Indian actress and environmentalist Dia Mirza lends her voice to UN documentary ‘Big Ocean States’

Actress Dia Mirza, who was recently seen in the pandemic movie ‘Bheed’, has narrated documentary ‘Big Ocean States’. The documentary focuses on conservation of marine ecosystems and is part of series ‘Restore: Films From the Frontiers of Hope’ by the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP).

The project is an attempt to amplify stories from ten places around the globe where people have made a positive impact on the environmental crisis. The series also has an episode on Ganga, featuring the stories of farmers, wildlife advocates, and government experts who are teaming up to save the holy river.

Earlier, ‘Fight Club’ star Edward Norton too lent his voice to similar UN initiatives. Talking about the documentary, Dia, who is the Goodwill Ambassador for UNEP and UN Secretary General’s Advocate for SDG, said: “It was an absolute honour to be a part of this global project and tell the story of St. Lucia, Comoros, and Vanuatu that are showing by example how marine ecosystems can be protected for the benefit of all stakeholders and the creation of a blue economy.”

Under the aegis of the ‘UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration’, the first ten films, or ‘UN World Restoration Flagships’, explore the diverse ecosystems of Indonesia, Abu Dhabi, and Kazakhstan.

Talking about what appealed to her from the story, the actress further mentioned: “Yes, the planet is in a state of decline with over a million species facing extinction, but we can learn a lot from how St Lucia, Comoros, and Vanuatu recognised climate threats well in time and did all they could to make a difference. What moved me most about this story is that the citizens took ownership of the dying mangroves and the dwindling marine life and came together to ensure that the future generation would have a sustainable, thriving environment.”

A new episode is released every Monday by the UNEP, featuring a new challenge overcome by people who want a better future for the next generation. (IANS)