Thursday, February 1, 2024
A cinematic series has been unveiled by The Datai Langkawi, showcasing the influential role of community in fostering enduring positive change on the island. The films spotlight The Datai Pledge, the resort’s sustainability and conservation initiative introduced in collaboration with local NGOs, social enterprises, and community partners since its establishment as a private trust in August 2021.
The films delve into the commendable efforts of unsung heroes across various community sectors, emphasizing their contributions to the education and well-being of Langkawi’s youth, underprivileged individuals, as well as the conservation of wildlife and the environment. These initiatives receive support from The Datai Pledge, simultaneously drawing attention to critical climate-related causes.
Grounded in its four pillars—Pure For The Future, Fish For The Future, Wildlife For The Future, and Youth For The Future—The Datai Pledge serves as a catalyst for positive transformation. The program’s objectives encompass integrating sustainability and conservation into all facets of The Datai Langkawi’s operations and guest experiences, safeguarding and rejuvenating the island’s diverse terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and fostering the prosperity of the local community. Central to its vision is the acknowledgment of the interconnectedness between ecosystems and humanity, emphasizing that genuine impact emerges when all stakeholders derive benefits.
The community support program under The Datai Pledge adopts a holistic, cross-pillar approach, yielding tangible short-term and long-term outcomes. Comprehensive and expansive, it reflects a commitment to creating a meaningful and lasting difference in Langkawi.
Arnaud Girodon, Executive Administrator of The Datai Pledge and Chief Executive Officer of Datai Hotels and Resorts, comments: “The Datai Pledge is part of the community, and since 2021 our programme has helped many of Langkawi’s children and their families, underprivileged members of society, artisans and farmers, as well as the environment and wildlife. These films highlight the many different initiatives we support and also demonstrate that by creating a dialogue between the different collaborators and beneficiaries of the community, we can make a bigger impact. The films celebrate the people behind these projects, all of whom are united by a single purpose: to improve the well-being of the environment, wildlife and community of Langkawi, ensuring that we preserve its treasures for future generations to cherish.”
The community support initiatives of The Datai Pledge in Langkawi are encapsulated in a series of four films. The comprehensive overview spans the entirety of the programme, shedding light on Geng Bersih Kampung, a community center fueled by donations, showcasing its impactful work. Another film, The Kansha Life Project, highlights a social enterprise’s endeavors to offer sustainable livelihoods to the underprivileged. Meanwhile, the Eco-Schools Programme film delves into the influence of a global sustainability education initiative within a local government school. Each film introduces the significance of the respective initiative, articulating their accomplishments and emphasizing why they hold importance.Within the Overview, Arnaud Girodon elucidates on how the program has united and aided diverse segments of the community. The initiatives encompass a spectrum of activities, from facilitating beach clean-ups for local fishers, backing artisans in establishing sustainable enterprises, and aiding farmers in cultivating organic produce. Additionally, the program spotlights the endeavors of grassroots social enterprises and contributes to the education of Langkawi’s future citizens by raising awareness about environmental issues.
Geng Bersih Kampung (GBK) tells the story of a lively community space which has provided local youth with an array of life skills. Told from the perspective of its indomitable founder, Zuraidah Zainal Abidin (aka ‘Kak Zu’) and featuring Dr Louisa Ponnampalam, co-founder of NGO MareCet, which is dedicated to marine mammal conservation and research, and also the official partner of the Fish For The Future pillar under The Datai Pledge, the film demonstrates how extra-curricular education can make a difference to self-esteem and life outlook in young people. GBK’s programme includes practising heritage activities like silat (a traditional martial art), understanding local plants and animals, and improving language skills. Existing purely on private donations and support from The Datai Pledge, GBK’s community space also provides a vital social space for children, many of whom are living below the poverty line (a demographic segment called the ‘B40’ in Malaysia).
The documentary titled The Kansha Life Project captures the endeavors of a distinct social enterprise that ingeniously transforms commercial waste—destined for landfills—into aesthetically appealing new products, facilitated by The Datai Pledge. Narrated through the lens of Mahdar Tahir, a volunteer with the Kansha Life Project, the film portrays how the aspiration for sustainable transformation not only generates employment opportunities for the B40 community but also fosters social cohesion, addressing issues like isolation. Simultaneously, it encourages the exchange of ideas among individuals involved in the initiative.
The Eco-Schools documentary unveils the positive impact of its environmental education program on students at SK Temonyong primary school, one of the three Langkawi schools sponsored by The Datai Pledge. Operating in over 5,000 schools across Malaysia, the Eco-Schools program was introduced to the country by WWF Malaysia and is currently managed by the NGO Green Growth Asia Foundation (GGAF), which serves as the official pillar partner for Youth For The Future under The Datai Pledge. The necessity for such a program was underscored by a recent United Nations study*, revealing that nine out of ten children in Malaysia have been affected by climate change, with many expressing the need for more knowledge to address the issue. The film chronicles the program’s initiatives and demonstrates how educating children about sustainability can create a ripple effect within their broader community.
These films were conceptualized by Gowri B Consultancy and directed by the British-Malaysian documentary filmmaker Myles Storey. Myles, known for his work with the BBC Natural History Unit and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Malaysia, has recently produced acclaimed documentaries such as Finding Solo, featured in numerous international wildlife film festivals last year, and Wang Kelian – The Forgotten Valley, broadcast on national Malaysian TV in August 2023.
In acknowledgment of its contributions through The Datai Pledge, The Datai Langkawi has earned ASEAN Green Hotel Standard Certification for 2020-2022 and 2022-2024; EarthCheck Silver Certification for 2019, 2021, and 2023 (being the first and only organization worldwide to achieve this for terrestrial tourism projects); and the Malaysia Green Hotel Certification for 2019-2022 and 2023-2026.
*Source: National Youth Climate Change Survey Malaysia by UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), 2020.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
