Climate leaders: release your creative powers
How can art enhance our ability to think and act differently?
12-19 October 2009
Bangkok, Thailand
Call for Application
Overview
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Climate security is one of the main challenges of 21 century. The subject has been rapidly
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moving up the political and economic agendas over recent years. 6 C is a plausible estimate
of how much the world temperature could rise by the end of the century if greenhouse gas
emissions go unchecked. This will not only affect people’s lifestyles, but will also impact on
their health and prosperity. As predicted by the Stern report on the Economic of Climate
Change, over 200 million people worldwide are at risk of being driven from their homes by
flood or drought by 2050.
Responding to this challenge, the British Council has established Climate Cool, a climate
initiative in the East Asia region which aims to build a sustainable network of “emerging
leaders” who are committed to taking action in limiting the contribution they and society make
to greenhouse gas emissions. The “Developing Climate Solutions” workshops, run by the
highly acclaimed UK training organisation LEAD International, have been part of the Climate
Cool programme and aim to expand and strengthen the network of young leaders making a
direct impact on their communities across East Asia by forming links with networks in other
regions but especially Europe and in the UK. The workshop is built on the success of the
previous workshops held in Bogor Indonesia in December 2007 and August 2008, and in
Tokyo, Japan in March 2009.
For the current workshop in Thailand, the British Council has set up a partnership with the
Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) which engages in multiple ways through programmes on
cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration on climate change and sustainable development in
and between Asia and Europe.
The Department of Cultural Exchange at ASEF is exploring connections between the arts,
culture and global environmental issues such as climate change through its Connect2Culture
programme. This Workshop will be a part of Arts, Culture and Sustainability: Building
Synergies across Asia and Europe, which marks the second year of initiatives under
Connect2Culture. Through this Workshop, ASEF also builds on experience gathered in the
first year of Connect2Culture through the Asia-Europe Dialogue on Art, Culture and Climate
Change in Beijing in October 2008 (www.culture360.org/artandclimatechange/).
The Dialogue gathered new cross-disciplinary perspectives on climate change and forged
creative connections among artists, scientists and sociologists for joint action related to
climate change solutions. Discussions were held on how arts and culture offer new ways to
understand this new reality we live in and, more importantly, on how artists can spur people to
make the necessary shifts in thinking and acting. Looking at climate change through artistic
and creative perspectives, the Dialogue led to a recognition of our interdependence and
interrelatedness. The fact that this initiative looked at climate change through the perspective
of arts and culture is highly relevant to the changes in society, where culture is taking
increasingly a stronger transversal role. Creative and sustainable solutions can often be found
at the intersection of disciplines and connections.
About the Workshop
The Workshop Climate leaders: release your creative powers - How can art enhance our
ability to think and act differently? will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 12-19 October 2009.
The primary objectives of the Workshop include building individual and group capacities to
develop and run a climate solution project in local communities. Towards this end, the
Workshop aims to develop project management and leadership skills, creative thinking and
cross cultural learning. The Workshop specifically aims to explore the critical role of creativity
and the arts in helping find solutions to problems of climate change. It also aims to enable
sharing of experience and views on climate issues affecting Europe and Asia, and to
strengthen local and regional networks for collective action.
The Workshop is an interactive week of activities delivered through presentations, interactive
discussion, group work and site visits to organisations working in the field of creativity and
sustainable development. It will also include presentations by stakeholders from various
sectors who will introduce different sectoral and regional perspectives on climate change
mitigation and adaptation.
Creativity and the Arts
In line with the broader cultural relations objectives of the British Council and ASEF, this
Workshop will explore the role that creativity and the arts can play in developing innovative
and sustainable climate solutions.
It is broadly acknowledged arts and culture are a source of creativity and can offer creative
potential and innovative solutions especially in transdisciplinary contexts. The Workshop will
explore this topic by highlighting the fact that creativity is not the exclusive domain to any
sector and that can be learned. Creativity is a methodology through which many types of
challenges and problems may be addressed.
The role of artists in finding climate solutions will also be explored. Artists often contribute by
inventing new methods or perspectives; and, by posing or provoking questions that challenge
generally-accepted knowledge. Artists can thus help illustrate and conceptualise issues and
solutions by bringing attention to the problems from a different and innovative angle.
Participant profile
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We are seeking young people between the age of 20 and 35 years from ASEM
countries. Graduate students and young professionals from various sectors such as
government, business, NGOs, academia, education, the arts and creative industries
are invited to apply.
Applicants should have demonstrable leadership qualities and interest in
environmental issues, especially climate change.
Some participants will be selected because of their creative backgrounds and
experience, whilst others will have experience in other sectors including government
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The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an informal process of dialogue and co-operation bringing together the 27 European
Union Member States and the European Commission with 16 Asian countries and the ASEAN Secretariat. The Asia-Europe
Foundation works with members of the ASEM countries to promote intellectual, cultural and people-to-people exchange.
ASEM member countries are: Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, Vietnam,
the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Commission.
policy making, education, the voluntary sector, and the media. Our intention is to
bring together a diverse group of young practitioners with different backgrounds.
All participants however should be interested in exploring the creativity agenda further
and applying it to their situation.
