July 31, 2024—The film The Data Healing the Lungs of a City has won the Grand Award in the Public Concerns and Trending Topics category at this year’s APEX Awards. The poignant film, part of The Climate and Us series produced by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions, features the work of Vital Strategies and its partners in addressing air quality and advocating for clean air initiatives in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“Clean air actions must be prioritized if we’re to protect our health and the health of our planet,” said Sumi Mehta, Vice President, Environmental, Climate & Urban Health, Vital Strategies. “The Climate and Us series underscores the universal harms of rising air pollution and carbon emissions as dire threats to both our health and our planet. But we don’t have to continue on this path to calamity. Improving air quality in cities will save lives, reduce carbon emissions, and enable the world to meet critical climate targets.”
The Data Healing the Lungs of a City tells the stories of three members of a Jakarta community living near several major sources of air pollution—a bustling urban port, several factories and congested streets. Novi, a mother of two, and Cepi, a local resident, express concern over the dust and pollution they and their loved ones breathe. Zalfaa, a medical student dedicated to learning about the health issues associated with breathing polluted air, volunteers to educate the community on this critical issue. A significant element of engaging residents on air pollution is the air monitoring network set up around Jakarta, including one monitor next to the school that Novi and Cepi’s children attend.
“Currently more than 90% of the world is breathing unhealthy air,” said Dan Kass, Senior Vice President, Environmental, Climate & Urban Health, Vital Strategies. “The film highlights poor air quality as the critical public health threat it is by showcasing real stories about its impact on the lives of people in Jakarta, and the efforts underway to mitigate and reduce air pollution. We are grateful to the APEX Awards for recognizing this film and providing a platform to spotlight such an important topic.”
APEX 2024 marks the 36th annual awards program recognizing excellence in publishing by professional communicators. The APEX Awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content, and the ability to achieve overall communication excellence. Out of the 1,100+ entries in APEX 2024, just 100 Grand Award winners were selected.
Visit APEX Awards for a complete list of winners.
Watch the short film here.
About Vital Strategies
Vital Strategies believes every person should be protected by an equitable and effective public health system. We partner with governments, communities and organizations around the world to reimagine public health so that health is supported in all the places we live, work and play. The result is millions of people living longer, healthier lives.
To find out more, please visit www.vitalstrategies.org or follow us on LinkedIn.