A JOURNEY INTO THE BALE MOUNTAINS OF ETHIOPIA

This lecture is part of a larger project aiming at promoting the conservation of the Bale Mountains, in Ethiopia. With a greatly illustrated presentation, the author brings you to a wilderness of widely unknown and unexpected wonders. Recently included to the prestigious Biodiversity Hotspots list, the Bale Mountains ecosystems are now threatened by exponential expansion of human settlements and overuse of natural resources. Conservation programs offer solutions to preserve nature while benefiting the local population. This personal initiative is supported by Fondation de France, Frankfurt Zoological Society, Ministère de la Jeunesse des Sports et de la Vie Associative, Bale Mountains National Park, tour operator Solomon Berhe, and Ethiopian Airlines among others.

EVERYDAY LIFE ONBOARD AN ANTARCTIC SCIENTIFIC STATION

The presentation starts with the projection of " Antarctica, Life against the odds", a 24 min photo-movie by Delphin Ruché, and goes on with an open discussion with the public. Wrapped in a magnificent decor, twenty four people are going to spend 14 months in a total isolation and a tight proximity. As the polar winter gets deeper, emperor penguins huddle in the blizzard, while human's nature and people's personality reveal themselves like on a photo paper in a dark room.