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To commemorate the UN’s International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict on November 6, a hand-painted animated film based on author Naeem Baig’s story “Boundary Line” has been released.

The film, presented by the Kahani Project, captures the impacts of wars and conflicts on nature and has been designed around stories included in “The Other in the Mirror” – a literary anthology of works by authors from both sides of the border.

Edited by the author-journalist Sehyr Mirza and recently published by Yoda Press in India and Folio Books in Pakistan, the book includes “stories that bring warmth to our barren inner lands that have remained frozen since Partition”.

Aimed at sparking conversations around neglected issues concerning India and Pakistan, the Kahani Project brings forth a set of animated films made by a cross-border team led by filmmaker and poet Ammar Aziz as executive producer.

According to the book’s editor and project lead, Sehyr Mirza, “The legacy of wars and conflicts is one the worst forms of human and environmental injustice. Both India and Pakistan are currently bearing the brunt of extreme climatic conditions with escalated fear of floods and droughts.”

She added: “In the current times of heightened hate and war hysteria across social media and beyond, the Kahani Project is a reminder of what our priorities should be as responsible global citizens.”