We particularly welcome applications from Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam,
Thailand, UK and Eastern Europe.
Responsibilities
Participants are expected to contribute actively in the Workshop to the development
of a project plan and ideas for strengthening relationships and networks which lead to
action on climate change by contributing actively to the process with thoughts, ideas,
knowledge and experience. Participants should support the ethos of the programme
through actively engaging in the activities, supporting other participants, being a team
player and showing commitment to the network
Participants should join the Climate Cool network http://climatecoolnetwork.ning.com
and open up a blog with a personal profile and overview of personal experience in
climate change activities, by 1 October 2009. Participants will be expected to
maintain their blogs during their stay in Thailand
Participants should engage in an online interview, by 19 October, for Culture360,
ASEF’s web portal for cultural dialogue and exchange between Asia and Europe
http://www.culture360.org
The participants would be expected to remain engaged with the organisers after the
Workshop.
After the Workshop, participants should submit a Workshop Report (which can
include photos, blog entries, personal feelings, learning, summary etc.)
The role of participants is to inform and inspire others with local (national) and
personal views on climate change. They should cascade information and skills
obtained from this training through their communities and networks.
Participants should submit a detailed project proposal after the Workshop.
Participants should make a commitment to engage in climate change activities
through projects leading to action, as part of the Climate Cool Network after the
workshop.
Participants should develop, maintain, and actively participate in the East Asia
Climate Cool network via blogging and on-line forum discussions on the website:
http://climatecoolnetwork.ning.com/
Participants should update regularly British Council teams in the participants’ country
directly and other participants in the Climate Cool network via the web site
http://climatecoolnetwork.ning.com/
Schedule
Arrival date Monday, October 12, 2009 by 6.00 pm
Opening dinner and first night in Bangkok
Tuesday October 13
Travel to venue and begin Workshop
Departure date Sunday, October 18, 2009
Workshop ends at 1.00 pm (after lunch)
Departure flights after 4.00 pm or Monday, October 19
The venue of the Workshop is the Greenery resort Khao Yai
http://xperience.greeneryresort.com/
Indicative content
Climate change issues
Leadership
Creative thinking tools and cross-cultural learning
Networking skills
Communication skills
Project management skills and project proposal development
Learning objectives
By the end of the week participants will be able to:
Describe some of the climate change impacts and linkages in Asia and Europe
Identify the key skills, knowledge and personal awareness required to be an effective
climate change leader
Use a range of creative thinking tools and approaches to explore climate change
challenges and find solutions
Describe and use a number of social networking tools to strengthen the climate cool
network
Generate project ideas
Engage a range of stakeholders in their project proposal
Assess their personal learning and development needs and write a personal
development plan
Explore the role of creativity and the arts in helping to find solutions to the problems
of Climate Change
To look at ways to strengthen and develop the existing networks which support
individual as well as group project implementation
Presentations
Participants will be asked to give a short presentation or show a video at the Workshop that
demonstrates their ideas for a proposed project plan OR a Best Practice project related to
climate change solutions from their country. Presentations should be no longer than 5
minutes duration
Social Programme
Participants are expected to contribute actively to the cultural activities at the Workshop.
Participants are invited to bring a snack as an example of food from their country to share
with other participants.
We would also ask you to bring one artefact (cultural or artistic, such a photograph, a song, a
book etc.) that reflects the realities of climate change in your country OR your own
experiences related to climate change. Participants will be invited to relate their personal
experience of climate change using the artefact.
Outputs
By the end of the week, participants will have
Developed a climate related project idea that can be turned into a proposal, planned,
implemented and evaluated following the workshop
Gained the ability to use creative thinking tools to address the issues at hand and
included such approaches in their proposals
Agreed a personal development plan
Developed good networks for collective action
Outcomes
After their participation in the Workshop, participants will be expected to use what they have
gained from the workshop and continue their work as young Climate Leaders in their
respective countries by implementing their project plans. Seed funding will be awarded to the
best projects following submission of detailed proposals after the Workshop.
For further information, please contact:
Ram-Indra Penrapee, Head of Science and Environment – British Council Thailand
British Council Thailand
254 Chulalongkorn Soi 64
Siam Square, Phyathai
Bangkok
Thailand
Phone (Work) +66 2 6575625
E mail Penrapee.Ram-Indra@britishcouncil.or.th
Graham Sutcliffe, Regional Project Manager
British Council Vietnam
20 Thuy Khue
Hanoi
Vietnam
Mobile +84 90463 858
E mail graham.sutcliffe@britishcouncil.org.vn
Katelijn Verstraete, Assistant Director – Cultural Exchange
Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF)
31 Heng Mui Keng Terrace
Singapore 119595
Phone (Work) (65) 6874 9724
Email katelijn.verstraete@asef.org
Anupama Sekhar, Project Executive - Cultural Exchange
Asia-Europe Foundation
Phone (Work) (65) 6874 9712
E-mail anupama.sekhar@asef.org
__________________________________________________________________________
The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations
and educational opportunities. A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733
(Scotland).
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) seeks to promote better mutual understanding and
closer co-operation between the people of Asia and Europe through greater intellectual,
cultural, and people-to-people exchanges.
ASEF's contribution is with the financial support of the European Commission