Through films and music, the two extremes of South America seek to create awareness and to educate about the environment

The mountain week in Bogotá, Colombia

"Knowing to love and loving to know", is undoubtedly one of the most famous phrases of Andrés Hurtado, ecologist, mountaineer, and Colombian photographer, who has been the brain of La semana de montaña (The mountain week). The organization of the event, which takes place every year thanks to the support of the Champagnat School and other entities, not only has scheduled for its next edition a recognition of the Orinoquía through conferences with international guests, but also concerts with the best of Colombian folklore and movies. These will be screened thanks to the support of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour night after night at the institution's facilities from August 21st to the 24th.

Leer en español: ¿Qué tienen en común la Patagonia y los cerros de Bogotá? Dos festivales verdes imperdibles

"This is the most important mountain level event in the country and what we are looking for is a wider public that goes beyond mountaineers and climbers, people who have an interest in the environment," says Mauricio Soler, eco tourist guide and organizer.

This project, which was born 21 years ago and which is completely free, aims to educate the community about the preservation of the environment thanks to the environmental group of the school that promotes the feeling for nature. At the same time it shows "the wonders of Colombia to the country and the world. Then it is to get people to take away that love for nature and for the environment. In addition to all the international guests we have this year, we have the opportunity to build a good image abroad, because the guests are internationally renowned characters who take a magical and wonderful version of Colombia, which they are replicating," Soler says.

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Patagonia Ecco Film Fest in Patagonia, Argentina

There, in that place where the world almost ends, Patagonia, you'll find a film festival. It is the Patagonia Ecco Film Fest and although this year will start its third version it has a similar goal to the Mountain Week: to generate a space for reflection and participation regarding the care of the environment.

The event that will take place from October 3 to 6, at the Cine Auditorium Theater in Puerto Madryn (Argentina), will be a space to understand, as Cristian Perez Scigliano, its director, says, "Cinema is very powerful, generates many emotions in the spectators and the films they urge to think and raise awareness in a very effective way, open the debate and generate a re-discovery in the uses and customs of each one".

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The festival includes the screening of approximately 45 films, including short films and feature films from Argentina and other parts of the world. The recurring themes are waste, water, climate change, deforestation and pollution. It also includes the screening of films about Patagonia, because although the region has many natural areas and enormous wealth, these resources must be managed in a sustainable manner to guarantee their care and respect. According to Perez, there are many environmental problems shared by several countries that must be resolved and education is essential for them.

For this same reason, the festival has other activities. In addition to the screening of films, it also includes workshops, exhibitions, talks, and musical events that aim to generate an engine of change.

For more information, follow this link.

LatinAmerican Post | María Alejandra Gómez

Translated from "¿Qué tienen en común la Patagonia y los cerros de Bogotá? Dos festivales verdes imperdibles"