Intersectional Environment & Social Toxicity

MasterPeace Global COOLeaders program presents the first edition of the TOxIC Short Film Festival.

Toxictiy is a negative state of being in all aspects of our lives which needs to be urgently and constantly addressed in order to maintain equilibrium and to create the positive conditions for the transformation of the individual and collective senses and realities. In everyday life it relates to things which affect us negatively and prevent us from reaching our true potential and degrades our consciousness. It creeps through the air , water, the noise, it's on the streets, in the media, business practices, in politics, etc. It leads to the kind of conflicts, oppression and violence which we see and find ourselves in. Toxictiy is a negative state of being in all aspects of our lives which needs to be urgently and constantly addressed in order to maintain equilibrium and to create the positive conditions for the transformation of the individual and collective senses and realities. In everyday life it relates to things which affect us negatively and prevent us from reaching our true potential and degrades our consciousness. It creeps through the air , water, the noise, it's on the streets, in the media, business practices, in politics, etc. It leads to the kind of conflicts, oppression and violence which we see and find ourselves in.

The TOxIC Film Festival
Toxic Film Festival celebrated this power of cinema to unlock the power of imagination for change - making. We are looking for films which in essence and content, reflects, reimagines and reconfigures realities relating to the individual & collective. We prefer films which deal with local & intimate realities, conflicts and challenges and seek ways to voice them and maybe also find solutions. These could be related to but not limited to personal freedom, privacy, environment, rights, freedom of expression, social inclusion, economic empowerment, democratic values or spiritual growth.

We are seeking films from around the world of up to 30 mins duration.
The films can include fiction, filmed action, documentaries, animation, video art and music videos.
The films can be in any language and preferably subtitled in English.

We will be having a special category for films made by women and for people from marginalized communities. We will be encouraging the engagement and training of women and marginalized groups in film making as part of our initiative

Film Submission 
Deadline for submission is May 15, 2024

Please send/upload your film link or media file to or by giving acess to the following id: sudipta@masterpeace.org and ashwini@masterpeace.org

You can also upload in the YouTube and provide the link to above mentioned email Id.
All queries can be directed to the email: sudipta@masterpeace.org

Award
The total prize money is EURO 5000. There may be an increase in the prize money in the future. 

Jury
Global jury of filmmakers, artists and change-makers will be announced later.

Final Award Ceremony & Screening
To be announced later.

Screenings
The chosen film will be screened online and at physical venues throughout the world. We will also mobilize this through our MP clubs in 45+ Countries.

Workshops
The ToFF film festival will feature regular webinars and workshops based on artivism with special focus on films as a medium of change-making.

About Masterpeace COOLeaders
The MasterPeace COOLeaders is a global program which aims to build ownership and leadership at grassroots level to address the issues of environment - natural, developmental and cultural. We hope to reach out to common people and engage, inform and motivate them to take practical steps to solve key issues and to transform the conditions which lead to the crisis. The program is committed to tackling climate action, toxicity in our lives and enabling equal participation of women and marginalized communities. The COOLeaders program is using creative modes like arts, films, sports, etc. towards its purposes.

Current Partners
Doughnut Economics Action Lab, Resilient Foundation, Culture Monks, Community Arts Network

MasterPeace is delighted to welcome Imnainla Jamir as the Global Ambassador of Masterpeace COOLeaders program. She is an Electric Guitarist who has become a household name in India. The launch ceremony took place at Dimapur, Nagaland, India on December 27 in the presence of Mr. Abu Metha - Advisor to the Chief Minister of Nagaland. Imnainla will be carrying the message of COOLeaders throughout the world through her music and interactions with global youths.

The urgency has never been higher to ACT to solve issues  – in environment, food, culture, language, relationships, etc.  It is hence important for the youth to be mindful about their health, culture, career and the ecology, for the future of this planet and their lives. The MasterPeace COOLeaders is a global initiative for climate action & leadership. In collaboration with our global network of clubs and partners we are reaching out to the grassroots, particularly to the youth and children to build leadership and projects for climate action. In the process we are connecting people worldwide to come together and solve this urgent problem facing the planet.

We hope that together with the support of future cultural leaders like Imnainla, we can make a small but significant impact towards this goal. Imnainla will take forward the voice of India and Nagaland to the world. Masterpeace Global has been working closely with Task Force for Music and Arts (TAFMA) for the past few years and through TAFMA we reached out to Imnainla to request her to contribute her great talent and outreach towards the purposes of climate action and social change. Together with her, we will explore through music, arts, dialogue, sports and others to spread the message of taking responsibility for the future of this planet and our societies to youth around India & the world.

“It is an honor to be considered by MasterPeace COOLeaders to be its Global Ambassador.

