Category: General

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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/

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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.

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General

DEMOCRACY AND INCLUSION

CLIMATE + CHANGE THROUGH DEMOCRACY AND INCLUSION: Colleagues from Bulgaria, Germany, Greece and Italy are dealing with ecological and climate policy issues in order to be able to make them a subject of adult education. Their activities were initially aimed at adult educators. Now they also involve adult citizens who live on the periphery of European capitals and “on the edge” of their society. Why? Addressing the ecological crisis with its various aspects requires social justice and democracy so that all citizens can accept change and help shape it. This requires true inclusion.

Here we give impressions of transnational meetings in Rome, Athens, Sofia and Berlin as well as the results produced. The workshops focus on green urban development and waste reduction (Rome), CO2 and the – public – transport system (Athens), water (Sofia) and energy or access to resources (Berlin). The joint exchange will result in an exhibition and a theatre performance that will be presented in Berlin in September 2023.

One result is already available: an online course on various topics related to climate change and ecological challenges. See HERE.

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General

We continue with learners

We are happy to continue our cooperation in a follow-up project entitled “Climate+Change through Democracy and Inclusion”. It allows us to include learners (in particular those with fewer opportunities) in our transnational activities, i.e. workshops in Rome, Athens, Sofia and Berlin in 2022 and 2023.

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General

Change the change, but how?

Project meeting in Rome Corviale 29th to 31st July 2021: In addition to further planning of the project activities, the meeting offered the opportunity to gain on-site impressions of the activities of the partner organisation Corviale Domani. To begin with, the colleagues explored “the snake“, a building one kilometre long on the periphery of Rome/Italy. What began in the 1970s as an ambitious project for social housing, remained unfinished. The astonishing silence in the building seemed like a symbol of this. But the unfinished holds potential. A master plan for a “green transformation” of the district is currently being developed under the leadership of Corviale Domani. It was presented to the group. The Italian colleagues also introduced in the content of their second contribution to the online course: Circular Economy in Disadvantaged Urban Areas. A very intensive and content-rich meeting.

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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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General

Perceptions of climate change in Greece

During the workshop in Athens, colleagues from the partner organisation Action Synergy gave input on perceptions of climate change among the Greek citizens. It was remarkable that the natural disasters (forest fires, floods) of the past years led to a change in awareness. A presentation of climate protection initiatives in Greece also provided material for discussion. We hereby make both inputs available: Perceptions, initiatives.

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General

Climate Change and Natural Desasters

Global warming and energy production are two key words that come up when talking about climate change issues. This was also the case during the workshop of colleagues from all partner organisations, which took place in Athens from 5th to 10th July 2021. The focus was on the exchange of methods to make aspects of climate change a topic in adult education. The participants got to know techniques of the photographic reportage using the example of the destruction of nature by wild fires in Greece (this year already in May). They went ‘into the field’, took pictures and learned tips and tricks for post-production. How can I arouse curiosity? How can I tell a story with a picture? And at what point does image editing simply serve the purpose of manipulation? “Moving, inspiring and motivating,” was the feedback of one participant.

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General

Controversies about Climate Change

For some, the reduction of greenhouse gases is not going fast enough. Others doubt that climate change is happening or is caused by human activity. Rarely is a distinction made between climate change, climate protection policy and the way how climate change is under discussion. Different views are nevertheless indispensable for a democratic culture and its freedom of speech. If many people get involved, a broad process of awareness can be triggered, and the instrumentalisation of the issue by one side or the other can be disenchanted. And at the same time, the dramatic nature of the change could become clear. How to deal with it? What makes it so difficult to change the climate change? What needs to be transformed in terms of the energy supply? Is the arms industry the No. 1 climate polluter? To what extent should citizens change their consumption behaviour? What structural changes are necessary? When are moral arguments aimed at individual behaviour convincing?

These are some of the questions discussed during the workshop from 5th to 10th July 2021 at our partner organisation Action Synergy in Athens. The contribution to our online course “Criticism of climate protection policy – arguments and counter-arguments” was presented and will be published in November 2021.