Film about coral reef restoration project screened at COP27

A short film produced by the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) explores how constructive relationships between individuals, the community, and institutions paved the path for a youth-led social action initiative to revitalize and protect a coral reef ecosystem off the shores of Tanna, Vanuatu.

The 13-minute film, titled “Tanna: A Study in Leadership and Action,” is part of the BIC’s contribution to the discourse on climate change and was screened at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP27. Among the attendees of the screening were government officials from Vanuatu. The film examines a youth-led environmental protection effort to create no-fishing zones to allow the coral reef to recover.

“The coral restoration project emerged from the efforts of youth participating in Bahá’í moral education programs,” said Willy Missack, a member of the Bahá’í community, IEF member, and coordinator of Vanuatu Climate Action Network, in his remarks at the screening. Willy, who is from Tanna, also narrated the film.

Saphira Rameshfar, representative of the BIC, added that these educational programs enable young people to explore the application of spiritual principles, such as the oneness of humanity, in their efforts to address social issues.

“This film provides an example of how Bahá’í community-building efforts foster unity among individuals, communities, and institutions as they work together to contribute to the material and spiritual progress of their society,” she said.

Over the two weeks of COP27, representatives of the BIC participated in numerous discussions in both formal and informal settings, and have highlighted the critically urgent need for rethinking the relationship between society and the natural world. A complete report on Bahá'í International Community activities at COP27 is available here.

Source: https://news.bahai.org/story/1626/ with some editing