EarthFocus Magazine

Global Youth Conference on Forests, Water, Health and Peace: 12 interviews

Following the Global Youth Conference on Forests, Water, Health and Peace, you will find below a series of interviews all directly related to the event in addition to the complete webcast of the event. Click on each image to play the corresponding videos:

Videos of the Massive Change Network Seminar, Geneva, 24 Feb. 2011

Earth Focus Foundation organized a special event with the support of the Green Film Festival in Geneva on the 24th of February 2011.

Earth Focus Foundation presented THE PLAN written and directed by David Osterberg and Michael Stenberg of Biospheric Pictures AB (2010, 58’, Sweden) followed immediately by live discussion with Bruce Mau and Bisi Williams, and director David Osterberg.

Video summary of the event:

After the screening of THE PLAN, Bruce Mau lead a discussion exploring these questions:

1. How can we get the power of design into the hands of the 99% who have not had access to higher education?
2. How do we break through the noise, and make the best of human culture the most visible?
3. What can we do to accelerate the best (and stop the rest)?

Interviews:

What is the Massive Change Network?

The Massive Change Network is purpose filled, entrepreneurial, experienced based design possibility network. The key strategic idea of the Massive Change Network to provide via various means and methods the inherent and native capacity of citizens, students, governments, business and community leaders to develop and enhance their critical design thinking skills. The vast majority of global citizens lack access to this critical working tool.

Our purpose is sharing knowledge with the 99% of global citizens who do not have access to college, university, or post secondary education. Our intention is to deliver the most knowledge, wisdom and culture to those with the least. The Massive Change Network is mandated to focus on inclusivity rather than exclusivity.

To greet the greatest opportunities and meet the most pressing challenges being presented to our world, citizens must be equipped to accelerate the uptake of new solutions. The emerging global conditions will require a new kind of scholar, worker, entrepreneur, leader, and educator. This emerging ecology of ever increasing technological, social, financial, environmental, governmental, and educational challenges, will require citizens committed to working collaboratively across professional silos, the ability to not only think critically, but creatively, and to move beyond theoretical musings to practical implementation. The 21st century will be the century where every citizen must become a life-long learner of some capacity. A network changes everything.

For more information visit:

• www.MassiveChangeNetwork.com
• www.brucemaudesign.com/98199/Massive-Change
• www.earthfocusfoundation.org
• www.festivaldufilmvert.ch
• www.lamuse.ch
• www.ville-ge.ch/mhng
• Slides of the Earth Focus Foundation

Global Youth Conference 2010: video summary

This video highlights the main points discussed at the last Global Youth Conference 2010 organized by the Earth Focus Foundation in Geneva:

Global Youth Conference on Climate Change and Sustainable Development

The Earth Focus foundation, continuing the work with young people started within the renowned Bellerive Foundation, organized the World Youth Conference (8-11 November 2010), in Geneva.

The conference welcomes young people from all over the world to contribute to the subject of Climate Change and Sustainable Development.

Video webcast of the conference

The conference consisted of plenary sessions with experts regarding the effects of climate change, such as:

• Mrs Nicola Furey, Vice President, Earth Focus foundation
• Dr Quentin Deville, Member of the Board, Earth Focus foundation
• David Hiler, Minister of Finance, Canton of Geneva
• HRH Prince Frederick von Saxe-Lauenburg^[1], Grand Cross Saxe-Lauenburg (GCSL), Fellow of the International Institute of Peace Study of London (FIIPS), Children of the World
• Antony Hequet, Münd
• Prof. Martin Beniston, Chair for Climate Research, University of Geneva
• Dr Curtis Doebbler, Visiting Professor at Geneva School of Diplomacy & International Relations
• Philippe de Rougemont, Noé 21
• Dr Maria Mendiluce, WBCSD
• Elliott Verreault, ItsOneHumanity
• Adam Koniuszewski, Green Cross
• Dr Rudolph Rechtsteiner and Hans-Jörg Haas, Greenpeace
• Martin Atkin, WWF
• Rosie Waygood, Children of the Earth
• Marie-Noëlle Keijzer ^[2], WeForest
• Heiner Benking, Council on Global Issues
• Carlos Giger, GoCycle
• Henry Derwent, International Emissions Trading Association

Stands from many of those organizations were present on site, to expose and promote their activities, give information and testimonies of their actions, and initiate discussion with the conference attendees.

