On a balmy sunday night a few thinkGood. friends gathered for an evening of r&r before another hectic week. As usual we debated a little, watched a few TEDs and conversed about life. One topic led to another and we were reminded of a lesson from grade school way back when, about Pangea. Pangea, not to be confused with Topanga from Boy Meets World, was the supercontinent that existed hundreds of millions of years ago, before the continents were separated. While googling pangea we happened to stumble upon an awesome international multimedia event called Pangea Day.
Pangea Day was a four hour program of films, music and speakers broadcast live across the globe. The event sought to use the power of film to bring people around the world a little closer together. The four hour broadcast culminated in a global drum circle to symbolize the common heartbeat of the world. Pangea Day actually originated in 2006 with filmmaker and TED Prize winner Jehane Noujaim. As a TED Prize winner Jehane was given $100,000 and granted a wish to change the world. Jehane wished to use film to bring the world together, and so Pangea Day was born. For more info about Pangea Day click here.
In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it’s easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that — to help people see themselves in others — through the power of film.
The video below is just one of the amazing films from Pangea Day. The Ball, directed by Orlando Mesquita from Mozambique, highlights the simple pleasures of childhood, and exemplifies the idiom “necessity is the mother of invention”. Creativity, innovation, and the desire to enjoy life are just some of the things that unite us through our differences. To see what we’re talking about watch below.
Tags: Jehane Noujaim, Mozambique, Orlando Mesquita, Pangea Day, TE Prize, The Ball