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Bam-e-Dunya Film Festival 
Celebrating International Mountain Day 
For the first time in Gilgit Pakistan, we are going to organize a Film Festival. This Film Festival has its own particular significance as it revolves around the themes in the mountains. On International Mountain Day, we will screen the best films made about and in the mountains.

The Bam-e-Dunya (the ‘roof of the world’) includes Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. This is a region with massive endowments of biodiversity and ecosystem services, especially the waters that irrigate the food baskets and feed millions of people downstream. However, the speed of change in the region and its conservation and development implications present diverse subjects for filmmakers around socioeconomic and ecological impacts and sustainability. Remote mountain communities that have historically been on the periphery and insulated from change are now rapidly transforming with emerging digital technologies, connectivity and penetration of market forces. WWF-Pakistan, Tourism department GB, Karakorum International University, GBRSP, AKRSP, Special Communication Organization -SCO, EPA-GB, IUCN, Rupani foundation and Alpine Club aim to create a platform for the filmmakers belonging to the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral who are keen in research, stories, documentation of mountain ecology and changes occurring in the mountain regions. These include covering socio-economic, climate change, food security, landscape and tourism. This space will enable the youth to share and discuss local and regional challenges, opportunities and success stories, and it will provide an opportunity for local researchers and filmmakers to interact, discuss and form networks. There will be opportunities for future joint ventures that could play a role in effective policy recommendation.

Photo by Anima Aryal