TOURINFO-In the 21st century, when the urbanization rates grow in almost every country, more and more people start losing their connection with nature, leaving it unpitied and uncared of, also forgetting that they are part of nature. Nature is the source of our being. Only by living peacefully side by side with it, saving and taking care of it mankind can survive.
In Armenia, in this small country, the aforementioned concept has united a number of people, who have a set vision of founding or restoring the connection between people and nature.
“The love and care for nature begins since childhood and it’s being developed during adolescence.”
Guided by this idea, the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), has established the eco – clubs in Armenia since 2005. This year together with its partners – the European Union in Armenia (within the framework of the “EU for Tourism: Community-Based Rural Tourism and Cultural Events in Gegharkunik and Vayots Dzor Marzes” project) and World Vision Armenia, have come together to bring this principle into existence, by supporting the local “Sun Child Eco-clubs”.
The clubs function in Agarakadzor & Khndzorut communities of the Vayots Dzor region, as well as Chambarak & Dprabak communities in the Gegharkunik region.
Every year, the members of SunChild Eco-clubs participate in environmental training sessions, including seminars dedicated to environmental photojournalism, to study nature. The ties between humans and nature share their local environmental problems with each other and find solutions through discussions and debates take them home and spread within their local communities by the means or written materials, films, etc., also taking individual and collective actions to bring these solutions into a reality. Watching these films, one fills with warmth and care towards nature. It prompts one to rethink how we treat our environment and how we can take action to save it.
The number of these documentaries amounts to 50. They have been screened in a number of top local and international film festivals, some of them having a significant success. Today more than 100 young people are involved in eco clubs of Vayots Dzor & Gegharkunik whereas to date this number reached 15,000 children in total for all eco-club members.
The eco-club members of the Zaritap amalgamated community in Khndzorut, Vayots Dzor region, Armenia, are one of the mentioned change-makers. After planting a garden in their local area, the SunChildren consistently followed its growth. Finding out some irrigation and other issues, they applied to their community council and solved them due to the council’s support and their hard work. The SunChildren of Zaritap made a change in their local community serving a great example for their peers and becoming one of the success stories of the eco-club.
SunChild International Environmental Film Festival is another effort to reveal and bring together the talented children of different communities of Armenia. Besides, it takes its participants deep into the nature and offers eco, agro and extreme tours, zip line, climbing, open-air film screenings, workshops, outdoor games, environmental art, music, camping, bonfires, and yoga!
The light that comes from the Sun enlivens the planet; it is the engine of all living beings. Moreover, the SunChildren are the vitalizers of communities, as well as the guarantee of a sustainable future within the environment-friendly community.
