In 2011, IFSA celebrates the International Year of Forest

The International Forestry Students Association join the rest of the world in celebrating the International Year of Forests (IYF) in the year 2011. The IYF is a global platform to celebrate people’s action to sustainably manage the world’s forests. The United Nations General Assembly declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.

A couple of programme of activities have been designed to celebrate the IYF at the IFSA level, all the IFSA Local Commitees around the world are expected to join the cause of the celebration and share their experiences with the rest of the world on how they plan to celebrate “forests for people” during 2011, so that we may showcase your stories and initiatives through the IFSA website.

The under listed have been design to celebrate IYF at IFSA level all around the world :

1) Sensitize LCs towards town-wide/campus-wide awareness campaign :
- IFSS 2011
- LC meetings
- Regional meetings : IYF should be integrated to all IFSA events. Especially to NERM, SERM, ARM, NARM
- Posters and souvenirs ( t-shirts, caps, sticky notes etc.)

2) Provide elaborate information on IYF within and outside our current network :
- Dedicated page on IFSA website
- Presentation at IFISO
- Inclusion of IYF logo & theme in official docs and e-signatures IFSA Newsletter

3) Raise individual students’ interest to participate in IYF :
- Picture contest
- Poem/ Prose Contest
- Video Clip Contest
- Catchy phrases
- Website exhibition

4) Demonstrate the theme of IYF in practical terms …… “Forests for People” :
- Tree planting
- Draft a support letter (funding, demo land, service)
- Mentors for high-school students
- Field trips
- GAPFE Launch

The use of IYF Logo

IFSA have been granted waiver of liability for the use of IYF logo. The International Year of Forests 2011 (Forests 2011) logo is designed to convey the theme of “Forests for People” celebrating the central role of people in the sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of our world’s forests. The iconographic elements in the design depict some of the multiple values of forests and the need for a 360‐degree perspective: forests provide shelter to people and habitat to biodiversity; are a source of food, medicine and clean water; and play a vital role in maintaining a stable global climate and environment. All of these elements taken together reinforce the message that forests are vital to the survival and well being of people everywhere, all 7 billion of us.

International Forest Film Festival

To celebrate Forests 2011, the United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat (UNFFS) is working in collaboration with the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival to organise the International Forest Film Festival (IFFF).

IFFF winning films will be presented to delegates of all 192 countries at the launch of the International Year of Forests 2011 at United Nations Headquarters, New York in February, 2011. The launch of the International Year will take place as part of the official programme of the ninth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). Subsequently, the winning films will also be screened around the world.

The International Forest Film Festival aims to raise awareness on the importance of forests, their relationship with people and the planet we share, and consequently, to inspire a sense of personal responsibility/stewardship for a greener, more equitable, sustainable future.

Key dates :

- 2010 Submission Deadline: November 30, 2010
- Jury Deliberation: December 2010
- Announcement and awarding the IFFF Winners: February 2-4, 2011, during the High-Level Segment of the 9th Session of the UNFF
- Forests 2011 Launch screenings: January 24-Feb 4 2011 (NYC)

Film categories

The overall theme of the Festival will be: Forests for People, with sub categories:

- 360 Degrees on All Things Forest: Awarded to the film that best communicates humanity's social, cultural, economic or spiritual interconnectivity to forests.
- Living Forests: Awarded to the film that most effectively showcases the rich diversity and complexity of the forest ecosystem.
- Issues & Solutions: Awarded to the film that most effectively communicates solutions to environmental and sustainability issues facing forests and all its inhabitants, including people.
- Forest Hero: Awarded to the film that most effectively celebrates the work of individuals or groups committed to forest research and sustainability.
- “This is my forest”: Awarded to the film that tells the story of the forest, captures the best or most moving personal experience with forests, whether it’s in your backyard, in the city or in the country, that mean the most to you.
- Shorts: Awarded to the best forest film of less than 15 minutes in length.

The Festival welcomes films in all United Nations official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). English subtitles will be required for non-English films.

To learn more about The IFFF including submission procedures and guidelines, please visit www.forestfilmfestival.org

What are you waiting for?

If you require more information or for any inquiry please contact the UNFF head of subcommission : Tolulope Daramola