Illuminating lives and firing determination

The 1,000 PeaceWomen Exhibition stall

A two-day film festival organised by the Delhi-based The Kriti Team and the YWCA to commemorate the latter's centenary had the audience lapping up documentaries on climate change, culture and identities, but those on gender and women-related themes had the maximum impact.

Two days of watching movies continuously can be an arduous task. Even then, hundreds of students, a majority of them girls, patiently sat and watched scores of movies for two consecutive days. Not easy, if the movies being screened are documentaries and on subjects as diverse as climate change and culture; identity and activism; women’s rights and civic amenities.

Still, the two-day ‘Illuminating Lives’ film festival achieved its purpose—people laughed, learnt and took back lessons for life. Even as many a young woman came out inspired, several had witnessed a film festival for the first time and yet others confronted the fact that being a woman is not easy in today’s world despite its trappings of technology, empowerment and fast-paced change.

A group of students doing BSc in Medical Lab Technology discussed movies that left an indelible mark on their thoughts. More than any thing else, they all debated women issues. Commenting on ‘Much Ado About Knotting’, a movie that brought up the issue of match making in the Indian context, Nikita, the most vocal of this group said: “To look around for a groom through the various swamyars (match-making through public events) seems very embarrassing. I am sure I do not want to get married in the same fashion. But the movie was good because it was light-hearted and funny.”

Divya, Nikita’s classmate was touched by the movies, ‘The Saroj Khan Story’ and ‘On My Own’. “We know about Saroj Khan and her work but did not know about her private life and her struggles. I like her focus and her determination. Despite her personal tragedies, she moved on in her professional life and excelled.”

Organised and curated by The Kriti Team, the film festival had film-makers who shared the secrets of their work. Well known photographer and filmmaker Vijay Jodha, as well as Nitin Das, known for his work with communities, interacted with the audiences.

Das presented a number of short films that put the spotlight on issues like environment, climate change and aspirations of people. Demystifying film-making, Das said: “Movie-making is not difficult. If you have an idea, that will do. I with the community. They are the actors in my films.” Das also spoke about the Elf Project in which he is making serious films on environment. He said: “Not many people want to view a serious film being made on environment. I want to make interesting films that people would want to watch. My films, therefore, do not have dialogue so that these can be watched and understood by global audiences.” Moreover, his website Elf Project is open for all to see his movies.

Das’ short productions were a hit with the young crowd and the auditorium echoed with peels of laughter. ‘Monks and Mosquitoes’ was one such movie that invited applause from the crowd despite the fact that the movie was about climate change. With hardly any serious undertones or sermonising, the short film built a rapport with the audience and brought home the devastating impacts that a few degrees of change can bring about in the current comfortable scenario.

But not all fare at the festival went well with the audiences. A documentary from the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT) ‘Stir Fry Simmer’ that unravelled complex issues of identity, region, alienation and their links with food and cuisine evoked a dry response. It wove not only the different parts of India but also touched upon issues as diverse as, writing on sex by women; the Irom Sharmila struggle; issues of untouchability; the mushahar community; migration and stereotypes—a potpourri that understandably was not easily comprehensible.

Besides documentary screenings and interactions with film-makers, the two-day fest had stalls dishing out food, handicrafts and curios. Talking about the festival, organiser and curator, Aanchal Kapur said: “This was the first time we had interacted and associated with the YWCA and it was a remarkable experience. Everything went smoothly, there was a lot of space for people to move around and for the organisers to exhibit their stuff. We hope to collaborate with them again to highlight similar issues.”

The films showed impact.

Kiran Gill, working as an intern with a Member of Parliament and one who has seen film festivals earlier also, came out more determined. She said: “These movies showed how women’s lives are full of struggle. Indian women have a lot of patience. My father wanted me to get married when I was in class XII but I convinced him for an education. I learnt that I have to move forward in life and for that I will have to fight and struggle.”

Personal grief or collective pain, women at forefront of struggles – Bertelsmann Future Challenges

Posted a small photo-feature of six frames on the International Women's Day-2012 here - Personal grief or collective pain, women at forefront of struggles – Bertelsmann Future Challenges .

