suffered last fall from catastrophic floods. The food, medicine and vaccines given to the animals were made available as part of APOWA's post-flood disaster relief program.
In India, January 26 is celebrated as Republic Day, the day when India's Constitution came into force in 1950. Independence Day, August 15, is the day when India became independent in 1947.
APOWA led a celebration of Republic Day by feeding 150 animals. Volunteers distributed food to the animals in various sectors of the district.
A thousand participants marched in an Ahimsa ("do no harm") Rally held on January 28; most were from the Kendrapara Boys high School. They carried signs and banners, and many wore animal masks. Two giant bulls, one red and one black (with one student being the front legs for each bull and another the back legs) danced as they marched and were a big hit!
Many schools, with hundreds of girls and boys, along with many of their families, took part in the very colorful, fun and enchanting activities over the two weeks of the celebration. A very magical way to be reminded about kindness towards animals!
Thanks to APOWA for contributing information about these events.
Photo: APOWA
What you can do
To read more about APOWA and the work they are doing to help animals, please go to
http://www.apowa.org/