The work of two 7-year-old Caymanians who took part in the first Cayman Mangrove Festival art show has been selected to feature in the 2022 International Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar organised by the Mangrove Action Project (MAP).
The artwork of Arshiya Anuj and Shrubbhavi Choudhary, who attend Montessori by the Sea school, which was chosen from entries from all over the world sent to MAP for the 20th anniversary calendar, depicted Cayman’s mangroves and Grand Cayman’s various districts.
The girls’ artwork was picked for the month of December in the calendar. Work from young conservation-minded artists in 11 other countries are also featured, including Singapore, Bangladesh, China, India, USA, Indonesia, Russia, Korea, Mauritius, Malaysia and Mexico.
This is the first time Cayman will be represented in the calendar, and Mangrove Education Project executive director Martin Keeley explained that this was a particularly special calendar to be featured in, as it marks the 20th year that the children’s international calendar has been published and distributed worldwide.
“I have been involved in the competition since I started working with MAP over 20 years ago,” Keeley said in a statement. “And this is the first time art from Cayman’s students has been included. We are proud to see Cayman’s youth recognized for their interest in the islands wetlands.”
Arshiya and Shrubbhavi, who organisers said were excited to learn that children all over the world were going to see their artwork, had learned that mangroves provide storm and flood protection and how they fit into the marine ecosystem.
They were recently presented with copies of the calendar and participation certificates by the Cayman Islands Mangrove Rangers at the Governor Gore Bird Sanctuary.
The Mangrove Rangers say they plan to publish one art piece from the arts festival every month of 2022.
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