Date : 16/11/2011
(with photo)
KUWAIT, Nov 16 (KUNA) -- The 3rd annual Green Caravan Film Festival (GCFF)
was launched on Wednesday under the sponsorship of the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) and Equilibrium Environmental Services Company
where award-winning international films will be screened in an attempt to
raise awareness on ongoing environmental damage.
In the opening ceremony, held at the UN House in Mishref, UN Resident
Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Kuwait Dr. Adbelmoula said
that the aim of this festival is to raise public awareness on environmental
issues that concern the community and encourage cooperation in the country's
various sectors in the challenges of these environmental concerns.
He added that the United Nations tries to help Kuwait and its governmental
bodies and civil institutions to combat environmental issues in the country.
"It is a challenge that concerns everyone, not only those who are directly
affected by it. Everyone should show concern. We in the UN are working towards
having a follow up of all environmental issues on the agenda," the UN
coordinator told KUNA.
"This film festival could go a long way in raising awareness and make
people more conscious about the fact the each and every one of us has an
obligation to contribute towards slowing and limiting these issues."
"In Kuwait, consumers use a lot of plastic, therefore, we, at the UN, try
to advocate greener alternatives for plastic waste through encouraging the use
of biodegradable materials such as paper which is cheaper and recyclable."
Meanwhile, Managing Partner of Equilibrium Environmental Services and
Co-Director of the Green Caravan Film Festival Sandra Al-Saleh, said in her
opening remarks that "it is extremely important that such event educate and
enlighten have such steadfast and positive support."
"We have a duty to collaborate and join forces if we were to make any
progress towards a better future. We all have a responsibility to bear for
the damage done to our world as well as a responsibility to alleviate the
burden place upon it by collective actions," she pointed out.
On a side note to KUNA, Al-Saleh clarified that equilibrium has first
started consulting with corporations and companies but moved on to working
more with schools and universities by doing workshops and this film festival.
" Sometime people are confused of the extend of environmental issues, their
effects and how fast they are moving," she noted.
The festival, held from November 16-26, will screen seven films in both
Kuwait and Dubai to show the effect of climate change on communities
displacement, the threat on food supply, hence economy, through the collapse
of beekeeping industry, the damage done by radioactive waste by nuclear power
plants which ultimately lead to natural disasters, man-made disasters and
societal change.
The films will also address the issues of authoritative inadequacies in
taking action to save rural life, the carelessness of sending perfectly good
food to dumpsters and the scientific experiments on behavioral and
communicational analysis on animals.
Equilibrium was founded in 2007 in the recognition to take on urgent
environmental challenges in diverse and creative ways. It provides a
collaborative platform where students, teachers and activists join force to
inspire a change in communities through interactive awareness-raising
activities and problem-solving techniques of current environmental issues.
The United Nations Development Programme is the UN's global development
network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge,
experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP has been
working in Kuwait for more than 30 years cooperating with the Government and
civil society to realize the country's aspirations for achieving sustainable
human development, support women empowerment, environmental sustainability and
private sector development. (end)
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