Podcast Episode Details

e79 manifesto – accelerating climate action through the power of arts, culture and heritage

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Season 3 Episode 79

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• 'We, the undersigned, declare that people, their cultures, and the natural and cultural heritage of the earth are profoundly at risk from human-caused climate change and the climate inaction that is deepening the unfolding climate crisis even while we reaffirm the immense power of arts, culture, and heritage to inspire climate action and enable a just transition to low carbon, climate resilient futures.'

Accelerating Climate Action through the Power of Arts, Culture and Heritage manifesto, 2021

My reading of the ‘Accelerating Climate Action through the Power of Arts, Culture and Heritage’ manifesto developed by the Climate Heritage Network to summarize key cultural messages for COP26 and activate the arts, culture and heritage sector. You can find more information on the origins and the co-authors of the manifesto at cultureatcop.com.

It’s Monday, November 8, 2021. I’m on a beach in Stanley Park, in Vancouver and this is an episode where I will read to you a manifesto. A very good one and a very timely one.

Here’s the story… I first met archeologist and museums champion Dr. Robert R. Janes through the Sectoral Arts Climate leadership for the Emergency (SCALE) where he spoke about some of his climate projects, including the Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice. We’ve kept in touch. A few weeks ago, Bob sent me a link to a manifesto called ‘Accelerating Climate Action through the Power of Arts, Culture and Heritage’ developed by the Climate Heritage Network . I had not heard about it and maybe you have not as well. So I wanted to read it to you. 

I was deeply moved by the clarity and power of these words. 

So I asked for, and was granted, permission by the co-authors to record the manifesto for this podcast in both English and in the next episode 80, je vais le lire en francais. One of the reason for a recorded version of this manifesto is that you might be like me and tend to retain information more when I listen rather than when I read and so I wanted to share an audio version of this manifesto available to the listeners of this podcast during COP26. I will read out the manifesto’s introduction followed by the manifesto in its entirety. In keeping with how I have been doing the podcast this season this will be in one take with no editing so please forgive any mistakes.

You can find more information on the origins and the co-authors of the manifesto at cultureatcop.com. I would to thank Bob and the other co- authors of the manifesto for this gift and for this invigorating wake up call. 

Here is the introduction that you’ll find on the website.

‘This Manifesto provides key messages on culture and climate change aimed at the 2021 United Nations Climate Conference (COP26) and beyond. It seeks to activate those involved in arts, culture, and heritage to take climate action through communication and engagement, inspiring and assisting their constituents, members and audiences to increase ambition; to change their own behaviours; and to engage with climate change policy development at local and national government and intergovernmental level.  Simultaneously, in order to meet the urgency of the climate emergency, it strives to inspire and encourage greater synergistic collaboration on climate action with other sectors and partners tha

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Published on 4 years, 1 month ago