Biodiversity Film Festival and on-line quiz to mark the Biodiversity Day celebration
Gandhinagar: The United Nations proclaimed May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. Gujarat Council on Science & Technology (GUJCOST), working under the aegis of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of Gujarat is organizing educational and outreach activities on bioresources and biodiversity to mark the celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity on 22nd May 2020. The theme of this celebration is “Our Solutions are in Nature”.
This year’s theme reflects the importance of efforts made at all levels to establish a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda for the period of 2015-2030 and the relevance of biodiversity for the achievement of sustainable development.
Biological diversity – or biodiversity – often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms. The biodiversity of the present time is the fruit of billions of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly, by the influence of humans. It forms the web of life of which both animals and plants are an integral part and upon which all are fully dependent.
On this occasion, GUJCOST has organized a Biodiversity Film Festival on its your tube channel as well as on-line Biodiversity quiz, highlighting the importance of biodiversity to humankind and sustainable development. The theme of the celebration is the central role of people in the management, conservation for sustainable development in the future.
Our Earth is the only planet in the known universe with liquid water on its surface and the only planet with life. Life originated in the primordial ocean where it has evolved for millions and millions of years. The ocean covers 71 percent of the surface area of the globe and constitutes over 90 percent of the habitable space on the planet. It contains the largest animals ever to have lived on Earth and billions upon billions of the tiniest: there are more living things in the sea than there are stars in the universe.
The State of Gujarat, having rich biodiversity, has exclusive strengths in marine resources. The longest coastline confers enviable richness in terms of species diversity with about 462 marine species of flora and 782 species of marine fauna, offer a vast potential base for research and development.
Many eminent resource persons from university and forest departments have been invited to the IBD 2015 celebration and to conduct various interactive sessions with the participants during the workshop. About 200 student, teachers, researchers, science communicators, and forest officers are being invited to participate in the seminar and the celebration.
GUJCOST plays a significant role in bringing awareness and understanding on Biodiversity at the community level through its dedicated Community Science Centres (CSCs) and its Science Clubs also. About 30 CSCs and 3000 Science Clubs are working with various programs and outreach activities around the year across the state. GUJCOST is also developing four state-of-the-art Regional Science Museums at different locations in the state to take the science and citizen science to the next level.
The science of biodiversity is the science of our future. It’s time to take a stand and protect the grand diversity of life. The IBD 2020 celebration is all about to inspire curiosity and provide life-long learning and experiences.