THE POLAR PROJECT - #2 Klimaatslaven (Climate Slaves) // CONCERT CHICOS Y MENDEZ

About The Polar Project

The Polar Project is a multimedia magazine that revolves solely around one of the most important subjects of this time: climate change. Why is it changing, who are the first to feel it, what can we do, and who should take the lead?
Our summers are breaking heat records, and they will continue to do so. In large parts of the world, persistent droughts, water shortages, desertification and floods are claiming millions of victims. Climate change causes armed conflicts, is a cause of migration and an outflow of refugees and puts international balances and power relations under pressure.

In our opening paper we are taking you to indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado savanna. Brazils indigenous tribes are being smoked out, literally. The dramatic deforestation in Latin America’s largest economy is undoubtedly one of the most important climate topics of 2019. Why you too, as well as the indigenous peoples, will feel the impact, is explained in this multimedia longread. This is also due to European leaders and companies, who can be blamed for more than just being guilty by omission. Here you can watch the documentary that we made for the Belgian public broadcaster VRT, with English subtitles.

At The Polar Project it’s important to us that you enjoy our stories. And no, we’re not being cynical. Urgency isn’t an excuse for a creative drought. Storytelling about climate change can be appealing.

Interactivity between journalism, art and the stage pushes us to explore the boundaries of journalistic storytelling. Our journalistic investigations are not limited to television, radio and press work. For our opening paper, Flemish poet Charlotte Van den Broeck and visual artist Jana Coorevits went to work. Van den Broeck's hypnotic verses can be heard in the VR documentary Amazons 360°. With VR glasses, you’ll find yourself standing for 7 minutes between thousands of protesting indigenous people and in endangered indigenous villages in the Amazon forest. This is what 250 visitors experienced at our launch on the 30th of September at De Centrale in Ghent, alongside performances by Brazilian and Belgian musicians and artists.

You can expect more groundbreaking storytelling from us in the coming months. Because compelling investigative journalism is more necessary than ever. Become a member of The Polar Project to help us make these stories, here on our Patreon account. From 1 euro you'll get access to our multimedia story Stripping forests for European beef.

Or contact us at jan@polarproject.be to become a partner of The Polar Project, so that we can bring these stories to an international audience together.

Concert Chicos y Mendez

We conclude the evening with a musical topper who sold out the AB and the Beursschouwburg last spring! CHICOS Y MENDEZ can best be described as "Latin Alternative". Their music is alternately urban, pop, rock and reggae(ton) and is set on Spanish, French and Portuguese lyrics. CHICOS Y MENDEZ is a polyphony of identities, a musical journey  without borders. The songs perfectly reflect the dual (Belgian-Peruvian) nationality of David Méndez Yépez, lead singer of the group. In March CHICOS Y MENDEZ released its first album "Esencias", with the single "Reggaetón feminista" in which the Brazilian singer Flavia Coelho is the guest star. A sunny and committed song that questions and denies macho behavior - often inherent to "reggaetón" but also to contemporary society in general -. `