Rights of Nature-Ghana Movement (RoNAG) was lauded as the most significant non-governmental contributor at the 2025 Climate Education Community of Practice (CECOP) Summit, a high-level gathering of the nation's leading environmental and educational organisations.
The award recognised RoNAG's exceptional impact in advancing climate education across Ghana.
The summit, held at the Radach Conference Centre, Tamale, Northern Region, was convened under the broader Complementary Climate Education Programme (CCEP).
The participating organisations included AfriKids, RoNAG, Climate Smart Training Programme, EduSpots, Orgiis, Rights & Advocacy Initiatives Network – Ghana, RAINS Ghana, SUNG Foundation, Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND), and EcoCare Ghana.
The CECOP, an initiative facilitated by EduSpots and funded by the Gower Street Trust, has established a vital peer-learning space for organisations to share strategies, consider innovative approaches, and influence national climate education practice.
The initiative is critical, as climate change is directly disrupting the lives and education of Ghanaian schoolchildren.
Amidst a competitive field of distinguished organisations, RoNAG was distinguished for its profound contributions to the CECOP community.
The Director and Lead Campaigner of RoNAG, Dr. Dickson Adom, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Innovations in Science and Technology, Faculty of Educational Studies, KNUST, received the award on behalf of his organisation and team members present at the event.
"This recognition is a testament to our collective commitment to not only advocate the rights of nature but to equip the next generation with the knowledge to protect nature," said Dr. Adom upon receiving the honour.
Beyond the accolade, Dr. Adom played a pivotal role in the summit's knowledge-sharing agenda. He presented a comprehensive overview of field projects embarked upon by RoNAG, detailing their grassroots approach to environmental stewardship.
In a key contribution that drew significant attention, he shared the novel BASIK (Basic School Indigenous Knowledge Inspired) pedagogical guide carefully designed for basic school teachers for teaching native trees. It consists of comprehensive content with lesson plans, activity worksheets, and reflective exercises on twenty native tree species in Ghana. It highlights the local names and description of each of the native trees as well as their ecological functions in combating climate change, their medicinal, economic, and cultural/spiritual values, advocating for their conservation and education among Basic school learners in Ghana. Commendably, the guide has an extended resource on twenty environmental folk songs to aid in driving the teaching of the content based on the music intelligence theory.
During his presentation, he brought the guide to life, explaining to the gathering how localised tree species can be nurtured and protected through the creative use of local proverbs, symbolism, and music in educational activities.
This guide is more than a teaching tool; it is a bridge connecting students to their ancestral wisdom, land, and cultural heritage," he explained.
"By using our cultural heritage—our proverbs and our songs—to understand and value our native flora, we foster a deeper sense of ecological citizenship from a young age," Dr. Adom indicated.
The summit served as a vital platform for collaboration, bringing together partners focused on diverse areas from school-based tree planting and eco-clubs to sustainable agriculture and youth-led action projects.
RoNAG's recognition as the topmost NGO and its sharing of innovative, culturally-grounded resources cement its position as a leading force in shaping a climate-resilient future for Ghana through nature-based education.
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