3 min readBengaluruNov 4, 2023 09:33 AM IST
First published on: Nov 3, 2023 at 06:59 PM IST
Azim Premji University, Bengaluru Friday unveiled the second edition of its annual climate festival — Forests of Life. The festival includes an ensemble of art installations, photographs from forests captured by young interns, music, movies, artefacts, interactive workshops and more.
Out of more than 300 applicants, 130 student interns were selected who travelled through 110 diverse forests across the country. Their narratives have woven together their experiences, challenges of human-animal conflicts and the deep association of indigenous communities with nature. They have also documented successful examples of wildlife relocation and detailed inspirational conservation stories.
A map at the festival depicting the deteriorating condition of the forest cover in the North East claimed that between 2001 and 2021, the Northeast of India lost 4,350 square kilometers of primary forest area.
The Solega community members also jotted down their experiences and displayed them at the festival. Living within the Punajanur forest range, the Solega people reside in Kulluru village, Chamrajanagar district. The elders of the Solega are deeply connected to the forest through traditional practices. They collect honey and other non-timber forest products from the forest, and their diet includes edible forest items.
Nagamma from Kulluru village said, “Forest foods are rare now. Today’ children do not know how to go to the forest and identify medicinal plants, tubers and other edible food.”
The festival will be open to the public until November 14, and entry will be free.
Close to 1500 students and members of the public visited the inaugural day of the festival which began with a tribute to forests of Biligiri Rangaswamy Betta by Soliga tribal elders and presentation by students.
The thirteen-day trilingual (English-Kannada-Hindi) will provide diverse perspectives from urban dwellers and indigenous communities and explore the idea of forests with school and college students from different parts of the country.
“The second edition of our annual climate festival brings to life a tapestry of stories from India’s diverse forests. This event underscores our deep relationship with forests and will shine a light on the urgent need to manage our forests better,” said Harini Nagendra, Director, Research Centre and Centre for Climate Change, Azim Premji University.
The programme will see various events each day across venues at the University. This will include several interactive workshops, panel discussions, movies, folk songs, rendition of folklore and a captivating photo exhibition.
In 2022, Azim Premji University launched its first climate festival – Rivers of Life – A journey through India’s Rivers’, as seen through the country’s myriad rivers, its cultural influences, role in livelihood, vibrant biodiversity, and the people behind its conservation.
The festival will be open to the public until November 14, and entry will be free. 
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