Bangkok--26 Feb--Total Quality PR
Youth photo exhibition urges support for International Year of Biodiversity
An exhibition of photographs from children and young people worldwide, in support of the United Nations (UN) International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), opened today at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre close to the Whistler Olympic village prompting spectators to think about species as well as medal count.
The Airbus “See the Bigger Picture” exhibition features entries from an international youth photography competition, run by the aircraft manufacturer in partnership with National Geographic and the UN Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In support of the CBD’s Green Wave initiative, the exhibition is designed to raise awareness amongst young people of the importance of biodiversity — the rich variety of life on earth — and the consequences of its loss.
Andrea Debbane, Vice President Public Affairs and Communications at Airbus said: “We are fully committed to the importance of minimising manmade emissions. Through research and development, Airbus is working with the industry to help balance growth in air travel with a more sustainable environment for all. As a responsible industry leader, however, we need to look beyond our core activity and use our global outreach to help support wider environmental initiatives. This is why Airbus created the ‘See the Bigger Picture’ competition as part of its support for The Green Wave.”
Airbus also sees preserving biodiversity as a means of preserving the source of its own eco-efficient innovation. The natural environment has always been a source of inspiration to the aviation industry, since Leonardo da Vinci first started drawing helicopters and planes 500 years ago. Airbus examples of ‘biomimicry’ — biologically inspired engineering — include alpha probes in the nose of the new A350 XWB aircraft to detect gusts ahead of the wing and deploy moveable surfaces for more efficient flight. The design mimics sea birds sensing gust loads in the air with their beak and reacting by adjusting the shape of their feathers to suppress lift.
The Whistler Olympic Park has itself reportedly been inspired by nature, with protecting sensitive ecosystems — the streams and wetland areas that are important habitat for fish, birds, mammals and amphibians — a priority. The Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC) has taken steps to save plant species from site work and to protect tailed frogs (Ascaphus truei), relatively common in Whistler, and their in-stream habitat as part of its Environmental Assessment (EA) commitments. In addition to producing sustainable operations and events, VANOC hopes to inspire athletes and fans to play their part for a sustainable future.
The Airbus “See the Bigger Picture” exhibition is available to view at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre from 17 February until 21 March. The exhibition has already been on show in Paris, France, as part of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) IYB celebrations and is due to tour major events across the globe throughout 2010. To view a selection of the photographs, visit www.seethebiggerpicture.org.
Notes to editors
About See the Bigger Picture
The images on display in the exhibition are the winners and honourable mentions from the See the Bigger Picture photography competition, launched in 2009 by Airbus in partnership with National Geographic and the Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Young people from 99 countries around the world submitted their interpretations of biodiversity for the chance to win a trip to the National Geographic Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The competition was launched as part of Airbus’ commitment to The Green Wave, an ambitious youth engagement programme of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Images from the competition also feature in UNESCO’s touring biodiversity exhibition
Visit: www.seethebiggerpicture.org.
About The Green Wave
The Green Wave is a global biodiversity campaign to educate children and youth about life on Earth and its importance for their futures.
The CBD is a United Nations intergovernmental treaty, whose objectives are the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Secretariat of the CBD is provided by the United Nations Environment Programme.
2010 is the United Nations’ International Year of Biodiversity. On May 22 2010 (The International Day of Biodiversity), as part of The Green Wave initiative, young people are invited to plant a tree at 10:00 to celebrate biodiversity. This will create a ‘green’ wave of tree planting as the activity passes through each time zone across the world.
Photos and stories from the moment can then be uploaded to The Green Wave website to create a virtual wave on the internet.
Visit http://greenwave.cbd.int.
Contact for the media:
Maetavarin Maneekulpan + 66 2 260 5820 extension: 115