Dear Friends of Green Green Water,

This past week Green Green Water was honored on an international scale as it screened at the Expo Zaragoza, a massive international water conference in Zaragoza, Spain. Director, Dawn Mikkelson and Carol Kobliski of Nelson House, Manitoba spent the week meeting with people from all over the world whose stories were eerily similar to that of the indigenous communities of Northern Manitoba. Stories of native and indigenous communities on Columbia, Chile, Peru, India, and China whose lives revolved around rivers that were dammed, changing their lives forever. Stories of corruption, environmental destruction, cultural devastation, and the power of a few strong voices echoed throughout the week.

In particular we were moved by the stories of Embera Katío of Columbia whose representatives pictured in the photo above came at risk of their lives to tell their stories. In the case of the Embera Katío, the privatization of their waters, on top of the damming, has made it so that this community not only cannot navigate, hunt, or fish on their waters, but they also cannot get basic drinking and cooking water without paying an enormous amount, due to the water being owned by corporate interests. To learn more about their story, read below.

Overall, Dawn and Carol were deeply moved and honored to be part of such an important event. Connections made between ourselves and other participants can hopefully continue to build international support networks for victims of large-scale dam construction.

To learn more about Expo Zaragoza, read below . . .

Click here to offer a letter of support for the Embara-Katio through Amnesty International Canada.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in Green Green Water. We are still booking screenings and selling copies. Check out the links on this page to learn more.

Peace,
Dawn Mikkelson & Jamie A. Lee
Director & Co-Director
Green Green Water

Photo of Green Green Water's, Carol Kobliski, sharing stories with the Embera Katío delegation from Columbia.

Text reprinted from Amnesty International Canada's website.

The Indigenous Embera Katío people of Colombia are protesting against the impacts of a hydro-electric mega-project on the Upper Sinú River. Their safety continues to be a concern.

Amnesty International continues to be concerned for the safety of the Indigenous Embera Katío people of Colombia who are protesting against the impacts of a hydro-electric mega-project on the Upper Sinú River that received millions of dollars in financing support from Export Development Canada, a crown corporation of the Government of Canada.

Kimy Pernia DomicoEmbera Katío leader Kimy Pernia Domico received threats against his life, while leading protests against the Urra dam. On June 2, 2001, Kimy Pernia was abducted by armed men reported to be members of a paramilitary group with links to the Colombian army. Kimy Pernia's fate has never been determined and those responsible for his "disappearance" have never been brought to justice.

In late December 2004, more than 400 Embera Katío set up an encampment outside the Colombian Ministry of the Environment in Bogotá to peacefully press for protection against further violence and implementation of promised mitigation of the impacts of the dam. There have been reports of the protesters being attacked and beaten by police.

Please urge the government of Canada to take immediate action to speak with Colombian authorities to indicate their concern about the safety of the protesters, seek clarification about the reports of protesters being attacked and beaten by the police and express their concern that the Colombian authorities act in a manner consistent with their obligations under international law.

Expo 2008 is an international exposition held from 14 June to 14 September 2008 coordinated by the Bureau of International Expositions, the organization that is responsible for sanctioning World's Fairs, held in Zaragoza, Spain, with the topic of "Water and sustainable development".

Zaragoza, host city for the International Exposition, is the administrative and financial capital of the autonomous community of Aragon and the fifth largest Spanish city in inhabitants (660,000), behind Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Seville. Zaragoza was elected the host city of Expo 2008 on December 16, 2004 by the BIE, beating Thessaloniki (Greece) and Trieste (Italy).

The exhibition's most emblematic buildings are the Water Tower, a 80-metre-high transparent building designed by Enrique de Teresa to evoke a drop of water, Zaha Hadid's Bridge Pavilion and the river aquarium. The exposition site also hosts several spectacles, including a daily parade by Cirque du Soleil called The Awakening of the Serpent.

Aside from the countries, non-government organizations and private companies also take part in Expo 2008, always with the idea of water and sustainable development. Check out the promotional video for Expo Zaragoza!

Buy a copy our website (www.greengreenwater.com) to order your copy.

True to the spirit of the film, we have selected the most environmentally friendly packaging with the highest amount of recycled content on the market today for DVD's!