Kuwait’s Green Caravan Film Festival launched in partnership with UNDP Kuwait!

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.

– From KUNA.