The fourth Green Eye Festival was opened in the crowded hall of the Arsen House of Art

The first day of the Green Eye Festival was marked by inspiring documentaries and an interesting panel discussion on climate change

Planet Earth is the only ground under our feet that we have. That is why the Festival was symbolically opened with the documentary Common Ground, which explores the path towards ecological food cultivation and the restoration of our health and environment.

In the afternoon, visitors will be able to watch two more documentaries: at 5 pm, Deep Rising, a story of geopolitical, scientific, and corporate intrigue, which explores the world energy crisis and its impact on the deep ocean floor, crucial for our survival, and at 7 pm, All That Breathes, an Oscar-nominated documentary about two brothers who have dedicated their lives to fight to protect black kites, majestic birds of prey that are key to the ecosystem of New Delhi.

The first day also featured a panel discussion in which prominent experts from various sectors discussed issues related to environmental protection and sustainable development, so that participants and the audience could gain a deeper insight into the environmental challenges that Croatia is facing.

Igor Kreitmeyer, director of the Directorate for Nature Protection of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, emphasizing the importance of nature restoration, presented a proposal for a European Commission regulation that would contribute to the recovery of damaged nature in the European Union. He also spoke about the applicability of the concept of regenerative agriculture in Croatia, and its compatibility with protected areas.

Anamarija Matak, director of the Directorate for Environmental Impact Assessment and Sustainable Waste Management of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, noted the problems associated with chemical products in industrial agriculture and unauthorized landfills, stressing the importance of their monitoring and supervision in Croatia.

Danijel Mileta, deputy mayor of Šibenik, spoke about encouraging regenerative agriculture in his city and its region, citing the project “Šibenik – Zero Waste City” as an example of solving the problem of waste disposal in urban areas.

Draženka Stipaničev, head of the Main Water Laboratory at the “Josip Juraj Strossmayer’ Water Institute, warned of challenges related to the preservation of the rich fresh water supplies in Croatia, including potential threats to and the possibility of depletion of these resources.

Nediljko Dujić, president of the Croatian Forests Board, spoke about deforestation and the vulnerability of forests due to climate change. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, thanks to which it is possible to gain a good insight into important issues related to environmental protection and sustainable development in Croatia.

We offer special thanks to the students of several secondary schools in Šibenik, the Antun Vrančić High School, the School of Medicine, and the School of Economics, and their teachers who attended the screenings and the panel discussion, and who themselves held a debate after watching the films. This is the true meaning of the Green Eye Festival: to encourage reflection and action, especially among young people, who should be the bearers of positive changes in the future.

The discussion will continue tomorrow at 1 pm, when new panelists will discuss the role of film and the media in education about the importance of protecting nature and the environment. Before that, at 11:15 am, the documentary Geographies of Solitude, winner of the Berlinale 2022, will be shown.