For three days the Biblioteca Infantil y Juvenil República Dominicana in Santo Domingo became the ideal setting for a great mission: giving voice to the voiceless and show younger Dominicans riches that mother Earth gives us and how to care for them and promote the messages of awareness about the environment. This is the mission that for four years the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo(FUNGLODE) expressed through the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF), which this year celebrated its fourth edition from 10 to 14 September in 10 cities across the country.

The library hosted a total of 5 projections, attended by over 700 students from different primary and secondary schools of the capital, including República de Chile, Domínico-Americano, San Martín de Porres, Cuie-UTESA, EvangélicoCentral, República de Honduras, Evangélico Misionero, and República de Colombia y Jacagua.

The Dominican documentary Cordillera Central: Oasis del Caribe and international films Cotorra: Una historia secreta; Field Chronicals: Chinganza – The Water`s Journey and Bears, as well as a program of animated shorts about various environmental issues were received by the young Dominican public with great enthusiasm.

“The DREFF’s clear message with these films is: that we must change the way of life as a society because we are endangering the natural resources for generations to come,” said the director of the library, Ms. Dulce Elvira.

After each screening, the students had the opportunity to talk with the directors of the films and national and international experts on the most pressing environmental issues. The director of the film Cotorra: Una historia secreta, the American Allison Argo; Director of Cordillera Central: Oasis del Caribe, the Dominican Máximo José Rodríguez; The directors of El agua de la Tierra, Mexicans Emma and Pedro Lopez Narvaez and national experts José Rafael Almonte, professor at theUniversidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo; Simon Guerrero, a biologist and professor at the Universidad Iberoamericana, and Nelson Marcano Garcia, the Deputy Minister of Protected Areas, among others, held lively discussions with students.

Argo said she “felt the need to talk to the parrots, intelligent birds but have no voice in humans” and are in danger due to their captivity. The environmentalist invited the young people to protect these birds, which are unique and intelligent animals.

For his part Rodríguez, speaking of his film, emphasized, “The Cordillera Central is the life of the Dominican Republic. You, the students, are the heirs and, especially, their children. My message is to care for our planet, our home. “

Meanwhile Emma López, co-director of El agua de la tierra said, “It is very gratifying to see that our voice is being heard. If we all contribute we will maintain the balance that by nature, the Earth itself generates. “

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), organizer of the DREFF, aims to raise awareness and deepen understanding of environmental problems worldwide among the Dominican public. In DREFF, GFDD also promotes and even celebrates the beauty and diversity of the natural heritage of the Dominican Republic, offering an insight into the attitudes and actions that ultimately contribute to its appreciation, conservation and sustainable use.

To see all that has happened in this year’s DREFF visit www.dreff.org. Join the conversation on sustainable development promoted by followingGFDDorg GFDD andMuestraCine on Twitter, using #RDsostenible and #DREFF hashtags.