The New Carnival Company has announced its theme for the Isle of Wight Mardi Gras in 2022, as well as a firm commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of its annual Mardi Gras parade in Ryde by banning all petrol and diesel vehicles.
‘Our World, Our Future’ is the theme for next summer’s parade, which will be held on Saturday 9th July and will form part of the opening celebrations for National Children’s Carnival Week (9th-17th July 2022).
The Mardi Gras Parade has been sorely missed for the last 2 summers due to the pandemic but will be back on the streets with a riot of colour, costume, and choreography next year.
The New Carnival Company (NCC) has already begun to deliver some exploratory workshops for schools, to introduce the theme and to ensure the narrative for next year’s extraordinary parade is owned by the children and young people themselves. Oakfield Primary School, Ryde Junior School and students at Ryde Academy are all taking part in the process, representing children and young people from across the education spectrum at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.
Frankie Goldspink, Creative Director of the New Carnival Company explains:
“For the very first time, we invited a number of schools to create the story board for the parade, which usually comprises around 30 topics within one overriding theme. We felt very strongly that ‘Our World Our Future’ should be driven by the children’s view, not what we, as teachers, parents and artists are telling them. We are asking them “what would you like to see changed by 2030, and what actions must we, as society, take to get there?”
The overarching theme will also demonstrate links to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which pledge a global commitment to ending poverty, providing access to education for all, and building a fairer and more prosperous society. The recent school workshops have also identified issues which are concerning young people in addition to climate change. These have included: eliminating waste, eating less meat, avoiding unnecessary travel, keeping plastic out of the ocean and using renewable energy.
The final collection of ‘Our World Our Future’ topics will be unveiled early in the New Year and all schools and community groups will be invited to choose which section they would like to represent and showcase through carnival arts at the Mardi Gras parade.
The New Carnival Company has also pledged to remove all petrol and diesel vehicles from the parade starting from next year and to research and develop other sustainable means of delivering music for choreography throughout the parade.
Chris Slann, Executive Director of the New Carnival Company said:
“We are committed to becoming a more sustainable arts organisation and these initiatives are the first steps of a five-year plan. It is vital that carnival and the outdoor arts sector responds to the present emergency with renewed vigour and gravitas. We don’t have time to procrastinate”.
Banning of petrol and diesel vehicles, ok. But how about the banning of polyester t shirts, plastic flags and beaters for the drums and I have no doubt plastic drum skins, and plastic glitter on the flags. So it’s ok for plastic to be used for things but fuelled vehicles are banned. Hypocritical. Stop preaching about what we can and can’t do, since when do carnival organisers tell us what to eat. High protein foods are important for those of us who have physically demanding jobs, unlike the pen pushers at work here.
Their ban is a step in the right direction. You have to do something how ever little. Yes you are right that they should band all unsustainable items. But there is no option! And that’s the point, we need to find these alternatives now instead of sticking our heads in the sand and pretending climate change does not exist.
If they are banning all petrol and diesel vehicles from the parade what about the accompanying emergency service vehicles?
Maybe if the government got their finger out of where the sun don’t shine they would already be electric.
Would probably cost 10s of billions to make all these vehicles electric. It’s also probably not practical for ambulances to be electric.
“We are committed to becoming a more sustainable arts organisation. Well ban all clothes mad of artificial material, flags drums etc most of which originate from oil from your processions then we might start paying attention, but until that happens stop preaching your hypocrosy at us.
For goodness sake, it’s supposed to be a carnival, it’s supposed to be about music and dance and FUN. Please don’t use this as yet another opportunity to preach to us or ‘educate’ us on current issues, we get enough of that elsewhere. Just let people go along to the carnival, have fun and, for a short while at least, forget some of the world’s problems. PLEASE don’t ruin it.
Maybe they should stop “preaching” at us, then they might get more support.
What about the fuel powered generators used on the floats to run the lights and sound systems, will they be banned as well?
I would like to congratulate the Carnival Committee on shown social responsibility over the last 2 years. Unlike some. I would however suggest they check with the council regarding the Ryde re hash of the esplanade for the route. Good luck as always I look forward to the special event.
Another bunch of hypocritical idiots who are too stupid to realise that overpopulation is going to kill the planet long before climate change does. And the morons who think that making everything electric are also showing their complete lack of knowledge if they think that will cut pollution at all, it will actually cause much more harmful toxicity to be released into the atmosphere, so good luck with that…