In total, more than 300 5th grade children participate in educational activities of an environmental nature. Students will send proposals for environmental solutions to authorities during the festival's closing.
In addition to the cinema program, debates and cultural attractions, the 25th Edition of the International Environmental Film and Video Festival (FICA) will also feature educational activities of an environmental nature. One of them is the first Children's Forum – Climate Change, aimed at children in the 5th year of municipal and private schools in the city of Goiás and rural areas.
FICA takes place between the 11th and 16th of June and is organized by the Government of Goiás, through the State Secretariat for Culture (Secult), in co-organization with the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), through the Radio and Educational Television (RTVE).
In total, there are more than 300 students participating in the project, which involves material production actions, educational activities in the classroom, lectures, visits to schools, among others. All activities are aimed at children's understanding of environmental problems and their possible solutions. The actions are already taking place.
Angela Oliveira, teacher and coordinator of the project, says that the dynamic of the action is to promote, together with these students, a kind of plenary session to discuss, in accessible and pedagogical language, issues related to the environment. Including projecting the discussion to the local reality of the city of Goiás. During the meeting, children talk, learn and develop proposals for solutions for government officials.
“On this trip to the schools, we take the opportunity to gather from them the suggestions they have to pass on to the government. What do they think governments need to do to reduce the consequences of climate change. We also pulled this hook here for the Red River, which is something that is part of our daily lives, the issue of pollution, siltation and the history of the river itself”, he explains.
All suggestions will be compiled into a document that will be titled the 1st Children's Charter of the City of Goiás to be delivered to the authorities on the day of the Fica award. The proposal, according to Angela, is that the project extends beyond the festival with a committee that will monitor the development of the suggestions sent.
“We already have thoughts of going until the end of the year and then the intention of continuing into the next. The point is that we want a permanent forum, that it does not end now with Fica, because we want to monitor the students' requests that they make to the authorities”, he declares.
For her, including children in moments of learning and developing environmental awareness is crucial so that, in the future, they become more engaged citizens: “We create moments of reflection, to make students think, to provoke changes in their attitudes , to raise awareness among the school community about the need to change habits. They are growing up understanding that this is a necessary thing, that it is a good thing, and that everyone can participate.”
Multicultural event
Fica 2024 has a vast free program, with competitive exhibitions, debates with big names in national and international cinema, environmental activities and cultural attractions.
The festival is supported by the Goiás Social program; of the State Secretariats for Resumption; of Science, Technology and Innovation (Secti); and Environment and Sustainable Development (Semad); Saneago; State University of Goiás (UEG), Federal Institute of Goiás (IFG); Social Service of Commerce (Sesc) and City Hall of the city of Goiás. This year the event also has as supporters the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (Funai), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Grupo Kelldrin and Saga BYD.
