The Festival takes place from the 9th to the 23rd October, and covers thematics directly related to renewable energy, social finance, soft transportation, responsible consumption. The documentaries, and short films, are accessible online, as well as tips and practical advice.

The audience learns right away that green economy begins with changing behaviours and everyday habits. Each action can have a bigger global impact than we might realize, as choosing sustainable modes of transportation, or avoiding individually packaged goods, is something that everybody can afford doing and its effect capitalizes on numbers.

What is more, many industrial processes have a significant ecological impact, as shown by several shorts; hence the importance for a transition towards greener industrial practices. Some of the documentaries offer example of companies who already implement such changed and might be an inspiration to others.

The Festival’s organizers, however, are not only active online. Since it is known that a green economy requires proactive policies, the festival will feature a screening at the European Parliament as a contribution towards increasing awareness among decision-makers.

The festival will also take place in Brussels during the Fair Trade Week. The program includes a family and general public day and a professional networking day. Finally, there will be a screening of the film Surviving Progress (produced by Martin Scorsese), which will be followed by a debate between students and representatives from international institutions on the limits of progress. The speakers include Isabelle Durant – European deputee, Vice-president of the European Parliament -, Chris Vanden Bilcke – Head of UNEP’s Liaison Office to the EU in Brussels -, Jeremy Wates – Head of the European Environmental Bureau -, Laurent Ledoux – Head of the ASBL Philosophy & management.

A rapid look at the shorts online leave the impression of a vast, rich, and diverse production. The shorts can be watched by the audience directly from the Festival’s website, and voted.

http://www.greenupfilmfestival.com/en

“I call on the Syrian authorities to fully investigate the circumstances of their deaths,” the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, said in a news release, in which she also condemned the killings, adding that the five lost their lives while trying to inform the Syrian people of the tragic events taking place in their country.

The deaths in late May of Ammar Mohamed Zado, Ahmed Adnan Al-Ashlaq, Lawrence Fahmy Al-Naimi – all of whom worked for the Shaam News Network – and Bassel Al Shahade and Ahmed Al Assam, bring to 11 the number of citizen journalists killed in Syria since February.

They are among the more than 10,000 people, mostly civilians, who have been killed in Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 16 months ago.

“I also call on all parties involved in the present conflict to take all necessary steps to improve safety for all media workers in Syria, who are not only defending the right of the Syrian people to information and press freedom, but are also exercising their own right to freedom of expression, which is vital for all societies,” Ms. Bokova added.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a non-governmental organization, Ammar Mohamed Zado, Ahmed Adnan Al-Ashlaq and Lawrence Fahmy Al-Naimi were killed in the capital, Damascus, on 27 May, when the apartment they were staying in was shelled.

The organization added that Bassel Al Shahade, who was working on a documentary film, and cameraman Ahmed Al Assam were killed on 28 May while filming an assault by armed forces in the Safsafa district of Homs.