Indigenous voices on climate change: film festival opening today

Wednesday, 09 December 2009 00:00

How is climate change affecting indigenous populations in Malawi, Cameroon, Tajikistan, Australia, Madagaskar, Indonesia or Peru? As world leaders are discussing in Copenhagen, indigenous peoples all over the world are experiencing evidence of real impacts – right now.

The United Nations University (UNU), in collaboration with organizations and forums for indigenous voices, wants to highlight this, by launching the 5-day film festival Indigenous Voices on Climate Change in Copenhagen today.

The festival includes a collection of compelling stories from indigenous communities around the world, highlighting on-the-ground evidence and local adaptations to climate change right now.

The diversity of indigenous cultures also provides unique insights and powerful codes on how to live harmoniously within nature:

“By sharing these indigenous stories of vulnerability and adaptation, we also share ideas on how ancestral wisdom is being incorporated into adaptation strategies. By cherishing the value of traditional knowledge we can discover how best to adapt to a changing climate”, says Citt Williams, film maker and part of the UNU network.

In total, 22 short films from all over the world will be shown. 15 of the films can also be watched from at UNU’s Our World 2.0 website. The screenings in Copenhagen start today at the National Museum of Denmark, including a special launch reception from 6 to 8 pm.

Check out the schedule here. The daily programs will also include a short question and answer session with visiting story-tellers.

Source: UNU