As part of its mission to raise awareness about coastal degradation, the WACA Guinea-Bissau project launched a large-scale communications campaign during the Bubaque festivals (Escadinha and Bruce) — the largest cultural events in the Bijagos Archipelago — reaching over 9,000 participants from across the country and the Guinean diaspora.

WACA supported the events with awareness messages broadcast on the radio, and during concerts, exhibitions, and conferences hosted at the Bubaque House of Environment and Culture. These efforts aimed to highlight the importance of environmental conservation and the preservation of the Bolama Bijagos Archipelago’s cultural and natural heritage, while encouraging the active participation of both local and national communities in sustainable development practices.

The initiative was made possible through collaboration with the Institute for Biodiversity and Protected Areas (IBAP), the festival organizers, the Ministry of Environment, Biodiversity and Climate Action, and a range of national partners and local associations. Together, they implemented a series of activities including beach clean-ups, environmental education sessions on coastal ecosystem preservation, promotion of local cultural values, and actions to protect the archipelago’s natural and cultural heritage.

These efforts also helped raise awareness about the significance of the Bolama Bijagos Archipelago, a recognized biosphere reserve and candidate for UNESCO World Natural Heritage status.

Though the WACA project in Guinea-Bissau is still in its early stages, this campaign has already boosted the program’s visibility and strengthened public engagement around the environmental and sustainability challenges facing the Bijagos Archipelago.