Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Elephant Parade 2010

Image from the Daily Telegraph: http://bit.ly/aytdpE

260 colorful elephants have invaded London. Elephant Parade has begun.

Elephant Family, the only charity dedicated to protecting the endangered Asian elephant, is sponsoring the event to fundraise and increase awareness. This year is the first for Elephant Parade to occur in London. The event has previously been held in Holland and in Belgium.

The event includes hand-painted, life-size elephant statues by artists including Marc Quinn, designer Diane Von Furstenberg and Lulu Guinness, which have been placed in such landmarks as Buckingham Palace and Parliament Square, making the capital an “urban jungle.” In July, they will migrate together to another outdoor location for an exhibition.

Sotheby's will auction off the elephants at what will be “the party of the season.” Funds raised by Elephant Parade will go toward purchasing wildlife habitat to give Asian elephants a better future, as they are now facing extinction. Funds will also be used for community and education projects in Asia.

Elephant Family not only promotes conservation in Asia, but has also worked to make the event itself eco-friendly. All elephants were delivered to artists and designers on a sustainable basis and artists must use eco-friendly paint for their works.

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