Presented initiatives and activities of the Festival and festival partners in the field of sustainability and environmental protection.
Panel "Green Day in focus: Festival, partners and sustainability" on positive environmental protection practices
August 23, 2024
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In the organization of the Sarajevo Film Festival and the Green Club, which consists of MPs/representatives of the parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and with the support of the United Nations Development Program in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNDP), a panel discussion was held with the aim of raising awareness and the importance of the urgent establishment of state legislation that will facilitate implementation of positive practices in efforts to reach the common goal of zero pollution in Sarajevo.
The Director of the Sarajevo Film Festival, Jovan Marjanović, in his opening address, highlighted numerous positive practices that the Festival is already implementing in order to reduce its ecological footprint, and announced the initiatives that the Festival will work on in the future, together with its partners. Among other things, the Festival encourages the audience to sustainable urban mobility during the Festival, especially bearing in mind that part of the roads will be closed for a certain period of time, and the working hours of public transport will be extended with additional night lines.
"We promote arrival at the festival locations by public transport, bicycles, mobiles and walking, and therefore clearly state the distance from the festival location to the location in the festival publications. Our partners support us in this by offering discounts and benefits for the duration of the Festival. We use a fleet of electric vehicles to transport Festival guests. In addition to transport, we pay special attention to waste reduction, i.e. responsible sorting and disposal of waste. We introduced e-tickets, online publications, reduced printing by 70%, reduced plastic packaging, etc. We are currently in the process of collecting detailed data because we want to become a certified sustainable event. With the introduction of a new film special award for environmental awareness, we reward films that deal with environmental issues and contribute to raising awareness and a sustainable future," said Marjanović.
Chairman of the Green Club, representative in the BiH Parliament, Saša Magazinović pointed out that the Sarajevo Film Festival is a leader in implementing positive practices. "The festival does not wait to be told that something must be done but is always one step ahead in its initiatives and activities. The festival is an example that positive changes are possible, with enough commitment, will and responsibility. Our foundational partnership, among other things, is that we see every 'can't' as a challenge to show that we can when people are serious about their work. That's why I emphasize satisfaction with the results of the partnership between the Green Club and the Sarajevo Film Festival so far, looking forward to everything we will do together this year and, in the years, ahead," said Magazinović.
"With the aim of raising awareness about sustainable development and the pressing climate challenges we face UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina is pleased to support the activities of the Sarajevo Film Festival aimed at preserving the environment and reducing greenhouse gases. This cooperation emphasizes the common commitment to encouraging environmental awareness and inspiring action through film art as a very influential medium," said Raduška Cupać, head of the Energy and Environmental Protection Sector of UNDP in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Green Day panelists agreed that achieving net zero emissions necessitates a fundamental overhaul of our energy, transportation, and production and consumption systems. Such a comprehensive transformation is essential to prevent the most severe impacts of climate change and ensure a sustainable future for all.