PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM AN AGENCY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, CONCERNING AN INTERNATIONAL MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESERVING THE SNOW LEOPARD AND ITS NATURAL HABITAT. The Sayano-Shushensky Russian Federal Nature Preserve, located in the Krasnoyarsk Region of Southern Siberia with its headquarters in Shushenskoe, announces its "MY SNOW LEOPARD" International Nature Media Festival, to raise the awareness of people worldwide about how endangered the snow leopard is as a species, and to formulate plans and interest groups to foster its preservation. The nearby Western Sayan Mountains form a natural boundary between the Russian Federation in Siberia and several of the countries on its southern border, and they are also the natural habitat of most of the approximately 80 snow leopards remaining in the wild. Shushenskoe is located two hours north of the Western Sayans, and the Sayano-Shushensky Federal Preserve is currently home to eight snow leopards.
The "MY SNOW LEOPARD” Festival will be held in Shushenskoe at the Preserve's headquarters, in the first week of June, 2014. Interested persons are encouraged to enter the competition in any of the following categories: scientific works and research; creative writing (poems and prose); photos; creative video (i.e., montage, animation, etc.); choreographic interpretation; theatrical performance; vocal & instrumental performance (groups/solos); artifacts (i.e., stuffed toys, souvenirs, etc.); and, visual creativity (drawings, paintings, etc.).
Entries for any of these categories may be submitted between January 24, 2014, and May 1, 2014. For anyone living outside the Russian Federation who is seriously interested in participating in the Festival, the Preserve plans to provide round-trip transportation, room and board for two international participants, from Moscow to Shushenskoe for the Festival. This is a substantial contribution by the Preserve, since the nearest airport with comercial service is a 5 ½ -hour flight from Moscow. These two international participants need only provide for their own expenses to and from Moscow. Please submit entries directly to the following address:
Zapovednaya St.,7
Shushenskoye
Krasnoyarsk area
662710, Russia,
For further details on entries or other aspects of the "MY SNOW LEOPARD International Nature Media Festival", please contact Eleanor Pate, the Festival's American representative, at brownmoor23@yandex.ru or Elizabeth MacDonald, the Festival's representative in the United Kingdom at elizabeth.macdonald@yahoo.com
