Student Filmmakers Profile Environmental Achievements Of Seven
Torchbearers Selected by Coca-Cola for Olympic Torch Relay
The personal stories and achievements of seven “environmental
champion” torchbearers selected by Coca-Cola
for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay are the subject of a new
documentary film premiering August 13 in Beijing.
The movie makes its debut at 8:30 p.m. inside the Coca-Cola “Shuang
Experience Center,” within the Olympic Green
complex of sports and media venues.
The worldwide presentation by Coca-Cola of this year’s
record-breaking Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay focused primarily on
environmental sustainability and the roles people can play in improving
the quality of life in their communities. To help underscore the message
of environmental stewardship – and recognize
those who are dedicated to pursuing positive change –
Coca-Cola selected local environmental champions to join the ranks of
all the torchbearers the Company chose around the world to carry the
Olympic Flame.
Individual vignettes profiling seven of the Coca-Cola environmental
champions were shot and edited by student filmmakers from the
torchbearers’ respective parts of the world.
The “Environmental Champions”
documentary film project is among several environmental programs by
Coca-Cola for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. In one key area, 100
percent of the coolers and vending machines provided by Coca-Cola for
Olympic Games venues – more than 5,600
climate-friendly, “eKOfresh”
units – feature a natural refrigerant that is
free of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), as well as proprietary technology
that improves energy efficiency by up to 35 percent. This commitment
alone will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 4,000 metric
tons – the equivalent of taking more than
19,000 cars off the road for two weeks.
Other environmental initiatives by Coca-Cola for the Olympic Games
include the presentation to all 2008 Olympians of exclusive Coca-Cola
T-shirts made from a blend of cotton and recycled PET plastic bottles,
to demonstrate the high value of PET bottles and how they can be turned
into desirable products. (All 2008 Paralympians are being provided
unique Coca-Cola visors also produced using recycled PET.) In addition,
all PET bottles collected from the Olympic venues will be recycled.
Meanwhile, Coca-Cola is supporting Beijing’s
efforts to improve the city’s air quality by
operating a “clean fleet”
of electric- or human-powered delivery vehicles for Olympic venues.
Featured Environmental Champions
From among all the environmental champion torchbearers selected by
Coca-Cola for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay, the following
achievers are featured in the new film documentary:
-
Filiz Demirayak (from Turkey), the director general of
WWF-Turkey and a renowned professional in coastal management.
-
Nikolay Drozdov (from Russia), a biological scientist and the
host of Russia’s popular television
program, “In the World of Animals.”
-
Liu Hong-Liang (from China), a noted environmental scientist
specializing in lake research.
-
Yasmin Rashid (from Pakistan), a founding member and
chairperson of one of Pakistan’s
most-notable non-governmental organizations, the Pani Pakistan
Foundation.
-
Douglas Stoup (from the United States), a global explorer and
environmentalist who was the first American male to ski to the South
Pole.
-
Anna Tibaijuka (from Tanzania), the Under-Secretary-General and
Executive Director of the United Nations Programme on Human
Settlements (UN-HABITAT).
-
Alby Wooler (from Australia), known locally as “Mr.
Landcare” for his exceptional volunteer
environmental work.
“The Olympic Games provide a great platform
to demonstrate the Coca-Cola system’s
commitment to sustainability and help raise global awareness about the
importance of environmental stewardship,”
said Muhtar Kent, President and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company. ”These
seven ambassadors of sustainability are distinguished representatives of
all the environmental champions selected by Coca-Cola to be part of the
Olympic Torch Relay. Their environmental accomplishments weave together
to tell a powerful, inspiring story of how individuals can make a
difference.”
The Coca-Cola Company tapped into its worldwide system to identify local
student filmmakers who could creatively capture the personal stories and
environmental work of the seven torchbearers. Their vignettes were
edited into the final documentary by film students from Georgia State
University (GSU), in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
“This was anything but a normal school
assignment, but everyone on this project, in all the countries, has been
thrilled by the opportunity to produce a moving tribute to these
environmental champions with Coca-Cola,” said
project faculty advisor Dr. Niklas Vollmer, associate professor,
Film/Video, Department of Communication, Georgia State University.
Scheduled to attend the world premiere of the film August 13 in Beijing
are featured environmental champion torchbearers Nikolay Drozdov, Liu
Hong-Liang and Doug Stoup, along with Vollmer and the three-person GSU
film student team that handled production of the finished piece.
The 2008 voyage of the Olympic Flame marked the sixth time that
Coca-Cola has served as a Presenting Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay
and the eighth time since 1992 that the Company has been formally
involved with the event.
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest
beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 450 sparkling and
still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s
most-valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio
includes 12 other billion-dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta,
Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid and Georgia
Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages,
juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the
world’s largest beverage distribution system,
consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s
beverages at a rate of 1.5 billion servings a day. With an enduring
commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused
on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and
enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate.
For more information about our Company, please visit our Web site at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Media can register to attend the “Environmental
Champions” film documentary world premiere
August 13 in Beijing by sending e-mail requests to tcccolympics@mslpr.com.
Seating is limited.
Additional details and digital images relating to the Coca-Cola
partnership with the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games are available at the
following press center sites:
Global Programs
www.thecoca-colacompany.com/presscenter/presskit_olympicgames2008_
overview.html (Due to its length, this URL may need to be
copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the
extra space if one exists.)
China Programs
www.coca-cola.com.cn/shuangcity
Weblog: Consumers around the world can share stories,
ask questions and learn more about the partnership of Coca-Cola and the
Olympic Games through the new Weblog www.Coca-ColaConversations.com.
The blog shares an insider’s view of the
heritage of Coca-Cola from Phil Mooney, Company archivist and resident
historian.
Contact for International Media:
The Coca-Cola Company
Petro
Kacur, +1 404-676-2683
+86 150 1094 3187
pressinquiries@na.ko.com
or
Contact
for Chinese Media:
Coca-Cola (China) Beverages Ltd.
Jasmine
Tian, +86 138 0110 8902
jatian@apac.ko.com
