Asia-Pacific Forum on Educational Cooperation:

Tokyo, Japan: 19 – 21 Feb 2011

Presented by Nalaka Gunawardene

Director, TVE Asia Pacific

Who we are…

• Television for Education - Asia Pacific

� TVE Asia Pacific

• Non-profit regional foundation, est 1996,

governed by international Board

• Using audio-visual & new media to

communicate sustainable development

• Working across Asia Pacific with:

– TV broadcasters

– journalists & film-makers

– educational institutions

– civil society groups

Telling

Stories

to Save the

Planet:

An Asia Pacific communication

project for ESD

Saving the Planet

• An Asia Pacific communications project

dedicated to the UN-DESD

• TVEAP’s flagship project as COE

• First phase: 2007-2010

Two objectives:

• produce, distribute & promote regional

TV series showcasing innovative ESD

activities

• strengthen communication capacity of

national & local CSOs engaged in ESD.

Year 1: 2007/8

• Selected 6 ESD projects from

South & Southeast Asia through

public online nominations

• Regional selection panel helped

• built communications capacity of

implementers of projects through

a regional workshop in Khao Lak,

Thailand.

Communication capacity building

workshop on ESD

Khao Lak, Thailand: 2 – 6 July 2007

Selected Stories…

Project/Activity Country Implementing

Organisation

Environmental

Education for children

and adults in three

floating villages on the

Tonle Sap lake

Cambodia OSMOSE

School & Community

Farmland Bio-Diversity

Conservation

Thailand Thai Education

Foundation

Biyaheng Ayta - a

theater cum workshop

educational initiative of

indigenous youth

Philippines Paaralang

Bayan ng Ayta

sa Zambales

(PBAZ)

…Selected Stories

Project/Activity Country Implementing

Organisation

Young People

Transforming

Education

Laos Participatory

Development

Training Centre -

PADETC

“Kude Se Dhan” –

Growing food on

waste

India Development

Alternatives

(CLEAN-India

Programme)

Radio Sagarmatha Nepal Radio Sagarmatha

public radio station

Year 2: 2008/9

• Filmed & edited winning ESD

stories in 6 countries

• Regional TV series: 10 mins x 6

• Stories from Cambodia, India,

Laos, Nepal, the Philippines and

Thailand.

• Filmed by a local crew & with help

from local organisations whose

work was profiled.

Year 3: 2009/10

• Launched & promoted TV series

to users across Asia & beyond.

• Global premiere: ACCU Asia-

Pacific Forum for ESD Educators

and Facilitators: Tokyo, Aug 2009

• Dedicated website relaunched

with all films + text + photos +

links

• No copyright restrictions for use!

One minute trailer…

Year 3: 2009/10

• Country level distribution focused

on 6 countries featured in series

– Story partners involved

– Promo materials produced

– Broadcasters approached

– Public screenings done

– Free DVDs distributed to key users

– Feedback gathered & evaluation

report compiled in May 2010

Feedback gathering

• Feedback gathered regionally with

support from:

– 6 country partners featured

– ASPBAE network across Asia

– University of South Pacific

• 88% like to learn more about

issues & initiatives featured

• Want content in local languages!

• Summary & full report at:

http://www.tveap.org/?q=node/485

Learnings…

• Many good stories are out there!

• Not all make news headlines

• Producing materials is necessary,

but not sufficient

• Sustained distribution, promotion

& audience engagement needed

• Copyrights should be liberal

• Localising content essential

STP Films online

• Dedicated website:

http://www.savingtheplanet.tv/the_films.html

• TVEAP’s channel on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TVEAPfilms

• EngageMedia video platform:

http://www.engagemedia.org/author/tveapfilms

• Daily Motion video platform:

http://www.dailymotion.com/savingtheplanet

Our challenge…

“We have Stone Age

emotions, medieval

institutions and God-like

technology. That's the

source of all of our

problems!”

- Edward O Wilson,

Harvard biologist and

‘father’ of biodiversity

Thank you! nalaka@tveap.org