Monday, November 8th

The conference started with encouraging words from the Earth focus foundation and a message from the Geneva Authorities. The audience had the privilege to attend very interesting presentations completed by questions and answers with the panel. You can view the webcast of the whole conference by clicking here.

Tuesday, November 9th

The themes of the day were "Education, Youth and Civil Society" and "Nuclear, Clean and Renewable Energies". After a presentation by Antony Hequet, Jon-Hans Coetzer, General Manager and Academic Coordinator of the Geneva School of Diplomacy & International Relations, introduced several presentations from students of the Koc School, Turkey, on the topic of education, youth and civil society.

The plenary sessions were complemented by workshops on various topics, such as:

• Ethics in Modern Society by Brianan Kiernan and Antony Hequet
• Climate Change and the Global Commons by Heiner Benking
• Ecology, Economy and Social Flow by Sarah Dreyfus
• A New Approach to our Environmental Dilemna by Rosie Waygood
• Connecting to our higher values and the power of thought by Karoline Buys
• Latin America: Strategies Inherent to Natural Resources and Sustainable Tourism as a Development Alternative (Venezuela) by Corina Cortes

Wednesday, November 10th

In the field of climate change and biodiversity, students from the Collège André Chavanne, Collège du Léman, Collège Rousseau and the Koc School have presented their work which led to intense debate and discussions.

The workshops covered different topics such as:

• Protecting Human Rights in a Future Climate Regime by Curtis Doebbler and Margreet Wewerinke
• The Hazards of Climate Change on Socio-economic Development by Dorina Drowniak, Bedir Özuslu, Cem Albayrak, Melih Yavci, Selin Arisal and Vidal Arditi
• Zermatt Unplugged by Brianan Kiernan
• Visualising the inner Yes to Creating a Sustainable World by Rebecca Inauen
• Creating from a space of alignment by Philipp Knechtle
• Oriental Coaching, a powerful tool to achieve a sustainable human development by Jordi Tebé

Thursday, November 11th

During the morning, Noé 21 and ItsOneHumanity presented films and Philippe de Rougemont animated a workshop and debate. Following the proposition of Prince Frederick von Saxe-Lauenburg, a 1 minute silence commemoration in memory of the First World War armistice was made at 11am, the 11th of November. A message from Jean-Paul Moka (viewable below), from Congo, was shown to the participants which had the opportunity to comment and respond to. The conference ended up with voting on a clear message to negotiators at COP 16 in Cancun and a walk to Place des Nations to deliver the message to United Nations, World Meteorological Organization, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and World Trade Organization.

Message from Jean-Paul Moka:

Here is a 10 minutes movie clip summarizing some of the events of the conference:

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^ Prince Frederick von Saxe-Lauenburg, with and for Children of the World, is organizing a Teddy Bears' picnic in Geneva, in Summer 2011. Please contact the foundation if you are wanting to collaborate, donate funds, time or anything from office space, phone line, fax machine or computer; any help is very warmly welcome!

^ For a limited time only, you can purchase an ecologic ICE-WATCH that will allow WeForest to plant 100 trees! More information on their website.

Projet pédagogique "Murs" / "Walls" project

Le projet pédagogique " Les Murs " a pour origine, contexte et inspiration l’exposition photographique intitulée « Murs », organisée sur le Pont de la Machine, de Novembre 2009 à Janvier 2010, à l’occasion des 20 ans de la Chute du Mur de Berlin. Une exposition organisée par l’association Imaginaid et patronnée par la Ville de Genève.

A partir et autour de cette exposition, tout un projet pédagogique a été élaboré par divers partenaires : Imaginaid, le DIP, L'Ecole Internationale de Genève, la Fondation Earth Focus.

Inspiré par l’exposition “ Murs”, le projet vise à inciter les élèves du cycle d'orientation et du post-obligatoire des écoles publiques et privées du Canton de Genève, à mener une réflexion profonde sur la thématique des murs de séparation territoriale et sur leurs enjeux divers et variés.

5 axes de travail et d'activités sont proposés aux enseignants intéressés :

- des visites guidées de l'exposition,

- un concours de légendes,

- des débats et tables rondes,

- des présentations/créations artistiques libres,

- un concours lancé par Mandat International (voir : ww.genevedecouverte.ch/fr/concours.html)

Chaque axe de travail est indépendant des autres. Ainsi le projet "les Murs" permet une participation large et adaptée au souhait de chacun. 