A hastily done post, I quite loved the photographs here, and believe me, all of these are from Delhi. This also made me realise that delving into the inner recesses of the hard drives can land me more relevant  photographs - of people's struggles, their good work, of a world that can be and so much more.

Hope that you will enjoy the photographs!!

We want India to have green development: French climate change negotiator

The French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations, Serge Lepeltier, currently visiting Delhi for the DSDS, said that they want the Indian people to have the benefits of development, but want the country to pursue green growth.

The Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS ) is becoming an enabling platform for many a bilateral discussion. Serge Lepeltier, the French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations and former minister of environment, was in Delhi meeting Indian Government officials and think thanks. The negotiator said that one of the highlights of his visit was to prepare a working group with India on climate change issues.

Lepeltier had started work on climate change as a Member of the Parliament fifteen years back, at a time, when, in his own words, he “was not sure if climate change was real or not. But now my function is to link the political level with the technological level. In matters of arbitration, I speak to my minister for clarity.”

At a press conference in Delhi on the sidelines of the DSDS, Lepeltier said that it is important to talk to India on climate change as India is crucial for the future of climate change negotiations. “If we need to have a good agreement in 2015, it is important that all countries are in agreement. The Indian approach is important as it is a country of over a billion people,” the ambassador said.

Showing a certain understanding about the stand taken by some of the developing countries at the Durban talks, Lepeltier said: “It is very important to have the views of the developing countries because of poverty, GDP and different per capita emissions.

When asked whether there is a change in the stand of the European Union (EU) since the Durban meet on climate change, Lepeltier said: “We are in reflection in the EU on how to build the foundations of a new agreement in the future. We are reflecting on what to propose for the future. We had a meeting in Denmark just two weeks back as Denmark is now heading the EU. We understand that the commitment will not be the same for different countries. But, if we want commitments from every country, it is important to define what the commitments will be from every country.”

Elaborating on why it is impossible to have the same commitment from different countries, the climate change negotiator said that even within India, different states have different growth rates, varying emissions of green house gases, and levels of pollution. Also, India has very low per capita emissions, which is so specific to India. “France wants to work with India on climate change in relation to its equity, approval, concept and future.”

Lepeltier added that the fight against climate change is clearly linking development and growth. He said: “If India has to continue to grow, it is important to study energy efficiency. In the long term it means green house gases go down. The link between economy and climate change is very important.”

Talking about the impact of Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol, the French climate change negotiator said that it will not become a precedent for the others. He said: “I do not think there will be other countries which will leave the Kyoto Protocol.”

He also said that the forthcoming Rio+20 meet in June will not impact the climate change negotiations. “Rio+20 is about two concepts, sustainable development and the global governance of environment, where we do not want to impact Rio+20 with climate change talks.”

One thing that came about clearly from the French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations was his earnest in gathering views from a cross section of the Indian society on the future of climate change negotiations. Towards the end, he did mention that the talks with India will continue as "we cannot afford to talk without India."

(Original story was first published here.)

We want India to have green development: French climate change negotiator

The French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations, Serge Lepeltier, currently visiting Delhi for the DSDS, said that they want the Indian people to have the benefits of development, but want the country to pursue green growth.

The Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS ) is becoming an enabling platform for many a bilateral discussion. Serge Lepeltier, the French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations and former minister of environment, was in Delhi meeting Indian Government officials and think thanks. The negotiator said that one of the highlights of his visit was to prepare a working group with India on climate change issues.

Lepeltier had started work on climate change as a Member of the Parliament fifteen years back, at a time, when, in his own words, he “was not sure if climate change was real or not. But now my function is to link the political level with the technological level. In matters of arbitration, I speak to my minister for clarity.”

At a press conference in Delhi on the sidelines of the DSDS, Lepeltier said that it is important to talk to India on climate change as India is crucial for the future of climate change negotiations. “If we need to have a good agreement in 2015, it is important that all countries are in agreement. The Indian approach is important as it is a country of over a billion people,” the ambassador said.

Showing a certain understanding about the stand taken by some of the developing countries at the Durban talks, Lepeltier said: “It is very important to have the views of the developing countries because of poverty, GDP and different per capita emissions.

