2014 Environmental Film Festival launched

NGO

Accra, Sept. 20, GNA - The Environmental Film Festival of Accra (EFFA), has launched the 2014 edition of films on the environment slated from September 19 to September 26.

The festival, which is being organised in collaboration with Creative Storm, an NGO was launched at the weekend.

Dr Kwesi Owusu, festival Co-Director said, the event which is 10 years old has chalked out many successes by using films to create awareness and also educate the public over the need to keep the environment clean.

He said the need to keep the environment clean is a collective responsibility and commended Trashy Bags, a waste recycling company in Accra for leading the way to rid the capital city of waste.

He said this year's event would be dedicated to raising awareness about the significant relationship between Ghana's environment, the high cost of public of health and the health of individuals in the country.

Dr Owusu said the festival would also be used to assess the state of sanitation in the country after a decade of environmental education, as well as screening a range of short movies and feature films on the impact of the environment on health.

'Other activities that will be undertaking during the period include a technology and new media summit dubbed 'Social Media Good 2014'. The summit is expected to provide a platform to examine the impact of technology and new media on initiatives that impact positively on the well-being of society,' he said.

Mr Daniel Amlalo, Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commended the management of EFFA for its quest to raise awareness on environmental issues through film.

He said are a number of environmental challenges facing the country and using films to create public awareness is the best option.

He however urged organisers of the festival to strive to move beyond Accra, as the issue of environmental challenges is not peculiar to only the national capital.

Professor Chris Gordon, Director at the Institute of Environment and Sanitation, University of Ghana, called for engagement of the youth in dealing with issues about the environment, as they are the future leaders.

Some of the films to be screened as part of the 2014 festival include: 'The Sleeping Lagoon,' 'Stop the Menace: Save Our Coast and the Receding Coast,' and 'Dry Season.'  

GNA