Celebrating World Tourism Day with CWNYC Art Videos & Short Films

This article is the fourth and last article in a series of articles for Tired Earth about the inaugural New York Statewide celebrated Climate Week NYC September 22-29 (CWNYC Articles).

Celebrated worldwide the World Tourism Day 2024 #WTD24 will take place on September 27, 2024 in Tbilisi, Georgia to educate people about the benefits and challenges of sustainable tourism, practices with a theme of Tourism as an instrument of Peace. 

Turkiye - Bulak/FOUNT

A film from SEACHA & Changing Climate Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival by director Evrim Inci tells the story of Walid and his family, who had a difficult life in Somalia which has endured prolonged conflict and extreme weather conditions including a drought that impacted 90% of the country causing 8 million people to flee the country. Walid and his family with the hopes of a better life, migrated to Burdur, Turkiye which is also facing a drought due to the impact of climate change on this world.

https://vimeo.com/899899359/b89d0ebb0b?share=copy

Tourism can contribute to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and several of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): through SDG 8 quality tourism training, which invests in education and skills; SDG 9 by investing in sustainable infrastructure and accelerating green transformation, including opportunities to decarbonize the sector and promote climate-resilient infrastructure; and SDG 17 through investing in innovation technology, and entrepreneurship that can upskill tourism’s workforce.

By increasing awareness and understanding of sustainable tourism via art shows, videos and short films as part of CWNYC we can work towards creating a more responsible and sustainable tourism industry.

Australia – Lorde Howe Island by Ian Hutton

Ian Hutton a gifted Photographer and the Curator of Lord Howe Island Museum who has worked with universities, botanic gardens and museums from around the world, contributing to numerous documentary films and research papers on the UNESCO World Heritage listed Lord Howe Island’s unique ecology said "the impact of climate change on Lorde Howe Island which is a very popular tourist destination is detailed in my slide show showing that rainfall decreased 22% from 1882 to 2022 with drought killing the trees. And warming in the oceans are bleaching the reefs that are causing the clown fish population to decrease by 60%. Sea slugs which are very sensitive to ocean temperature, are migrating to cooler waters north changing their geographical location based on the latest sea slug consensus. With my photographs of Lord Howe Island, I would like to draw attention to the impact of climate change on paradise."

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dlddoj0kqbzl3vgcv5jge/Ian-Hutton-Climate.mp4?rlkey=irk7hazun6di92h1nsgdj5syl&e=1&dl=0

António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General said “Tourism brings people together. On this World Tourism Day, we reflect on the profound connection between tourism and peace. Sustainable tourism can transform communities – creating jobs, fostering inclusion and strengthening local economies. By valuing and preserving cultural and natural heritage, it can help reduce tensions and nurture peaceful coexistence. Tourism can also promote economic interdependence between neighbors, encouraging cooperation and peaceful development.

At the same time, tourism broadens horizons. Every traveler can be an ambassador, engaging respectfully with local populations, recognizing our diversity and shared humanity, and the values that unite us all.

As we celebrate tourism, let us travel responsibly, build bridges, and promote mutual respect among cultures and nations.
Together, we can harness the power of tourism to advance peace and prosperity for all.” Read more

Thailand - คน-ป่า WE AND THE WOODS

A film from SEACHA & Changing Climate Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival by director Weeraphan Thavorn tells the story of Karen people many who migrated to the Myanmar–Thailand border of how they find a way to connect with nature and mankind through their annual tribal ritual. The film won the Second Runner-Up at the 2022 Yale Environment 360 Film Contest organized by Yale School of the Environment, Yale University

What is EPA Doing to Address the Climate Crisis?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employs a variety of strategies to monitor and reduce emissions as detailed in its annual report released ahead of CWNYC.

The report acknowledges that climate change is an accelerating global issue that has far-reaching human health, social, economic, and biodiversity impacts on our planet. Global warming is impacting the frequency and severity of wildfires and extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, heat waves, and drought, and is altering sea temperature, ocean acidity, sea- level, and other global systems that support human life and biodiversity. 

The impacts of climate change challenge EPA's ability to accomplish its mission of protecting human health and the environment because climate change can exacerbate existing pollution problems and environmental stressors. EPA is working with other federal agencies and international leadership to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase the climate resilience of the Nation and help shape and advance international agreements and solutions.¹

Thailand: ผัดไทย PAD THAI

A film from SEACHA & Changing Climate Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival "Pad Thai" by director Weeraya Vichayaprasertkul is a documentary reflecting climate change through one of the most famous Thai dishes in the world.

To show the impact of climate change on our world via art, videos and short films, I collaborated with four Museums including world’s first Climate Change Museum CUHK Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change, Climarte, Lord Howe Island Museum, Teiduma, SEACHA and its partner Thai-based film festival Changing Climate Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival, Climate Heritage Network and prepared CWNYC events that are open to the public.

The Chesapeake Bay Partner (CBP) Cultural Institution Havre de Grace Maritime Museum (HGMM) and CUHK Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change will show these art shows videos and short films throughout CWNYC

Date: September 22-29
Time: HDGMM 10AM - 5PM
Address: HDGMM100 Lafayette Street, Havre de Grace, MD
CUHK MOCC: Sustainability Hub

Thank you to all collaborators that made these CWNYC events which show the impact of climate change on our world via art shows, videos and short films possible.

Australia – Climarte

CLIMARTE is an initiator, an educator and a catalyst for artists and arts organizations to engage in climate-focused and socially engaged exhibitions, events and projects working to harness the creative power of the arts to inform, engage and inspire action towards a fairer, zero emissions future.

1. https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/fy24-cj-03-goal-objective-overview.pdf