Vous trouverez ci-joint les documents vous permettant d'en savoir plus, à savoir une fiche technique présentant le projet dans sa globalité, un dossier pédagogique vous permettant de préparer quelque peu vos élèves à la thématique, des documents avec les détails pour chaque activité.

Présentation globale du projet:  Download Fiche_technique_Murs finale

Dossier pédagogique (aide pour préparer vos élèves) : Dossier pédagogique

Visites guidées exposition "Murs" : Download Murs_fiche_inscription_visites_FR2

Concours de légendes : Download Murs_reglement_concours_de_legendes_FR2

Colloques, débats : Download Murs_fiche_inscriptions_colloques_FR

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The Walls Project has its origin, context and inspiration in the « Murs » photographic exhibition. Organised by the Imaginaid association, with the patronage of the City of Geneva, the exhibition will take place on the Pont de la Machine, Geneva from 9^th November 2009 to 31^st January 2010 and will commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

From and around this exhibition, a whole educational project has been set up by different partners : Imaginaid, DIP, International School of Geneva, Earth Focus Foundation.

Inspired by the photographic exhibition « Murs », this project seeks to inspires students aged 12 to 15 years (cycle d’orientation) and 16 to 19 years (post-obligatoire) attending Geneva public and private schools to reflect on the theme of frontiers and dividing walls and their implications.

Five work streams are proposed as possible reference points for teachers and students :

- Guided visits to the photographic exhibition

- A caption competition

- Symposiums and round tables

- Independent artistic works

- the Mandat International’s competition (see : www.genevedecouverte.ch/fr/concours.html)

Each stream is independent and flexible, allowing for wide participation.

Please find below the documents to know more about these activities : an information sheet explaining the global project, a teacher's notes to prepare your students to the topic, some documents giving details about each activity.

Global information sheet : Download Information_Sheet_Walls

Teacher's notes (help to prepare your students) : teacher's note

Guided visits : Download Murs_fiche_inscription_visites_ENG2

Caption competition : Download Murs_reglement_concours_de_legendes_ENG2

 Symposiums and round tables : Download Murs_fiche_inscriptions_colloques_ENG

Climbing Kilimanjaro When You Are Blind…

The Mountain, 5,895 meters (19,340 feet) Kilimanjaro, located near the Kenya-Tanzania border, is an extinct volcano that is one of the most massive of its kind.

With its summit, Uhuru Peak, on a crater rim called Kibo you can get a spectacular view of the 1.5-mile wide crater.In the centre of this crater there is a dip of about 600 feet filled with sulphurous ashes.

Kilimanjaro towers above the Great Rift Valley, which is said to be the possible birthplace of humankind.

Over the summer of 2005, I had the opportunity to climb this wonderful mountain. Not just to reach the summit but also to help 8 blind climbers do so as well.

Rwandan Genocide: A Witness of the Horrors of 1994 Tells About his Experience

In your global awareness class, we have had the fantastic opportunity to have an inside look on the genocide that happened in Rwanda.

A witness of the horrors of 1994 came to our school to tell us about his experience.
It is one thing to learn about the genocide in papers and documentaries but it is another to hear it from someone that it has affected forever.

Living in Kigali, this Hutu man was married to a Tutsi woman, who worked for The United Nations Children’s’ Fund—UNICEF. By the time the massacre had begun, he was already the father to three children.

He and his family had no choice but to leave and hide in neighboring countries. They lived in a constant fear of having their Rwandan papers discovered. (Eventually, they later were granted asylum in France).

 

Emilio Barreto and The Art of Silence

Emilio Barreto, was imprisoned in Paraguay, in 1965 at the age of 25, for being labeled as a ‘communist’. He suffered 13 years of unjustified imprisonment and torture. Through his power to ‘remain sane’, he brought theatre and the magic of imagination to the other prisoners.

The following is a meeting with Emilio Barreto and his story that he shared with students at a campus of the International School of Geneva.

During La Châtaigneraie’s Ecolatino week, we had the privilege to host Emilio Barreto, culminating in a performance of The Art of Silence: a powerful and moving play about torture in Paraguay. Emilio Barreto was born on 22 May 1940, in Paraguay.

Emilio Barreto came from a working class family, with a strong social conscience and involvement in social activity and workers’ rights.

Emilio began studying acting and worked with various theatre groups, learning design skills with masks, which he later developed into an art form.

At this time General Aifredo Stroessner was the dictator of the country after a successful coup in 1954 and h

e remained in power until he was overthrown in 1989.