00:00 Well, talking about cliches, you know, we often talk about turning a crisis into an
00:12 opportunity and the pandemic, the slowdown actually gave us all a lot of time to think,
00:20 reflect.
00:21 It was a crisis for sure, people shut shop.
00:24 But I think when it comes to being responsible and sustainable, it is being able to ride
00:30 storms like this.
00:32 And it's the creativity and the energy and the commitment that we saw in all the applications
00:38 and the people who applied for the award this year, and perhaps many more who haven't, that
00:44 shone through.
00:46 Clearly, what we are watching now is that in the space for being responsible and sustainable,
00:53 one has to also be creative to be able to negotiate very hard challenges.
00:59 We've seen a lot more women come in, single as you know, forming small enterprising groups
01:07 as a little company, startups, to even people who have been established for a long time,
01:13 people working more closely with conservation.
01:16 You can't talk about tourism without, you know, actually being responsible for the impact
01:21 you have.
01:22 So travel operators, store operators, the kind of creativity they're bringing in, the
01:27 kind of, well, not only tech, but also alternatives in energy use, homestays, which are in any
01:35 case a very diverse and, you know, a heterogeneous group because of the scope and the diversity
01:41 of our landscape, the way they've cast themselves, they've connected with the people and the
01:47 issues that, you know, impact local people.
01:51 And of course, finally, the pathfinders and the grassroots heroes.
01:55 There's so many out there as everybody else in the jury feels.
02:02 It's oftentimes, while each one is a scintillating example, there are so many out there whom
02:08 one would like to reach out to and say, keep the good work going, keep the faith, continue
02:14 to be creative and responsible.
02:16 [Music]
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