Drawing Inspiration from the Hula Wetlands

https://www.artistsfornature.com/projects/the-hula-valley/

The idea for this project came after meeting with Ysbrand Brouwers, the Director of the Artists for Nature Foundation. As an employee of the Israeli Ornithological Center of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, I spearheaded the organization and fund raising to make this a reality. Besides wanting to create projects to help conserve the beautiful Hula Wetlands of northern Israel, on a personal level I wanted to meet fellow wildlife artists, some of whom were celebrities for me. 

This area is located at the crossroads of Eurasia and Africa and is situated along the Great Rift Valley. It is an area rich in wetlands, woodlands, open fields and mountains, and is a critical stopover, breeding, and wintering site for more than 300 bird species, 20 of which are globally threatened. An estimated 500 million birds pass through here while migrating, which is why the Hula Valley is currently being proposed as the largest UNESCO World Heritage Transnational Serial Nomination.

As with other ANF projects, the idea is to raise awareness of this unique area through the universal language of art.  We brought together 34 artists from around the world together with local artists to participate in two festivals held during the winter of 2008 and the spring of 2009. Over 15,ooo visitors flocked to the festival activities at the Agamon HaHula Park. One of the most memorable days was when we arranged for over 100 school children from Jordan and Israeli Arab (Jaljulia) and Jewish (Petah Tikvah) children that spent a magical day learning about the Hula Wetlands, bird migration and painting nature. The day climaxed with a visit by late Israeli President Shimon Peres who met with the children and enjoyed a guided Birdwatching trip. 

Following the festivals, I co-authored (with Edna Gorney) a beautiful book that highlights the artworks and tells the story of the wetlands. We also organized six travelling exhibitions in Israel and the UK.