I am excited for what lies ahead, especially my interactions with fellow musicians and young COOLeaders across 60+ countries of MasterPeace Networks.”

- Imnainla Jamir

“I am happy to invite guitarist Ms.Imnainla Jamir to be MasterPeace COOLeaders Global Ambassador.” We hope that this partnership will present her an excellent opportunity to reach out to a global audience and have a chance of working closely with our team to develop new artistic concepts and projects. MasterPeace looks forward to this amazing Co-creation."

- Aart Bos, Global Leadership, MasterPeace

Sudipta Dawn, who is a part of  MasterPeace COOLeaders Project and  a Club Leader of MasterPeace Bengal, highlighted the importance of the initiative and how Imnainla can bring it to regional and global level through her talent, music and inspiration He emphasizes that “Through the COOLeaders program we are trying to build leadership at grass roots level, particularly in the youth, for climate action and social transformation. Along with our clubs and partners throughout the world we are reaching out to more and more people and motivating them to take some practical actions which can make a major difference for the planet. We are also working closely with our clubs to co-create projects and trying to raise resources to implement these projects.”

The event has been given significant space in news and media coverage which highlights the popularity of Imnainla and her amazing job in the region through music and art. 

JOB POSITION As a Grant Writer and Resource Mobilizer, you will have the unique opportunity to be a part of a new strategic approach of MasterPeace to build cohesiveness and increase the activities in Asia through fundraising and effective project implementation. You will be a path maker, a pioneer, with the audacious goal of mobilizing resources for joint projects of MasterPeace Clubs within this region. These resources will enable the Clubs to increase their local impact at the grassroots level. The grant writer will be responsible for locating, researching, and applying for potential funding opportunities in order to ensure successful budget operation. 

The ideal candidate should have previous experience in the grant writing field and understand the non-profit organisations and environment. This position will be full-time. If you are motivated, hard-working, please do not hesitate to apply. Although applicants with prior experience will be given priority, we also encourage fresh graduates to apply if you think you are highly qualified. We would love to have you on our team!

Job Title: Grant Writer and Resource Mobilizer
Location: Based in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Job Type: Full Time.
Salary: TBD during the interview process. 
Work Days : 5 full days per week

Typical duties and responsibilities

• Reaching out to iNGOs, Corporate organizations, Foundations, Embassies, and UN Agencies with social impact ideas and onboarding them on the MasterPeace platform 
•  
• Research and identify grants that match the objectives of the organisation
• Develop proposals for matching grants 
• Communicate with our partner organisations
• Oversee preparation of grant proposals, conduct a final review, and ensure timely submission 
• Write a content for websites, social media and make a stories of a project events
• Develop a strategy, event, campaign and program with a team 
• Support administrative, communication , event management and project management when needed
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, partners and donors 
• Communicating regularly with the core team in the Netherlands, and seeking innovative fundraising approaches and new social impact ideas which are replicable and scalable from the global Clubs.
• Attending Project meetings and events as and when required.
• Traveling at least once a year to MasterPeace headquarters in the Netherlands.

Required skills and qualifications

• Ability to develop a proposal based on available resources
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Ability to conduct thorough research and think out of the box
• Have an understanding of non-profit sectors and working environment
• Detail-oriented and ability to multitask Knowledge of current trends
• Ability to work in multicultural environment with global colleagues
• Ability to handle situation and meet deadline
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite tools and other internet applications

Preferred qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of experiences in related field
• Experience working on a research team and securing grants
• Excellent written skills in English and strong attention to detail
• Preferably Master’s degree in International Relations, Social Work, Political Science, Sustainable Development, Development Economics or any other related discipline.

How to Apply:

Please Send Detailed CV, Cover Letter and Writing Sample (optional) to ashwini@masterpeace.org

After a thorough review of the CV and interview followed by, the best candidate will be decided by the Core-team of the organisations.

Deadline: January 20th, 2024.

Upcoming COOL Talks

Every Month, we will have insightful, concise and powerful dialogues on the various topic under SDGs as a COOL Talk by bringing and connecting experts, dedicated grassroot level actors, youths and other stakeholders.
For more details on the topic of the Talk, Date and Link to join, slide to next:

Slide to Find Out Next COOL Talk

MasterPeace Launched the COOLeaders initiatives on the occasion of World Environment Day June 5, 2023. The MasterPeace COOLeaders program is building leadership at grass roots level, particularly in the youth for climate action and social transformation. Along with our clubs and partners throughout the world we are reaching out to more and more people and motivating them to take some practical actions which can make a major difference for this planet. Since its launch, the reactions from MasterPeace clubs, their communities, our global network and other stakeholders have been very positive and regard it as a “timely” and “relevant” program. The COOL Talk is one of the interventions of COOLeaders. We believe that dialogue is the best way to find any solution because it brings a different perspective to the table from a diverse audience which then contributes in building strategy and policy. So far, we have organized 4 amazing COOL Talks in Burundi, Uganda, Sri-Lanka and Kenya. As the details of the Burundi program was already published, here we present about other 3 COOL Talks.

