NEW DELHI: Doordarshan today decided to become the broadcast partner for the 9th CMS VATAVARAN Environment & Wildlife International Film Festival and Forum later this year.

This follows a memorandum of understanding with the Centre for Media Studies for the bi-annual festival to be held from 2 to 6 November 2017 in New Delhi.

The festival and forum addresses contemporary environment and wildlife issues through the medium of films, forums, workshops, field visits, food festival, nature bazaar, etc.

The 9th edition will once again delve into the issues of climate change and water, under the theme:‘Conservation4Water’.

Films entering the film festival will compete for 22 awards in Indian section and 21 awards in International section.

DD Director General Supriya Sahu said “Doordarshan has contributed significantly towards the acceleration of socio-economic change, promotion of national integration and stimulation of scientific temper in the country. Being a Public Service Broadcaster, we are mandated to carry messages on preservation of environment and ecological balance. With wide number of channels and regional network, Doordarshan has an extensive reach and coverage and to promote conservation awareness, we will support and collaborate with the festival in November 2017 in all possible ways and all the Award winning environment films will be telecast by Doordarshan”.

CMS DG P N Vasanti said “CMS VATAVARAN uses the medium of films to engage and widen the debate on complex environment and wildlife issues. With this partnership, award winning CMS VATAVARAN films, both national and international, can be shared to wider audiences of Doordarshan. We are glad to be signing this MOU and are looking forward to this partnership with Doordarshan in this conservation mandate”