Orang Utan Republik Foundation to Honor Environmental Achievement in First Virtual Benefit Supporting Critically Endangered Orangutans

6 June 2020 - Santa Monica, CA.  The Orang Utan Republik Foundation (OURF) also serving as The Orangutan Project-USA, will hold its annual fundraiser on Saturday, August 15, 2020, as a virtual event on a video streaming platform.  Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization’s annual gathering had to be modified to allow for safe participation. The two-hour evening event will also be an opportunity to honor individuals for environmental achievement in orangutan and environmental conservation, activism, news, and philanthropy with the 7th Annual Pongo Environmental Awards. Actor and environmentalist Ed Begley, Jr. will join OURF President Dr. Gary Shapiro to host the live video stream as will Leif Cocks, President and Founder of The Orangutan Project.

The annual event is an opportunity for OURF raise funds to save wild critically endangered orangutans from extinction as well as honoring individuals, organizations, and projects that have contributed to the improved understanding and appreciation of orangutans, endangered species, rainforest habitat, and for improving conditions for orangutans and other animals.

Orang Utan Republik Foundation is celebrating its 16th year of educating people about the plight of the orangutan. “This year’s program highlights the challenges all organizations face due to the pandemic, and the importance of mitigating the emergence of the next potential pandemic-inducing virus living in balance within populations of wild animals in their rain forest habitat,” says OURF President and Co-Founder Dr. Shapiro. “Maintaining the integrity of the health of rain forests is key to maintaining public health which is a lesser-known benefit of orangutan conservation.”

The special recipients of the 7^th Annual Pongo Environmental Awards will be announced several weeks before the August 15^th event.

Previous Pongo Award recipients have included the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Dr. Jane Goodall; orangutan experts Drs. Cheryl Knott, Ian Singleton, and Anne Russon; Professor Michael Mann, one of the most important climate advocates of our time; actor Mike Farrell and playwright George Shea for “Dr. Keeling’s Curve,” Netflix for “Our Planet”, and GoPro Creative Director Bradford Schmidt for his film, “Our Orangutan Brethren,” among others.

The Saturday evening online event will feature surprise appearances by celebrities, musical entertainment, and a silent auction that will begin on August 8^th.

Tickets to attend the event are at:  https://tinyurl.com/pongo2020. For more information contact info@orangutanrepublik.org.