After screening documentaries about the Environment and Conservation, Human Rights, Social Justice, Poverty, Pollution, and Indigenous Rights, the One World Film Festival presented a full day of programming designed to help people find out how they can get involved and become vehicles for change: “Actions Speak Louder Than Words” at Saint Paul University.
In cooperation with Inter Pares, the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution, and Oxfam Canada, the One World Film Festival screened videos, held discussions, and delivered interactive workshops oriented toward giving people the information, tools and inspiration they need to take action on urgent global issues.
The day started off with a screening of La fièvre verte (The Green Fever), a short film – created by Inter Pares, the Université de Montreal’s REDTAC research group and the West African peasant movement COPAGEN – that looks at the impacts of landgrabs on peoples’ livelihoods and food security in West Africa. Eric Chaurette, Inter Pares’ Africa Program Manager, lead a bilingual discussion following the screening. Watch La fièvre verte (The Green Fever) online here and visit Inter Pares’ website to find out more about the important work they are doing to stop landgrabs, promote food security and address other pressing social justice, human rights and environmental issues: interpares.ca
A workshop on resolving conflicts peacefully and effectively followed, lead by the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution. This engaging 2-hour interactive workshop provided an opportunity for participants to learn about approaches and tools that can be used to analyze and work through conflicts experienced within families, communities and in the workplace. The workshop also featured success stories about efforts to resolve challenging conflicts in Canada and abroad. Learn more about the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution, visit their website at: cicr-icrc.ca
We wrapped up the day with a very moving and informative presentation and discussion with Oxfam Canada about Responding to the Syria Crisis and Giving Voice to Refugees. Currently there are over 4 million Syrian refugees registered in neighbouring countries and 12.2 million people in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance such as access to water, food, and shelter. Oxfam Canada and other humanitarian agencies are working inside and outside of Syria to support families and individuals affected by the conflict and bring attention to the people impacted this humanitarian crisis. Participants learned about what Oxfam Canada is doing to respond to the crisis, the challenges faced by refugees and how they are coping, and how people in Canada can help. Visit Oxfam Canada’s website to find out more about the Syria crisis, hear the stories of refugees, and donate to support relief efforts before December 31, 2015: oxfam.ca/syriacrisis
Note that Government of Canada will match every eligible dollar donated by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities in response to the impact of the conflict in Syria, up to $100 million, effective immediately and until December 31, 2015!
The One World Film Festival thanks Inter Pares, the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution and Oxfam Canada for partnering with us to provide festival-goers with meaningful opportunities to learn more and take action on the urgent issues impacting our global communities. We’re also grateful to our team of dedicated and enthusiastic festival organizers and volunteers, who warmly welcomed facilitators and participants and made sure that people had the information they needed to get involved.
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