On September 24, Ambassador Zdeněk Beránek attended the opening ceremony of the traditional festival held in the town of Lihula, just a few kilometers from Matsalu National Park. The importance of the festival was underscored by the participation of Estonian Minister of Climate and Energy Andres Sutt himself. The program includes not only film screenings, but also photo exhibitions and nature-themed workshops for the public. It is gratifying that there was also a Czech presence this year. Radek Plíhal was on the jury for the best photography, and director Ondřej Vavrečka made it to the finals with his film Lichens are the Way. 

The festival was established in 2003, continuing the tradition of the Nature Film Days of the 1980s in Tallinn. It began as a local event with 23 films from 7 countries screened over three days. Today, it is one of the most important nature film festivals in the world – in 2023, over 1200 films from more than 90 countries were submitted. The festival is associated with Matsalu National Park, which is home to many endangered species of plants and birds and is considered one of the most important areas in Europe.