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Activities Food for Thought General

Greek danses in Marzahn

Exhibition opening: As part of our cooperation, an exhibition on facets of energy, water, waste and transport was opened in Berlin on 26th October 2023. It had been developed by colleagues and learners from the organisations of the project group, e.i. from Berlin, Sofia, Athens and Rome. 14 guests from the partner countries attended the vernissage.

The exhibition is also part of our online course on climate change and ecological questions. GAIN ACCESS HERE. Chose “Login to your online training” – “register” or “login” – “my courses” – “all courses” – “Change the Change. Climate Change as a Challenge for Adult Education” – “Exhibition: Views on Energy, Transport, Water, Waste and more”. FIND HERE information on how to register, login – and enjoy the courses.

The exhibition was shown at three locations in at the fringe of Berlin (Marzahn-Nord): the Heinrich von Kleist Library, the Kulturhochhaus Marzahn and the Marie Women’s Centre. The opening started in the library. Its director, Ms. Georgi, introduced the various services offered by the small but fine institution and paid tribute to the pictures on ENERGY. In the Kulturhochhaus, there was an opportunity to explore the “Pension 11. Himmel” (Pension 11th Sky) and to hear from the manager Marina Bikádi about the art vending machine, the Princess Suite, and other original designs. The visitors found the pictures of WATER on the ground level, on the way to the Culture Café.

At the Marie Women’s Centre, visitors were invited to see theatre scenes about energy that project participants from weltgewandt e.V. developed together. The lively and lovely evening ended up with Greek danses…

See a description of the vernissage (photos, text): https://weltgewandt-ev.de/greek-danses-in-marzahn/

Categories
Activities Food for Thought General

Energy and Democracy

Final transnational workshop in Berlin in October 2023 with almost 20 participants from Athens, Rome, Sofia and Berlin. The encounter was dedicated to the 4th topic of the chosen aspects related to climate change: energy and the access to resources.

Find a discription (photos, text) by clicking on this link: https://weltgewandt-ev.de/energy-and-democracy/

Categories
Activities Food for Thought General

Water is Life

Transnational encounter in Sofia / Bulgaria, May 2023

There is already a broad awareness of the problems of energy supply and foughts around the access to these resources. Less pronounced is that with regard to water. The project group therefore discussed the water situation in the cities of Athens, Berlin, Rome and Sofia, where the partner organisations are located.

The participants from Berlin-Marzahn also brought the topic to the stage and showed a performance consisting of video sequences, texts and gestures for “Gesundbrunnen” (healthy water), “Klärwerk” (waste water treatment plant), “Oase” (Oasis) and “Wellenreiter” (surfer). Afterwards, the audience was involved. In this way, a joint character image was created for “freshing” – which was refreshingly cheerful.

During a tour of one of the largest Roma neighbourhoods in Bulgaria, the guests got to talk to the residents. It became clear that and how the Roma are still discriminated against today. Their living conditions are also politically determined, for example by urban planning policies and water infrastructure: one tap for four houses. This is located outdoors. Especially in winter, water then has to be wasted.

The approximately 8000-year-old city of Sofia seems like a pearl that nevertheless hardly shines. (Not every pearl has to be beguiling.) Sofia is rich in mineral water and has several hot springs to offer. Strategically located, the city is a hinge between the Middle East and Central and South-Eastern Europe. The History Museum also houses objects that point to links with the matrifocal Danubian civilisation: Godness worship, the importance of fertility and others. Until the invasion of the Huns in the 5th century…

The participants were able to find many motifs for photographic impressions, which will be compiled in an exhibition. It will be opened in October 2023, when the participants will meet again. In Berlin.

Categories
Food for Thought General

Wildfires in Greece

Excursion and photografic reportage

Wildfires have been part of the ecosystems forever. However, increasing heat, changing rain patterns and other climate-related changes have vastly increased the likelihood that fires will start more often and burn more intensely and widely than they have in the past.

According to data from the European Commission, in recent years, wildfires have had a huge impact on Europe’s natural capital, economy and citizens. In the South of Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal and France), every year 500.000 acres are burnt in average every year. In 2019 and 2020, the season of wildfires was extended, starting earlier or lasting longer than expected, while the number of fires and burnt areas exceeded the average of the last twelve years in record time. Together with the increase in the number of days per year with high to extremely high risk of wildfire, it is estimated that the impact of extreme fires on large areas is likely to increase in the future, with long-term consequences.

In Greece, in the last years the number of wildfires has increased by 160% and the size of the burnt areas has increased by 300%. In the 19th of May 2021, in Geraneia Ori in Western Attica (65 kms from Athens) burnt 52.000 acres of forest. It was the most destructive, in relation with the size of the burnt area, wildfire of the last years and the only major wildfire that happened in Greece in a May.

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Food for Thought

Artic Tipping Points

Ten-minute speech by Stefan Rahmstorf about the melting ice at the North Pole and the slowdown of the Gulf Stream – and the tipping or critical points to face a “major desaster of planetary scale”. We would not know how far away we are from these points but we move in that direction.

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Food for Thought

The Gulf Stream

The Gulf stream is a worldwide circulation system. Amazing! It is discussed now if and in which way the climate change has an impact on the ocean currents. What about the consequences for Europe? Shall we expect a new Ice Age? Or more hot and dry summers? Find explanations in 5 minutes:

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Food for Thought

What means global warming?

Long and rich of content article in the Encyclopedia Britannica written by Michael E. Mann and Henrik Selin about Global Warming. With texts, videos, charts, and pictures to visualise the different phenomena and to explain global warming in general, climatic variation since the last glaciation, causes of global warming (including the greenhouse effect), radiative forcing, the influences of human activity on climate, natural influences on climate, feedback mechanisms and climate sensitivity, climate research, potential effects of global warming, global warming and public policy.

Enjoy reading and sure, you will learn a lot!

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Food for Thought

Arctic Sea Ice Age Decline

See in short (2 min.) the development from January 1984 till October 2019

Categories
Food for Thought General

Is Climate Change Caused by Human?

It is often discussed whether the climate change is caused by human or not. Find here pro and contra arguments regarding: a) human activity, b) global warming, c) rise in sea levels, d) wheather events.