When asked whether there is a change in the stand of the European Union (EU) since the Durban meet on climate change, Lepeltier said: “We are in reflection in the EU on how to build the foundations of a new agreement in the future. We are reflecting on what to propose for the future. We had a meeting in Denmark just two weeks back as Denmark is now heading the EU. We understand that the commitment will not be the same for different countries. But, if we want commitments from every country, it is important to define what the commitments will be from every country.”

Elaborating on why it is impossible to have the same commitment from different countries, the climate change negotiator said that even within India, different states have different growth rates, varying emissions of green house gases, and levels of pollution. Also, India has very low per capita emissions, which is so specific to India. “France wants to work with India on climate change in relation to its equity, approval, concept and future.”

Lepeltier added that the fight against climate change is clearly linking development and growth. He said: “If India has to continue to grow, it is important to study energy efficiency. In the long term it means green house gases go down. The link between economy and climate change is very important.”

Talking about the impact of Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol, the French climate change negotiator said that it will not become a precedent for the others. He said: “I do not think there will be other countries which will leave the Kyoto Protocol.”

He also said that the forthcoming Rio+20 meet in June will not impact the climate change negotiations. “Rio+20 is about two concepts, sustainable development and the global governance of environment, where we do not want to impact Rio+20 with climate change talks.”

One thing that came about clearly from the French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations was his earnest in gathering views from a cross section of the Indian society on the future of climate change negotiations. Towards the end, he did mention that the talks with India will continue as "we cannot afford to talk without India."

(Original story from here.)

We want India to have green development: French climate change negotiator

The French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations, Serge Lepeltier, currently visiting Delhi for the DSDS, said that they want the Indian people to have the benefits of development, but want the country to pursue green growth.

The Delhi Sustainable Development Summit (DSDS ) is becoming an enabling platform for many a bilateral discussion. Serge Lepeltier, the French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations and former minister of environment, was in Delhi meeting Indian Government officials and think thanks. The negotiator said that one of the highlights of his visit was to prepare a working group with India on climate change issues.

Lepeltier had started work on climate change as a Member of the Parliament fifteen years back, at a time, when, in his own words, he “was not sure if climate change was real or not. But now my function is to link the political level with the technological level. In matters of arbitration, I speak to my minister for clarity.”

At a press conference in Delhi on the sidelines of the DSDS, Lepeltier said that it is important to talk to India on climate change as India is crucial for the future of climate change negotiations. “If we need to have a good agreement in 2015, it is important that all countries are in agreement. The Indian approach is important as it is a country of over a billion people,” the ambassador said.

Showing a certain understanding about the stand taken by some of the developing countries at the Durban talks, Lepeltier said: “It is very important to have the views of the developing countries because of poverty, GDP and different per capita emissions.

When asked whether there is a change in the stand of the European Union (EU) since the Durban meet on climate change, Lepeltier said: “We are in reflection in the EU on how to build the foundations of a new agreement in the future. We are reflecting on what to propose for the future. We had a meeting in Denmark just two weeks back as Denmark is now heading the EU. We understand that the commitment will not be the same for different countries. But, if we want commitments from every country, it is important to define what the commitments will be from every country.”

Elaborating on why it is impossible to have the same commitment from different countries, the climate change negotiator said that even within India, different states have different growth rates, varying emissions of green house gases, and levels of pollution. Also, India has very low per capita emissions, which is so specific to India. “France wants to work with India on climate change in relation to its equity, approval, concept and future.”

Lepeltier added that the fight against climate change is clearly linking development and growth. He said: “If India has to continue to grow, it is important to study energy efficiency. In the long term it means green house gases go down. The link between economy and climate change is very important.”

Talking about the impact of Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol, the French climate change negotiator said that it will not become a precedent for the others. He said: “I do not think there will be other countries which will leave the Kyoto Protocol.”

He also said that the forthcoming Rio+20 meet in June will not impact the climate change negotiations. “Rio+20 is about two concepts, sustainable development and the global governance of environment, where we do not want to impact Rio+20 with climate change talks.”

One thing that came about clearly from the French Ambassador for Climate Change Negotiations was his earnest in gathering views from a cross section of the Indian society on the future of climate change negotiations. Towards the end, he did mention that the talks with India will continue as "we cannot afford to talk without India."