Blood Lions
Photo Credit: Supplied / Camps Bay High School

Over 800 voices were added to the #800 Lions campaign; in fact, more than 660 schoolchildren and students joined the cause to help raise awareness.

 

South Africa (21 January 2021) – The 800 Voices for 800 Lions campaign aimed to visually represent through art the quota of 800 lion skeletons South Africa exported every year for use in traditional medicine that has no proven curative benefits.

Blood Lions wanted to inspire and mobilise people to raise their voices by creating their own lion art to submit to the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF). The campaign has been submitted to Honourable Minister Barbara Creecy at DEFF, and the organisation is awaiting further communication. They are also awaiting news on what was recommended to the Minister by the High-Level Panel.

“We are proud to report that the campaign reached 163% of its goal, with over 1,300 lion art submissions from across the globe.” 

“Looking at the numbers, we received 853 submissions from South Africans, including 593 from young South Africans under the age of 16. The campaign also attracted 36 submissions from Vietnam, including 27 from students at Thai Phien Primary School and 20 from school children in China, which was really inspiring to see.” – Cath Jakins

A few schools in South Africa really took to the challenge and submitted student artwork en masse. Manor Gardens Primary School in Durban submitted over 138 pieces of artwork, including songs and poems written and performed by the students.

La Lucia Junior Primary School (Durban) blew Blood Lions away with a submission of 257 pieces of art created by their learners. Other schools that took part in the campaign were Camelot College (DBN), Chelsea Preparatory (DBN), Thomas More College (DBN), St Elizabeth’s Pre Primary (DBN), Bishops College (CT) and Generation School (CT). All of the artwork can be seen on the #800Lions webpage, under “Children’s Submissions” and/or “Video Submissions”.

Here is a video clip with just a handful of the youth artwork: Youth #800Lions Art Submissions.


Sources: Blood Lions – Supplied
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About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

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