Roundglass Sustain Wins the 2023 Audience Award at the UN World Wildlife Day Film Showcase

I am elated to share the incredible news that Roundglass Sustain, our not-for-profit organization dedicated to digitally documenting India's incredible biodiversity, has been honored with the 2023 Audience Award at the UN World Wildlife Day Film Showcase for our film, Wings of Hope: A Bustling Village and Their Bird Friends.

It was an unforgettable moment when I had the privilege of accepting this prestigious award on behalf of Roundglass Sustain. The award ceremony took place at the illustrious Jackson Wild Summit in Wyoming, USA.

Our film focuses on Menar, a small village near Udaipur in Rajasthan, which, despite not being a designated bird reserve, has become a safe haven for thousands of resident and migratory birds. It showcases the incredible efforts of the locals, known as Menarias, who have dedicated themselves to ensuring the safety and well-being of these birds within their bustling village.

The people of Menar are an inspiration to all of us. This remarkable community has chosen to put aside the financial and cultural advantages they could derive from the lake habitat to ensure the birds have a safe habitat. If we can all imbibe this selfless spirit and give a part of our effort and money to the cause of protecting the natural world, we will have done one thing right in our lives.

This film was a collaborative effort between Roundglass Sustain and filmmaker Gunjan Menon, a National Geographic Storytelling Explorer and a NEWF Fellow and Mentor. Her expertise lies in creating impactful wildlife and conservation stories that focus on the human and animal characters within them. Roundglass Sustain worked closely with Menon to craft a narrative that would resonate globally.

What makes this even more special is that among the 29 films curated and screened from around the world, Wings of Hope stood alone as the sole representative from India.

Emphasizing the film's impact on conservation efforts, Menon said, "With this film, the Menarias have pushed for conservation and change within their own communities. Menar was declared as a wetland and has been nominated to be declared a Ramsar site." 

Roundglass Sustain has been steadfastly documenting India's rich biodiversity, creating a comprehensive record of its wildlife and habitats. To date, we've produced over 2200 pieces of content on our website, including 200 videos in 12 languages, 150 photo stories, and 220 infographics.

Our work has not only been recognized in India but also internationally. Recently, six Roundglass Sustain films were shortlisted out of 700 entries from around the world for the Science Film Festival organized by Goethe Institut. These films will be showcased in over 10 countries globally, further spreading awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and our commitment to documenting India's biodiversity.