16 HOURS OF ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATION FROM THE BOS FOUNDATION & PARTNERS ON INTERNATIONAL ORANGUTAN DAY

The Bornean Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation and its global partner organizations are hosting «Hangout With Orangutans», a 16-hour long web-based marathon of entertainment and education programs about orangutans and habitat conservation efforts on Wednesday, 19 August 2020. The event was designed with the aim of spreading public awareness and understanding of conservation efforts for the Asia's only great apes and their home, the tropical rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. 

In the midst of ongoing Large-Scale Social Restrictions imposed by the government and the challenging adjustment to the new normal lifestyle in various regions throughout Indonesia, the BOS Foundation will still celebrate International Orangutan Day which falls annually on the 19th of August. This year, the BOS Foundation and its international partners will hold a 16-hour long series of virtual events consisting of online discussions, film screenings, and art performances that can be accessed by the public.

Not only will it provide entertainment, but the marathon-like series of events will also be educational for all attendees regarding nature conservation efforts, especially those focused on orangutans. A number of public figures are going to partake in the event which will start at noon tomorrow. Some of our online discussions will be held in bahasa Indonesia, while others will be presented in English. The public can also enjoy the screening of the two first episodes of «Orangutan Jungle School», a documentary series produced by the Natural History of New Zealand (NHNZ), Blue Ant Media, and the BOS Foundation. This film tells the story of orangutans and daily activities at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre Forest School in Central Kalimantan. 

DR. IR. JAMARTIN SIHITE, MSC., BOS Foundation CEO said, «We have prepared many exciting events that anyone can tune in to. For all our friends who want to learn more about and help orangutans, this is the perfect opportunity to, virtually, take a closer look at our orangutan rehabilitation centres, especially the forest school activities.

Not only are we going to tell stories about orangutans, we also want to share with you insights on the challenges we are facing during this pandemic. Efforts to conserve and preserve wildlife, including orangutans, are no small undertaking. It takes widespread cooperation, a lot of money, and even more hard work to achieve the desired results. We hope that with this online event series, we can expand the network of supporters for the conservation efforts of Asia's only great ape.»

DAVINA VERONICA HARIADI, BOS Foundation Awareness Campaigner added, «I am honoured and thrilled to be able to participate in this year’s International Orangutan Day. As I work to rescue abandoned domestic pets, I know first-hand that we all need to pay more attention to animals. The fact that orangutans play a significant role in maintaining the quality of forest ecosystems adds to the importance of universal support for their conservation. I hope that from this event, the public will gain a deeper understanding about the importance of nature and the environment for the health of our world.»

This event is made possible thanks to the cooperation and support from all stakeholders including the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, global partner organizations (BOS Australia, BOS UK, BOS Germany, BOS Switzerland, and Save the Orangutan), corporate supporters, such as PT. Blue Bird Tbk., other conservation organizations, and individual donors who support our conservation work and nature conservation in Indonesia.