Co-Founder of Nature Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) brings decades of experience to the first National Geographic International Explorers Festival to be hosted in Africa, as NEWF Fellows take the stage among global counterparts
Nature Environment and Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) Executive Director and National Geographic Explorer, Noel Kok, recently hosted the first ever National Geographic International Explorers Festival to be held on the African continent, which took place at The Galleria in Sandton last week.
Regional National Geographic Explorers were selected to participate in the Explorer Community workshop at the event. The Explorer Spotlight session featured 15 talks by explorers from 13 countries. Attendees enjoyed an inspiring Evening of Exploration, which was hosted by Kok, celebrating the incredible impact the National Geographic community is achieving across the African continent.
Known for his compelling storytelling, and his drive to support other African storytellers, Noel Kok served as the host at this year’s main event. The evening opened with the Africa Refocused program video, showcasing the collaboration between NEWF and National Geographic Society (“the Society”), following which Kok addressed a crowd of passionate conservationists, scientists, filmmakers and storytellers from across the globe as music created by NEWF composers brought the evening to life.
Beyond the role that Kok played at the event, a number of NEWF Fellows, who are also National Geographic Explorers, made an equally significant contribution to this year’s Explorers Festival.
NEWF Fellows from across Africa spoke at the “Explorer Spotlight” session; namely Shaleen Angwenyi from Kenya, Dercio Muha Gomate from Mozambique, Clement Kiragu from Kenya, Ghofrane Labyedh from Tunisia, and Stuart Tibaweswa from Uganda.
South African Explorer Ntokozo Mbuli addressed attendees during the “Evening of Exploration”, where she featured prominently among a select few speakers.
Through his work at NEWF, Kok has established himself as a leading voice in nature and conservation filmmaking. His mission is to shift the narrative around African conservation towards telling local stories through local voices and local lenses.
“We are facilitating and supporting a new generation of African conservation storytellers, some are starting out, others mid-career and even leaders in their field, and in doing so, we’re playing our part in shifting who tells the story of nature and conservation on this continent,” says Kok.
Showcasing the work of Explorers across the continent, the National Geographic International Explorers Festival is an initiative hosted by the National Geographic Society, a global nonprofit with a bold mission of using the power of science, exploration, education, and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world.
This landmark moment, and the contribution made by NEWF to this year’s Explorers Festival, is reflective of their vision to facilitate access and support to a new generation of African conservation storytellers, who are here to tell the story of nature in Africa in their own voice.