Speaking up for Earth
Addressing environmental issues through art.
Climate change and its detrimental impact on all life forms is, perhaps, the least understood issue in today’s world but there are some visionaries who have taken up the task of educating people about the same. Documentary filmmaker Vijay Sehrawat is one such person who has a specific interest in documenting environmental and social justice issues. “I feel all art forms have the power to inspire people. Art not just informs, but also compels people to take action,” says the Haryana-born, who is now based in Delhi for the last 15 years.
Inspiration
One wintry evening in 2018, Vijay read an article that mentioned Delhi being the most polluted city and also that, almost oblivious to this, the Government was contemplating cutting down over 16,000 trees. “This was the moment when I decided had to do something.”
Some of his highly successful work has been Caritas India which was a micro-series on indigenous seeds practices in North East India. Another campaign titled Youth For Climate was done as a video archive of the Youth climate movement in India since 2019.
Today, he manages a team of 37 environmental activists efficiently and effectively. While he strongly believes in youth-led revolutions, he also affirms that all sections of society have some role to play when it comes to taking charge of the situation.
His experience with large-scale organizations like Fridays for Future and Youth Climate Action has led him to believe that it is the passion of volunteers that keeps the momentum going. He has also worked with international organizations like Green Peace which operates in over 150 countries.
Speak up for the Earth!
Vijay was also the Indian leg of the ‘Speak up for the Earth’ initiative. He encourages open conversations about climate change through such forums. This, for instance, was a meeting with 80 more people from around the globe, each with their own opinion and individual ideology. Hence the name, “Speak up”.
A date to remember
Conversations about climate change have to be initiated through regular activities, he opines. An example of this is when Vijay started a programme called ‘Date with Mother Earth’ on Valentine’s Day that was people attended by hundreds of people. “We decided to celebrate this day in a positive manner through music, dance, and connect every relation in the world to our relation with Mother Earth.” The programme was broadcast on national television in India.
Making a Difference
He feels films and documentaries are mediums that grab people’s attention. Vijay is currently working on a film about environmental issues in urban spaces. Titled The City We Built, this is a documentary film about expansion of cities and how their functioning leads to numerous environmental issues. “The City We Built will explore the source of the problem, how problem increases over time, its magnitude and how the future will look like if the change is not embraced now.”
Vijay is also focusing on the issue of ‘Green Politics’ through his documentary on India’s first green political party started by Uttarakhand-based journalist Suresh Nautiyal. “Green politics stands for ecological justice and gender equality. They also have a principle to not accept a donation of more than Rs. 10,000 for their party’s working, irrespective of who it is coming from.” He is documenting the whole process of the working of the party, which also needs him to shoot in difficult terrains like the Himalayas and in remote cities all over India.
Role of Youth
Most importantly, Vijay emphasizes on the role youth must play, since it is their future that is in utmost danger. Educating children from the school level itself is important, he says. “The current education system in no way reflects the urgency of the situation. There are no topics on climate change in school curriculums. Young children should be made to understand that India is the 5th most vulnerable country to climate change.”
According to Vijay, youth led initiatives must be brought under media spotlight, as media is the primary source of information for the younger generation. There also needs to be a shift in the system to protect all forms of life, not just humans.
Niharika Roy is a high school student at Amity International School, Saket, one of the prestigious schools in the capital city of Delhi, India. This 15-year-old has a penchant for writing, more particularly issues that plague mankind in the modern-day world. A girl of myriad interests, Niharika is passionate about debating, graphic designing, kathak, and basketball. She wants to pursue law and astrophysics in the future.
