November 2007 | PAL Workshops: Art, Design & Ecology (India)
The role of artists & designers in creative environmental education for sustainable development at the 4th International UNESCO Conference of Environmental Education for Sustainability, India
In November 2007 PAL brought a group of international artists, including Turner Prize-winner Jeremy Deller, Kayle Brandon and environmental campaigner and photographer Ravi Agarwal, to India to work under a tent in a forest in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Peacocks shrieked, curious monkeys, chipmunks, snakes and lizards gathered, along with 1,500 environmentalists from 93 countries. For the first time in 35 years of UNESCO conferences on environmental issues, artists and their practice led an international conversation on the role of art, and design in education for sustainable development. Working with the RSA Arts & Ecology project, led by Michaela Crimmin, PAL designed and delivered nine hours of workshops over three days, generating new connections, new understanding and new opportunities for artists.
PAL is proud that its commitment to expanding opportunities for artists to work across international boundaries as well as across disciplines is beginning to be understood and shared by other organisations. In the coming year we are looking for opportunities to extend our programmes using this experience and knowledge.
It is not just 2012 which demands an internationalist outlook: most of the challenges we face today are international. We believe that artists have a major role to play in finding new ways of working together to address these critical challenges.
Participants
Ravi Aggarwal - photographer and actiivist, Toxic Links, New Delhi
Korkor Amartefio - Director, World Rhythms, Ghana
Michael Atchia - former Chief & Programme Director, UN Environment Programme
Susan Benn - Director, PAL, UK
Cathy Bereznicki - Director, PAL Labs of Learning, UK
Poonam Bir Kasturi - industrial designer
Prarthana Bora - Programme Co-ordinator, conference secretariat
Kayle Brandon - artist, London
Rebecca Byerly - Programme Officer, Chintan, New Delhi
Adam Cade - Student Force UK
Keshav Chatterjee - Director, Prabhat Alternative Education, Ahmedabad
Michaela Crimmin - Head of Arts, RSA, UK
Jeremy Deller - artist & trustee of Tate London
Anila R. Dholakia - The International Federation of Business & Professional Women, New Delhi
Pankaj Gorana - Children’s Media Unit, Centre for Environment Education Thaltej Tekra, Ahmedabad
Anirban Dutta Gupta - designer, Ahmedabad
Anuar bin Jaafar - trainee, World Wildlife Fund, Malaysia
Janjri Jasani - Centre for Environmental Research & Education, Mumbai
Cresantia Frances Joya, educator in arts & ecology, University of the South Pacific, Fiji
Vijai Singh Katiyar - National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
Suddarshan Khanna - National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
Ashok Khosla - Chair, Development Alternatives Group, New Delhi
Christina Kim - designer, dosa, Los Angeles
Cedo Maksimovic - Chair IAHR EU
Abhay Mangaldas - CEO, The House of MC, Ahmedabad
Kamal Mangaldas - architect, Ahmedabad
Geeta Mayor - musicologist, Ahmedabad
Leela Mayor - artist, Baroda
Palavi Mayor
Anupa Mehta - writer & co-ordinator, Arts Reverie artists’ residences, Ahmedabad
Shashank Mehta - National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad India
F Nii-yartey - choreographer, Ghana
Mona Patrao - environmental educator, Mumbai
Gunter Pauli - Founder Director, Zero Emissions Reserach Initiative, UN University, Tokyo
Manjula Rao - British Council, Mumbai
5 pupils of Riverside School, Ahmedabad
Anand Sarabhai - scientist, artist & Director, EATITWORLD, Ahmedabad & New York
Kartikeya Sarabhai - Director, CEE
Rajshree Sarabhai - designer, Rajka Designs, Ahmedabad
Sambit Sarabhai - Rajka Designs, Ahmedabad
Pooja Sood - KOHJ, New Delhi
Alnis Stakle - researcher, Institute of Sustainable Education, Daugavpils University, Latvia
Wongduan Suwansiri - Ministry of Education, Bangkok
Kerry Thompson - Chief Ecologist, Ecology Trading, Australia
Pranav Trivedi - Head of India Education & Outreach, Snow Leopard Trust
Gayatri Uppal - KOHJ, New Delhi
Rustam Vania - cartoonist & educator, Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology, Bangalore
Alex Wong - Senior Education Officer, World Wildlife Fund for Nature Tai Po N.T. Hong Kong
William Wong - theatre practitioner
Funded by
British Council
