The launch of an environmental film festival hosted by Conservation International

will be held on Monday June 4 at the French Cultural Center.

The festival will feature ten films about the Cambodian environment and has been

designed to highlight to urban Cambodians the natural wonders and diversity of their

country.

Films presented will cover seldom explored areas of stunning natural beauty such

as Mondulkiri's protected dry forests, the Cardamom mountains in Southwest Cambodia

and the open grasslands of Cambodia's far north east in the film The Serengeti of

Asia.

Also featured are the great rivers and lakes of Cambodia and the diverse range of

fish species that can be found in their waters.

But the series not only explores the conservation of Cambodia's unique and diverse

flora and fauna but also the importance of sustaining the natural habitat to support

the livelihood of local people.

The presentation has been directed particularly towards Khmer youth.

"They are the ones that will have to live with the environmental decisions made

today, and they will be the ones making the decisions in the future," said

Wayne McCallum of Conservation International who is coordinating the event.

"Our job is not to tell them what to do, but to help them to make informed decisions."

The festival is designed to open opportunities for dialogue on the future of the

Khmer environment and current efforts to preserve it.

The first night will feature an open forum with a panel of key Khmer environmental

decision makers from government and non-government agencies.

Forest Mountain Voices, a unique film featuring local film amateurs telling their

own stories and that of their communities will screen on Tuesday June 5, followed

by the opening of a photo exhibition by rural villagers.

Training courses and equipment were provided for both projects to allow those in

the rural community to share their own environmental stories.

Other features have been produced by NGO's in conjunction with various government

departments.

The festival will run over three nights from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

Entry is free but seats are limited.