FW: Animals Asia's new Maggie Q video to go Asia-wide!

[Guest guest]

info

Wednesday, August 05, 2009 5:49 PM

 

Maggie Q speaks out for bears!

 

I have some exciting news to share with you! We've just launched a new video

message starring Hollywood actress Maggie Q!

 

And equally exciting, the community service announcement - in which Maggie

calls for an end to bear farming in Vietnam - has already been picked up by

major TV channels for broadcast free-of-charge around the Asia-Pacific over

the next 12 months. Lovely Maggie, who is our Moon Bear Rescue Ambassador

for Vietnam, very kindly recorded the clip for us in Los Angeles during a

break in her crazy schedule recently. Maggie visited our bear sanctuary near

Hanoi earlier this year and it's clear that she's a committed animal- lover

- as well as being a lot of fun! We're so thrilled and proud to have her on

board.

Here's what she had to say about Vietnam's bile industry:

 

" I see bear bile farming as a stain on the history of this country, but one

that can be wiped clean if we all work together to end this awful trade. The

Vietnamese Government has come a long way in officially banning bear

farming, but now it needs to go a step further by ensuring the ban is

enforced.

 

" It's not just the officials that need to act. We can all do our bit.

Consumers of bear bile can switch to herbal or synthetic alternatives,

teenagers can tell their parents about the cruelty involved in bear farming,

and traditional medicine practitioners can refuse to sell products made from

endangered species like moon bears. "

 

To watch Maggie's video message, please click

http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=OK6UV5N2NFG & tkn=m801744 & eid=602 & sou=AL0\

9MBRGENEM & b=b2

 

A very big thank you to two generous Hong Kong media executives who donated

their time and amazing talent to the project. The script was written by

Charles Edwards of The Media Village and creative director Patrick Tom.

Editing and post-production of the clip was also provided by The Media

Village.

 

So far, the message is due to air on National Geographic, CNN and Discovery.

These TV channels have generously donated this air-time free-of-charge, and

media company Mindshare very kindly negotiated and arranged it all - again,

for free. This exposure is absolutely invaluable for us and the bears.

 

We couldn't have asked for a better ambassador to represent our cause in

Vietnam. Maggie's intelligent, thoughtful approach is perfect for getting

across the message that bear bile farming is not only terribly cruel, but

also totally unnecessary and harming the country's image.

 

Before I sign off, please can I say a huge " thank you " to you too, from all

of us at Animals Asia, including of course our bears in Vietnam and China.

It's your continued support and faith that empowers us to do the work we do.

 

 

Bear hugs,

 

Jill Robinson MBE

Founder and CEO, Animals Asia Foundation