Article
Isla Verde Festival: creativity meets environmental commitment
Clean energy, sustainable tourism and organic agriculture are among the key themes highlighted by the International Film and Environment Festival of the Caribbean, Isla Verde. Its second edition took place from 21 to 27 April in the municipality of Isla de la Juventud, located about 100 kilometres south of Havana, Cuba.
The event, led by renowned Cuban actor, director and visual artist Jorge Perugorría, recipient of the 2024 National Film Award, features a wide-ranging and diverse programme including film premieres, workshops, conferences, an entrepreneurship fair, tree planting, beach and coastline cleaning, concerts and exhibitions. Its primary goal was to raise environmental awareness and promote collective action in the region to address the significant environmental challenges facing the Caribbean.
To achieve this, the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana collaborated by supporting the festival’s educational programme. Through its Education and Natural Sciences programmes and the Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity programme, funded by the European Union, UNESCO supported eleven training workshops on topics related to the making of short films, environmental journalism, photography, sustainable fashion, visual arts, the promotion of green spaces and the development of sustainable school gardens, the circular economy and the fight against plastic pollution.
Today, more than ever, addressing global challenges requires a comprehensive vision that considers the interrelation between science, education and culture. These foundations are essential to empower communities, providing them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to develop their potential, face future challenges and build more resilient societies.
During the festival, various spaces for dialogue and exchange were created. The goal was to promote critical thinking around environmental and gender issues through cinema and culture, while also proposing new ways of relating to nature and among people.
The 2024 edition, the first to include a film competition, showcased a selection of 30 works from 15 countries. Furthermore, the festival boasted the participation of esteemed figures from the film industry, over 20 visual artists and notable researchers and scientists. Among the participants was Dr Diana Ruiz Pino, a pioneer in researching the evolution of carbon dioxide, ocean acidification and their environmental effects on marine ecosystems. The Colombian oceanographer and climatologist was part of a group of international experts who, in 2007, won the Nobel Peace Prize for its research and studies related to climate change.
