The International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute presents:
Orca Hour: From Free Willy to SeaWorld!
Thursday, August 27, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time
Save the date and tune in for a stimulating presentation and Q&A with Earth Island Institute’s Executive Director David Phillips and General Counsel Sumona Majumdar. Hear inside stories about Free Willy and Keiko’s journey to freedom, and compelling info about the Blackfish effect, the evolution of public attitudes toward marine mammals held in captivity, and IMMP’s legal efforts to end orca captivity.
For thousands of years whales and dolphins have captured the imagination and awe of people around the world, and for more than 35 years the International Marine Mammal Project has been working globally to keep them wild and free. IMMP formed the Free Willy/Keiko Foundation to successfully rehabilitate and release Keiko, the orca star of the hit movie Free Willy, back to his home waters of Iceland after years in captivity. IMMP is also spearheading a landmark lawsuit against SeaWorld contending the theme park should tell the public the truth about the health and welfare of orcas in captivity.
A huge thanks from our IMMP team to our partner for this event, Blue Endeavors, a non-profit based in Berkeley, CA that promotes marine conservation through student scholarships, citizen science, exploration, and restoration. Special shout-out to Brenda Heckathorn for her generous tech and promo support. We are also grateful to our video providers: Theresa Demarest for footage from her film Keiko: The Untold Story of the Star of Free Willy and orca footage from Stan Minasian.
Thanks for signing up for Orca Hour and spreading the word to friends, family, and colleagues!
