OTP Bank Romania invited the audience from the Anonymous International Independent Film Festival to get involved in an action for greening the Danube River. Thus, during the 20th edition of the festival, OTP Bank challenged moviegoers to a day of doing good for the environment, by promoting responsible behavior towards waste collection and knowledge of the area’s biodiversity, but also to explore the idyllic beauty of the Delta area. The action was organized on August 17, in partnership with the festival team and with the support of the “Ape fara Plastic” NGO.
The results of the action “We want a Delta like in the movies” were noted by a large amount of plastic collected, over 400 kilograms, representing 28 bags, in a short time of only 3 hours. The entire amount of waste is going to be recycled.
In addition to the greening objective, the action also has an educational and awareness component, being an excellent opportunity to bring in the attention of the public at the festival, importance to protect the Danube Delta from the effects of plastic pollution. So, the volunteer action was documented through a video, which was presented in the attention of a generous audience of over 4,000 moviegoers, at gala of the festival. The presentation video can be watched here.
“We have seen our much-loved Delta polluted with plastic, which we know how much endangers the biosphere. It’s sad to see that these layers of plastic are forming among protected plants and birds species. However, I am very happy that we had the opportunity to document this idyllic area for a few hours, and together with the 30 volunteers we managed to capture over 400 kg of floating plastic from the river, but also from its edge. It’s an example that we want to give for as many people from the village as possible, but also for the turists, because that’s the only way we’ll be able to have a cleaner Delta,” said Mihaela Duică, PR Manager of OTP Bank Romania
“What interests us in such a partnership and from the people who are with us in a real, concrete and practical sense, is to give a helping hand to what we are trying to do in addition to the projections of movies and in addition to everything the Anonymous Film Festival means. Much of what we do at the festival is due to this area, where we are. And then it is absolutely normal for us to be the first to want this area to be cared for, protected, to take care of it in a concrete way. It’s very nice to talk, some are better at it, others less well, but it’s much more important to do something and we were very happy with your initiative and that you thought we could do concrete things together.” added Miruna Berescu, the Director of the Anonymous Festival.
“After almost 5 years of NGO, hundreds of volunteers present at our actions, examples of good practice shared all over the country and many, many tons of waste removed from the Jiu River, I remain with the conviction with which I set out: the more effective actions (of a corrective type like the one in the Delta) are those carried out on the tributaries of the Danube. Otherwise, I welcome and praise any action like the one organized by our partners from OTP Bank”, said the President of “Ape fara Plastic” NGO.
The action took place on an area of 2 kilometers, in the perimeter of the Sfântu Gheorghe village, and participation was free.
OTP Bank has initiated and supported in the last two years internal and external projects that emphasize ecological education and has also chosen to act both by cleaning up plastic and by environmental revitalization actions, offering customers thousands of plantable papers.
The action was organized with the support of the Ape fara Plastic NGO, which provided all the intervention equipment on the Danube.
