Marking important dates for nature protection: World Bee Day, International Biodiversity Day, and Nature Protection Day in the Republic of Croatia, during a three-day program dedicated to pollinators, water, and biodiversity, the Green Eye Festival connected experts, institutions, and citizens through films and discussions
Marking important dates for nature protection: World Bee Day, International Biodiversity Day, and Nature Protection Day in the Republic of Croatia, during a three-day program dedicated to pollinators, water, and biodiversity, the Green Eye Festival connected experts, institutions, and citizens through films and discussions.
The Green Eye Festival: In Search of the Fifth Element, an innovative program that combines film artistry, education, and nature protection, was held at the Croatian Museum of Natural History in Zagreb from May 20 to 22, 2026. The festival was organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, and the Public Institute of the Krka National Park, and this year's Zagreb edition once again provided space for discussions about the relationship between man and nature, and the importance of personal and collective responsibility in environmental protection.
"Film has the incredible power to touch us where numbers and statistics alone cannot – in our emotions. The goal of the Green Eye Festival is not just to point out problems, but to encourage dialogue, connect scientists, institutions, and citizens, and remind us that we are not separate from nature, but are an integral part of it. Our everyday decisions determine the future of generations to come", emphasized the director of the Krka National Park, Nella Slavica, and added: "I would like to thank all those who, recognizing the importance of this event, enjoyed the free screenings with us and actively participated in the panel discussions, so that we left the festival with a little more inspiration and responsibility in our hearts. Special thanks go to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, on whose initiative this festival was first presented to the wider public in our capital city of Zagreb."
The festival was held on days dedicated to nature and its protection: it opened on World Bee Day, May 20, continued on the Natura 2000 Region Day, May 21, and concluded on International Biodiversity Day and Nature Protection Day in the Republic of Croatia, May 22. The focus of the festival content on all these days was the protection of pollinators, water, and biodiversity.
"The idea was to summarize the Green Eye Festival, which the Public Institute of the Krka National Park has been regularly organizing in Šibenik for six years, and to offer some of the film material to a Zagreb audience. I am glad that we succeeded in doing so. I believe that there will be even more opportunities for this kind of cooperation", said Aljoša Duplić, director of the Institute for Environmental and Natural Protection of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, who participated as a panelist in a panel discussion on biodiversity, adding: "Croatia is a country where people live in harmony with nature, love and appreciate it, and therefore derive maximum benefit from it, which makes our lives enjoyable and of better quality. By staying on this path, we can do even better through our national and European strategies."
Through documentary film screenings, panel discussions and interviews with experts, the festival brought the audience closer to the topics of climate change, water conservation, the importance of pollinators and the need for more active citizen involvement in nature protection. Visitors had the opportunity to watch the documentaries Once You Know, Pollinators, Blue River, Every Little Thing, Common Soil, My Garden of a Thousand Bees, and Green City Life, which speak from different perspectives about the challenges of modern society and the relationship between man and the environment.
The festival especially focused on connecting scientists, institutions, local communities, media, and citizens in joint actions aimed at preserving a natural balance and a sustainable future. Discussions raised various questions about the role of youth, culture, and education in shaping a more sustainable society, and presented examples of good practices and opportunities for active participation in environmental protection.
This year's theme of the "fifth element" – human awareness and responsibility – reminded us that nature is not separate from man, rather that it is our decisions and daily behavior that play a key role in preserving the ecosystem and the quality of life for future generations. The Green Eye Festival once again confirmed how important it is as a unique platform that, through audiovisual art and educational content, encourages the development of ecological awareness and an active relationship towards the protection of nature.