.
Hand2Earth’s documentary film ‘Grassmen II’ about a prisoner and ex-offender
rehabilitation project in St. Vincent’s prisons was screened to Heads of State and
Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)
and the EU in Brussels on 16th July 2023. The subsequent meeting was co-chaired
by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and Prime Minister of St.
Vincent & the Grenadines, Dr. The Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves, as pro-tempore
Presidency of CELAC.
Grassmen II, directed by Aiko Roudette, was one of three short films selected for
the screening and debate, the others from Brazil and Mexico. The film was
sponsored by the SVG Environment Fund and documents prisoner rehabilitation
with a focus on land conservation using vetiver grass.
The EU-CELAC Summit was a key political milestone to reinvigorate and
strengthen the bi-regional partnership between the two regions. Prime Minister
Gonsalves co-chaired the first meeting for 8 years and subsequently stated in the
news release “This is the re-affirmation of the friendship and the relationship
between Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
On the basis of this declaration
we have some actions to do a lot of follow up to do – but there is great promise
here- we have to go to our bodies edges amidst the unbounded elements of the
real world of life, living and production”
Hand2Earth, a local non profit, focused on soil and land conservation for
sustainable livelihoods, stated that their organisation is delighted that the
rehabilitation project documented in the Grassmen II has resonated with
international leaders addressing developmental challenges. The film’s prequel,
‘TheGrassmen’ has been screened at various international and regional film festivals
and will be screened at the Native Spirit Festival in Notting Hill, London UK in
October 2023 Hand2Earth is a locally registered non-profit organisation working to improve opportunities for sustainable livelihoods through productive engagement with renewable resources, and
the flora and fauna and cultural heritage of our islands. H2E has been implementing
Vetiver Systems Projects for land conservation, soil regeneration, prisoner rehabilitation and vetiver handcraft production in St Vincent and Dominica since 2015.
Link to Grassmen II film below