COOL Birds and COOLeaders of Uganda

Masterpeace Uganda & Masterpeace Global has launched a project called "COOL Birds and COOLeaders of Uganda on August 30, 2023 with a COOLtalk with speakers from eco - tourism and birding community in Uganda as well as from Harvard university interacting with the audience.

This project addresses the problem of diminishing biodiversity cover and the bird population of Uganda. The project mission is to increase awareness and engage the people of Uganda, especially the children and youth about the rich biodiversity and culture of Uganda and motivate them to take practical actions to create the right environment for the protection of bird species and the indigenous culture. Masterpeace Uganda will be organizing several public events like workshops, seminars, performances, public art projects and also conducting bird watching trips in order to fulfill the project objectives. The project also works towards promoting sustainable tourism practices by involving the bird watching, cultural organization and the tourism industry in a discourse to protect biodiversity.

The project has won the award from The African Social Fund and this will further strengthen the project activities in 2024. 

Impact of climate change on development in Sri Lanka and potential solutions.

Sri Lanka COOL Talk is the first one from Asia in the MasterPeace Cool Talks series. Thanks to lead from MasterPeace Sri Lanka, more than 20 participants engaged in insightful conversation with experts from Sri Lankan public and private forums.

Sri Lanka is facing economic challenges and the impact of climate change, seeking climate financing and carbon credits. There's a notable absence of climate education at the grassroots level, emphasizing the necessity for improved communication channels. Recognizing the significance of climate justice, efforts are aimed at ensuring that the benefits of initiatives directly reach affected communities. Civil society groups are seen as key players in facilitating projects that bridge carbon markets with on-the-ground practices. Following a COOL Talk, it was agreed upon to engage in further deliberations to formulate projects addressing the key issues raised.

From the speakers Mr. Suranjan Kodithuwakku, CEO of Green Movement of Sri Lanka (GMSL)  and Mr. Thilak Kariyawasam, President,Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement (LOAM)  stressed on the fact that the process distribution of aid to the grassroots level to the most affected poor people is very inefficient and this needs to be addressed. They also stressed that they have raised this issue at the related forum at COP 28 summit and have tried to raise grants to address the  severe challenges faced by the farming and fishing communities due to climate change events.

COOLtalk Kenya titled food security to food sovereignty in the Global South.

Food security is a major challenge in the Global South, with issues like malnutrition, lack of access to nutritious and diverse foods, reliance on industrial/processed foods, etc. The need for immediate action from various levels is evident- from addressing basic hunger to building local food systems and markets to participating in global value chains sustainably.Agroecology and empowering smallholder farmers with knowledge and inputs is key to building resilient local food systems and food sovereignty.

Organizations like Slow Food Kenya are promoting food sovereignty through initiatives like community gardens, farmers markets, education programs, etc. On Dec 23, MasterPeace and MasterPeace Kenta jointly hosted a COOL Talk on the topic Food security to Food sovereignty in the Global South. 

Our guest speaker - Mr Amalesh Misra from Bengal who is a Chief Functionary at Paribesh Unnayan Samity , introduced his organization and work called folk school, which is mobilizing village children through indigenous sports and games and introducing them to indigenous seeds varieties and farming methods. He has invited Masterpeace to be part of the annual general meeting to discuss ways in which we can support this initiative. Mr. Kirti Mishra, Co-founder & Director, shared an overview of the key challenges and the strategies to counter the problem of food security and sovereignty.

Mr. Samson from Slow Food Kenya shared a brief of the various activities of his organization and also answered questions about the reception of these interventions in Kenya. He shared that the work of Slow Food Kenya had gone off to a slow start with much skepticism. However, the issue of healthy slow food as opposed to fast food has become more pertinent today and hence there is more acceptance and uptake now.

Apollo from MasterPeace Kenya shared a brief about the various challenges facing Kenya – both in the rural and urban area, which is leading to undernutrition and overnutrition respectively.

With these COOL Talks and upcoming, it is essential to transform dialogue into actions. As MasterPeace’s more than a decade work is also based on co-creation amongst the stakeholders to scale up grassroot level issues and initiatives. Eventually, the communities should benefit massively from this bottom-to-top approach. Thus, MasterPeace will keep facilitating in co-creating projects and campaigns which will be launched in 2024 to address the discussed issues. It was agreed that we will all be working in the future to explore ways in which we address the problem through collaboration.

