• Cynthia McKeown posted an update 2 years, 7 months ago

    Sharing the week’s line-up at the Derry, Ireland Festival with events that have a strong environmental focus:
    In its 29th year, audiences can’t fail to notice that there is a strong environmental theme running through many of the Féile 2021 events. Fracking, pollution and calls for a pesticide-free Derry, are just some of the topics featured in events, talks and films at Féile which starts this Saturday 7th August in venues and locations across Derry.

    A spokesperson for Féile said: “Environmental issues, particularly those featuring communities campaigning and lobbying for their health against big corporations, resonated deeply with our audiences. This is something we are keen to highlight. We are especially delighted to feature the launch of Pesticide Free Derry Campaign, led by the Pink Ladies along with the Triax Neighbourhood Management Team to raise awareness of the health dangers posed by pesticides and herbicides.” As well as their billboard campaign and wildflower planting, the groups will raise awareness by ‘yarn-bombing’ areas across the city along with Keep Her Knit.

    The Pink Ladies will also host a panel discussion following the film screening of Unacceptable Risk: Dr. Margaret Kripke on Cancer and the Environment featuring the Director and Producer and Cynthia McKeown, Dr. Laurel Schaider, Senior Scientist, Silent Spring Institute; moderated by Jacquie Loughrey, Education and Prevention Officer, Pink Ladies Cancer Charity. You can watch this live via Féile TV following the screening on Thursday 12th at 4pm GMT. (11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET)

    There will also be several film screenings at The Nerve Centre including Groundswell: Home is a Sacrifice Zone. Filmed in the border counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh, and in Pennsylvania and New York over a ten-year period, Groundswell includes over forty contributions from people on both sides of the Atlantic involved in the story of how Ireland banned fracking. Leading local environmental campaigner, Jim Keys from Zero Waste North West will host a Q&A session with the film’s director Johnny Gogan.

    The critically acclaimed Dark Waters tells the shocking and heroic story of the attorney Rob Bilott (Mark Ruffalo) who risks his career and family to uncover a dark secret hidden by one of the world’s largest corporations and to bring justice to a community dangerously exposed for decades to deadly chemicals. Féile are delighted to welcome Rob Bilott, live from his home in Cincinnati to talk about this and his other environmental campaigns.

    Environmental Programme below

    Saturday 7th August:
    Féile Yard Sale: 11am – 2pm Contact rachel@bbinitiative.org for further details.
    Pesticide Free Derry Campaign: Rossville Street and Fanad Drive

    Sunday 8th August
    Film: Groundswell: Home Is A Sacrifice Zone
    The Nerve Centre, Magazine St, Derry at 7.30pm

    Thursday August 12tj
    The ‘Guapinol 8′: Water Defenders – Féile TV Online @ 1pm
    Unacceptable Risk: Dr. Margaret Kripke on Cancer and the Environment -Féile TV Online @ 4pm
    Dark Waters (followed by a Q&A with Rob Bilott – The Nerve Centre, Magazine St, Derry @ 7.30pm

    The full Féile 2021 programme can be downloaded by clicking on the link below https://issuu.com/gasyardfeilederry/docs/f_ile_2021_programme