https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/culture-exploration/0000016f-b442-d3ee-a17f-f6cf92b40000
This is a short (15 minute) National Geographic film about Diego Calderon. He
is now a well-known birding guide in Colombia who, when he was just a student,
was kidnapped by FARC for 88 days back in 2004 while birding in Farc territory.
This film is about him going back to FARC, and about the connection between the
land that was occupied by them and therefore not built on, and the birds in the
habitats that they unknowingly saved, and how birds connected the former
adversaries. It is in Spanish with English subtitles.
This year, for the global big day, Diego planned an experiment in which he and
his fellow bird guides would demonstrate how birds connect people. Especially
in a country like Colombia, with all their problems and realities. They are
only 4 years into the peace agreement. He intended to mix birders from all
different social backgrounds (guerrilla ex-combatants, soldiers/police,
paramilitary ex-combatants, civilian victims, hardcore birders, etc etc etc)
and not focus on seeing the most species; instead, focus on enjoying together
what links us all: BIRDS!
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic things are rather different. And so instead
of posting a link last month to a crowdfunding site to support the global big
Day getting people together through birding experiment in Colombia 2020, I am
now posting an alternate link. 20 birding guides and their tiny, tiny
companies have gotten together to try to support their employees during this
time. I think it's an excellent cause. Colombia is just beginning to open up to
tourism, and having former farc Rebels saving their forest as an ecotourism
spot is a pretty amazingly positive story. But if due to the pandemic no one
can get any work, who knows what will happen.
Colombia has more species of birds than any country in the world. So even
though this really doesn't have anything to do in particular with Virginia, I
am posting for people who might like to see the National Geographic film. And
who might like to donate to keep birding guides and the families that put
people up, and the drivers, and all of the support people who give us so much,
and have contributed to so many people seeing life birds, afloat until birding
can open up again in Colombia. The money will go to a hundred and fifty
families who in one way or another are employed by these tiny Colombian bird
guide companies.
I hope many of you enjoy this National Geographic film. And of course I hope
that many of you decide to donate to help these people keep birding tourism
alive in Colombia. I realize that many people here are suffering financially as
a result of the pandemic, and so please don't feel bad if you can't give
anything. Just enjoy the short film and plan a trip to Colombia for when things
open up and we all have more money and easier travel!
Vaki is a very safe and completely encrypted site which is commonly used in
Colombia. It is available in both English and Spanish. Should you feel more
comfortable with a bank transfer which can be done with worldremit or several
other companies, for free or sometimes a small fee of $3, instead of the 25-40
dollars banks usually charge, please feel free to contact Diego at the
following email address and you can arrange an alternate method of donating
should you so wish.
diegocolombiabirding@xxxxxxxxx
https://en.vaki.co/vaki/1591551223119
Mb from NoVa
sent from my phone so please excuse all typos, gibberish, and horrifying
misspellings
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