Artivism, Gender & Sports : Women's Participation in Public Spaces: Importance and Challenges

The COOL talk took place on March 15 where 50+ participants were present in hybrid mode. As organized by MasterPeace Burundi with support from MasterPeace and Play International, the talk was mainly using Sports as a Artivism tool to empower women , address their challenges and possible opportunities for co-creation. Experts in such field delivered best practises and new idea to bring such topic forward.  

Fikiri emphasized the importance of women's participation in sports and other activities in public spaces, highlighting the benefits it can bring such as increased confidence, self-esteem, and potential financial benefits through professional sports. He noted the importance of encouraging women's participation, particularly in areas like Burundi where the numbers are low, even with efforts to engage women. Despite this, Fikiri pointed out some positive trends, such as increasing involvement of women in community organizations and village savings and loans associations. The importance of women's participation in decision-making and sports activities were underscored . He introduced speakers from various countries, including  Aart Bos, a global leader from the Netherlands, Somrita Urni Ganguly, a university professor from India, Hans Assisa, a business coach from BUJA Hub and Stephan Menard from Play International.

Sudipto, from MasterPeace COOLeader then welcomed everyone and emphasized the purpose of the gathering, which was to broaden understanding, stimulate further research, and inspire action. Sudipto and Istiak Ahmed, MP Bangladesh Leader, conversation focused on the challenges women face in participating in sports and other public activities, particularly in less developed countries. The discussion furthers around the progress made in professional women's sports and the increasing number of women involved in fitness activities. However, they noted that these advancements are not reflected in rural areas or in the digital space, where violence and aggressiveness often discourage women's participation. 

Soccer for Social Change and Youth Empowerment
Sudipto emphasized the need to create more physical, mental, and digital spaces where women can participate in public activities, including sports, to create a more balanced and less toxic society. Soccer for Social Change and Youth Empowerment All the speakers spent some time in discussion about using sports, particularly soccer, as a tool for social change and personal empowerment, especially for youth. Aart emphasized the role of soccer in uniting and empowering individuals, and suggested the potential for collaboration with organizations like UEFA and FIFA to secure resources.

Empowering Youth Through Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The coach highlighted the significance of empowering young people, particularly through initiatives like Baju hub, a tech hub that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship. The coach emphasized that Baju hub has been instrumental in training thousands of young people and promoting over 100 companies since 2019. The coach also underscored the necessity for young people to understand the importance of teamwork and personal development, particularly in Burundi's post-war society. The coach stressed the impact of entrepreneurship in fostering peace and creating job opportunities. The coach also mentioned the importance of equipping young people with the right mindset and initiatives to contribute to a better control and stability in the country.

Sports for Women's Personality and Community Development The coach emphasized the importance of sports in fostering personality development and entrepreneurship.  Women have been underrepresented in sports due to inconsistencies in the sports system, but they are working to change this perception. The coach also stressed the role of sports in peace building and community development, as it teaches important social skills. They highlighted the need for more women to participate in sports at all levels, noting that it can inspire and motivate young women to contribute more effectively to their communities.  Gender Testing and Female Athlete PortrayalSomrita shared her research on the portrayal of female athletes under the male gaze in sports and literature. She explained how her interest in this topic was sparked by a conversation with an athlete in 2014. Somrita highlighted the issue of gender testing, where only female athletes are required to prove their gender, and the social anxiety surrounding the female body in sports. She also traced the history of women in sports, mentioning that female runners participated in the ancient Olympics. However, the meeting was briefly interrupted by technical issues.  Gender Norms and Fashion in Sports and SchoolsSomrita addressed the topic of fashion's influence on women's bodies, with a focus on dress codes in sports and personal life. She criticized the limitations imposed on women athletes and emphasized the need to reconsider dress codes in schools, citing her own experiences in missionary schools in Calcutta. Somrita also discussed the challenges women face in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as sports, and how gender norms and expectations impact women's participation. She highlighted the scrutiny women face due to their physical appearance and the pressure to conform to certain standards. Somrita also brought up the issue of the neoliberal patriarchy, pointing out how women's access to workout facilities is often tied to male gaze and the expectation of presentability. Gender Equality in Sports: A Call for Action The attendees discussed the importance of creating a safe and equal environment for all genders in sports, particularly for women. The need for individuals to take responsibility in creating a safe environment for athletes, and the role of individuals in bringing about change was emphasized. Fikiri highlighted the obstacles women face in participating in sports and the importance of discussing taboo topics. Istiak’s expressed interest in concrete plans for future actions and innovative ideas to tackle the unequal treatment of genders . 

Find More About Next COOL Talk Here: April 26