05 Nov 2023 National Wildlife Week is celebrated from the 2nd to 8th of October every year in India, since 1952, to protect and preserve India’s flora and fauna. The theme for this year’s week was Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation. The Green Landscape Implementation Unit (GLIU) of the Green-Ag Project, Similipal Landscape, celebrated the National Wildlife Week from 5th to 12th October 2023 with the school children through its 17 green eco clubs located in the schools of the project’s high-priority villages under Mayurbhanj District, Odisha. The team aligned their activities with the aim of the Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Odisha (GoO) to highlight wildlife conservation, educate, and promote sustainable coexistence with nature in the state. The GLIU collaborated with the School and Mass Education Department, GoO, for this week-long celebration which witnessed the active participation of 1,020 schoolchildren studying in 13 primary, 1 upper primary and 3 higher secondary schools of the project landscape. With the support of schoolteachers, the GLIU organized tree planting (140 mango and 40 guava fruit saplings), morning rounds in the village (Prabhat Pheri) with written-placard messages and vocal slogans, competitions - debates and painting in the green eco-club schools. The planted trees will be maintained and taken care of by children under the guidance of their teachers. Through these activities, the schoolchildren raised awareness of wildlife conservation among the community and learned about sustainable practices, ecosystem management, and biodiversity conservation including awareness about wildlife protection, and habitat restoration of the Similipal Landscape. 102 children who won the debate and painting competitions were felicitated and encouraged with prizes and appreciation certificates by the Project Director Watershed cum Project Nodal Officer, School Principles and the officials of the School and Mass Education Department.