Nature Lovers and Dawood Foundation Nature Series

Karachi, 10^th September, 2015:

On that particular day, I became part of a new team on social media. It makes me to feel some proud, because what the way I am doing all the work since long. It was all because of “Dheetness”. My friends, Teachers, and Parents always make a fun of it and on my unstoppable engagement at social network websites or community work. They always tried to stop or scatter me about doing things like these (Serving Community on Volunteering basis, wasting a lot of time on social media, organizing events on not for profit basis, making locals aware about their rights, and so on). But I remain “Dheet” and never stopped at any of their messages. I believe remaining a Dheet for a long time is a very tough job in this world. Now Finally I got my “Dheet” friends in one organization “Team Dheet”. From now onwards we all Dheet friends will do wonders in near future. Now a bit about the launch, previously mentioned that I will write something on that wonderful launch. Hats off to Borgata who managed this amazing launch, from welcome to closing, from presentations to executions everything was perfect.

The Dawood Foundation (TDF) announced the launch of the TDF Nature Series, a set of documentaries aimed to raise public awareness about Pakistan’s degrading natural habitat and the urgent steps needed to sustain it for generations to come. The first two films are about two spectacular National Parks, Margalla Hills and Chitral Gol, and the conservation issues related to them. Using multiple elements including BTL and digital, TDF aims to spread the nature conservation message to millions of people in Pakistan and across the world.

These scenic films have been produced by Walkabout Films and are also part of the Give Back Project.
As per UNDP data, Pakistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Due to environmental degradation, it increasingly suffers from natural disasters, floods and other catastrophic consequences that lead to loss of incomes, homes and livelihoods. Pakistan has been beset with natural disasters in recent years, which are caused by global climactic changes as well as poor environmental conservation at home, as exemplified by one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. Estimates about Pakistan’s forest cover vary between 2 and 5% against a recommended rate of 20%. These films aim to help mitigate these issues.

Hussain Dawood, Chairman The Dawood Foundation formally launched the TDF Nature Series Campaign. Also present at the event were the Foundation’s trustees, Kulsum Dawood, Shahzada Dawood and Samad Dawood.
While talking about the films, Sabrina Dawood, CEO, The Dawood Foundation, said, “The Nature Series aims to advocate and educate the people about the natural resources, sanctuaries and heritage that exist in our country and challenges faced by both humans and wildlife. There is an urgent need to address the environmental issues and the consequences of the degradation of environment.”

Nisar Malik, CEO, Walkabout Films, said, “Wildlife is an indicator of the health of our planet. Without a healthy planet there can be no future for humans. It is to the infinite credit of The Dawood Foundation that they have the farsightedness and maturity to recognize this. It is through their generosity and support that The Give Back Project can continue to generate the awareness and education needed to help conserve Pakistan’s remarkable natural places.”

The films will be shown by TDF to people across Pakistan through a 100 day tour of 117 villages and cities on a mobile cinema. Documentary screenings will be supplemented by educational sessions that will help local communities understand and resolve their environmental problems. The country-wide screening tour, which looks to engage local communities, is to be supported by screening sessions at various educational institutes affiliated with Give Back Project, a joint venture between TDF and Walkabout. The films, which have been translated into Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi and other local languages, will also be available free online.

The team Dheet will come up with many more events in near future so stay connected with me and my team Dheet on facebook or twitter. In the end I want to mention here some beautiful tweets.

The Dawood Foundation Nature Series

Karachi: Last evening I was there at launch of #TheNautreSeries by #TheDawoodFoundation at #PC Hotel Karachi. So it was due to share something to you . I am sharing this information which happened since few months. Soon I will be sharing what happened in event in full details in upcoming blog.

The Dawood Foundation has taken up a new initiative to help conserve Pakistan. It has sponsored two beautifully shot videos done by Mr. Nisar Malik (National Geographic). These films are a part of “The Giveback Project” a bigger and wider vision with the same morals and values, to protect highly endangered wildlife and natural habitats of Pakistan. www.thegivebackproject.org

The Dawood Foundation Nature Series is a set of documentary films which aim to showcase the diverse flora, fauna and landscape which Pakistan is blessed with, the fragility of the ecosystems, and the challenges faced by the land and its wildlife due to human intrusions. Two films, Margalla Hills National Park and Chitral Gol National Park, are currently in production. These spectacular documentaries will be translated into regional languages and televised nationwide for maximum coverage. Development of two more films is also planned in 2015-16.

The Foundation has a legacy of carrying out many educational projects that involves the construction of facilities for schools and colleges.. The Dawood Foundation wanted to take the E education project forward, but there were other issues in its implementation. Getting children to use the tablet on a regular basis, ensuring that the equipment remained safe, the high costs, were creating barriers in creating the kind of dissemination that were needed. These documentaries about the environment, of documenting our natural heritage… our national parks will make it easier for everyone to witness Paksiatn’s beauty. These present a Pakistan so different to the one that we so regularly see in our daily lives. Peaceful, serene, lush rolling plains. Vast blue skies, tall trees and cute cuddly bears and the interaction between the people and their habitat. Dawood Foundation believes, this is what our children need to see need. There is virtually no information of our natural landscape on film. Average Pakistanis are too afraid to venture to these areas due security reasons, lack of facilities or means or just because they don’t know it exists. Dawood Foundation imagines people looking at awe at the wonders of nature. The foundation imagines our diplomats sharing these visuals with foreigners and our school children seeing their geography lessons come alive.

Walkabout films headed by the highly talented Nisar Malik had created something phenomenal. Wondrous screenings of Pakistan captured in perpetuity could be broadcasted on TV and on the net to watch free of cost for all. An amazing way to bring environmental education and knowledge of conservation to people about Pakistan, here and abroad. No buildings, no boundaries, no management.

These films were launched at the special screening on the 12^th of August. The special screening was hosted personally by Mr. Hussain Dawood and Ms. Sabrina Dawood as a get together for all the Counsel Generals, Diplomats and CEO’s which would start the beginning of the this 5 month Campaign, “The Dawood Foundation Nature Series”.

Another Launch event was done at The Dawood Foundation School premises, by the end of August to host a special screening for all the representatives from reputed educational faculties. That was an internal event hosted by Ms. Sabrina Dawood herself.

Currently the scheduled activations for the campaign include, 2 floats, to travel all around Pakistan and reach out even the rural areas, and do special screenings by the help of projectors and screens. The float activation started by the 16^th of August.

Secondly there was Mall activations during the weekend of 14^th August e.g. 13^th, 14^th and 15^th August, where Brand Ambassadors were placed in all the leading malls, in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad to give out brochures, information and live screening done as well.