Namma ooru - Namma neeru at the 8th Voices from the Waters International Travelling Film Festival 2013

I found the following press release on Namma ooru - Namma neeru at the 8th Voices from the Waters International Travelling Film Festival 2013, Bangalore interesting, do take a look. 

Namma ooru - Namma neeru will be launched at the 8th Voices from the Waters International Travelling Film Festival 2013 from August 29 to September 1, 2013. In its continuing engagement with urban and civic issues, the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan has joined hands with Voices from the Waters, initiated by Bangalore Film Society in 2005 and is the first and still the most significant film festival worldwide devoted exclusively to the issue of water. The programme aims to bring together grass-root level water activists, environmentalists, scientists, policy makers, film-makers, lecturers, scholars, artists, working professionals from all walks of life to engage in a process of learning and debate on various water issues from around the world.

"This unique Festival, the first in the world and still one of a very few dedicated entirely to the theme of water, plays a vital role in creating awareness, inviting commitment and igniting action on crucial problems," says Georgekutty A.L., Festival Director. This year the Festival, which is supported by a host of academic and socio-cultural organisations, deeply concerned about our depleting potable water resources and searching for ways to replenish it, will include not only documentary film screenings, but also keynote speeches, panel discussions, presentations, interactions, a photo exhibition, activities and projects by and for children and a concert.

"From hundreds of lakes to just a few - Bangalore's water bodies are in dire straits. We would like to do our bit to restore the lost lakes. We are participating in Voices from the Waters with a series of events under the banner: Namma ooru - Namma neeru, in a bid to bring together several voices in one loud shout out for water," explains Christoph Bertrams, commenting on the role of the Goethe-Institut in the Festival.

Voices from the Waters will be inaugurated by Rajendra Singh popularly known as 'Jal Purush' or 'Waterman' of Rajasthan and Himanshu Thakkar, water activist, currently coordinator of South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People and editor of "Dams, Rivers & People", on Thursday August 29, 2013, at 5.00 p.m. at NGMA Bangalore.

 

Highlights of Namma ooru - Namma neeru

•  Film screenings on August 30 and 31, 2013. 26 thought-provoking documentary films on water from around the world; special package to create awareness among children from 2.00 p.m. on August 31; Open Wells by C. F. John, Tripura Kashyap and Azis T.M. in the presence of the Director

• Keynote Lecture/Exhibition Inauguration on August 30, 6.30 p.m. with Rohini Nilekani, Founder, Arghyam and Himanshu Thakkar

• Inauguration of Photo Exhibition: Namma ooru - Namma neeru
  City-based water researcher and writer S. Vishwanath and documentary photographer Vivek Muthuramalingam curate a photo exhibition at the Goethe gallery. The focus this year is the symbiotic relationship between lakes and open wells in and around Bangalore. 10 motivated   photographers have created new visual content in the shape of a photo-essay.

For further details, visit www.goethe.de/bangalore; www.voicesfromthewaters.com.

Text & image by Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan