In this moment of present and imminent crisis, it is more crucial than ever that UBC as an educational institution—and as a community—strives to cultivate enduring multidisciplinary, intergenerational, intersectional solidarities around climate justice and decolonial pedagogies.
To assist UBC in gaining traction toward this action, the UBC Sustainability Ambassador team, working under the UBC Sustainability Hub is hosting a week-long Transformative Solidarities Festival with the support of our partners, including the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, UBC Exposure, and UBC Hatch Gallery. Events will feature panels, film screenings, networking, cultural performances centering climate-vulnerable communities, and knowledge-sharing from local organizations.
Through this festival, we hope to collectively counter cycles of institutional silences and climate inaction by engaging, bringing together, and celebrating diverse communities across generations, disciplines, and academia.
monday mar 4
9:30AM - 10:30AM | IN PERSON | BC HYDRO THEATRE
Bee the Change You Want to See: Pollinator biodiversity loss and taking climate action
Around 75% of food crops depend on pollinators to some extent and their decline threatens our food system and food security. Learn more about our local pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, engage in buzzing activities, and explore the interconnections between sustainable food, climate change, and biodiversity loss to take action.
Guest Speaker/Facilitator: Aldona Czajewska
11AM - 1PM | IN PERSON | BC HYDRO THEATRE
(Un)learning Pasts to Build Better Futures
This panel will center and invite considerations on how to collectively UNLEARN ways of thinking that perpetrate climate inaction and apathy to encourage an open-minded approach to climate solutions.
Guest Speaker/Facilitator: Dr. Jo-Ann Archibald, Dr. Pheroze Unwalla, Leighton Gall
TUESDAY MAR 5
11AM - 12PM | ONLINE | ZOOM
Embedding Sustainability into Teaching Practices
Amidst unparalleled environmental challenges, our world remains confronted with intricate and interlinked global crises. Empowering learners with the required skill sets, knowledge, and experiences for a sustainable future serves as the pathway to effectively address these challenges.
As post-secondary institutions in Canada and worldwide acknowledge their evolving roles in confronting global issues, they are increasingly showcasing sustainability commitments throughout all aspects of their operations, research, and teaching. Embedding sustainability into teaching and learning remains a key priority for many of these institutions. Educators within these establishments have embraced innovative approaches to infuse sustainability into their classrooms.
This panel aims to facilitate a meaningful conversation between educators on enhancing and exploring practical solutions for integrating sustainability into teaching and learning, with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Guest Speaker/Facilitator: Dr. Kshamta Hunter, Aditi Garg, Dr. Jennifer Williams, Nicole Arsenault
A collaboration between SDSN Canada and UBC Sustainability Hub.
wednesday mar 6
11AM - 1PM | IN PERSON | NEST PERFORMANCE THEATRE
Action Towards a Sustainable Tomorrow: Shaping Climate Solutions with New Perspectives
This panel will invite ways to ACT on collective desires to make change through exposure to impactful community partners, scholars, organizers, organizations, advocates, artists, and more.
Guest Speaker/Facilitator: Mani Bhalla, Nicole Straughan, Vinya Nadimpalli
2PM - 4PM | IN PERSON | CIRS POLICY LABS
El Pueblo Creciente - "The Growing Village" Presentation - Sustainable Design and Service Learning in Honduras
This presentation and discussion examines a sustainable design and service learning initiative that was started at University of Manitoba in 2013. This co-curricular program provides a unique opportunity to complement classroom studies with hands on design and community education in a cross-cultural context. Participating students had an opportunity to design systems in the fall semester and travel down to rural Honduras in the winter semester to construct their designs. Particular focus was placed on cultural relevancy, sustainable approaches to community development and locally sourced materials for design and building initiatives. Participating students were from the faculties of engineering, architecture and nursing. Examined will be the projects that occurred in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in a rural community in Honduras.
Guest Speaker/Facilitator: John Sherk
THURSDAY Mar 7
12.30AM - 2PM | IN PERSON | BC HYDRO THEATRE
Film Screenings: Stories of Change
11AM - 12.30PM: Before the film screening, you’re invited to join us for a fun interactive game - compete with friends, test your knowledge, and get a global view on sustainability concepts, their effects, and discussions on a world stage through a game summarizing Muhammad Huzaifa’s key findings as a UBC delegate at COP28 in Dubai in late 2023.
12.30AM - 2PM: Join filmmaker, climate activist, and UBC COP27 & COP28 (the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties) delegate Bashar, who is passionate about storytelling, for the screening of The Stories of Change. This documentary captures a tale of hope inspired by the most climate-vulnerable communities in the Global South from Bangladesh.
FRIDAY, MAR 8
11AM - 11.50AM | ONLINE | ZOOM
Graduate Student Discussion: Engaging in Transdisciplinary Climate Research
Conducting climate change research requires individuals from across disciplines to work together on solutions. But it’s not always simple – researchers are often trained within specific disciplines with techniques, approaches and customs that differ from others working towards similar solutions. So where do we begin? In this session, Dr. Robert VanWynsberghe (Education) and Dr. Naoko Ellis (Applied Science) will explore the topic of transdisciplinary approaches to climate research by working with participants to:
- Discuss the rationale for a transdisciplinary approach
- Identify who the actors are in transdisciplinary research
- Explore how to initiate conversations with various actors about transdisciplinary approaches
- Consider how we show up in these conversations ourselves
- Reflect on how to create innovative spaces where transdisciplinary approaches can thrive
12.30PM - 2PM | IN PERSON | CIRS POLICY LABS
Building the Future of Climate Hub: Let's Shape It Together
In 2018, the Climate Hub was founded as a student-led, staff-supported hub for climate justice at UBC. Since then, the Climate Hub has continued to support student-centered programming and initiatives, including climate storytelling, community-based research, climate wellbeing, and more! Student discussions, activism, and town halls shaped the Climate Hub’s original programming and structure. Now, the Climate Hub is planning and restructuring — and needs your help to shape its future! This is an opportunity to share your ideas about the governance, programs, and priorities of the Climate Hub. Join us for an engaging discussion on March 8th at the CIRS Policy Lab or on March 13th online via Zoom as we collaborate to shape the future of the Climate Hub at UBC.
6.30PM - 9.30PM | IN PERSON | BC HYDRO THEATRE
Cultural Celebration: 'Legacies of Land & Liberation'
Join us as we end off our festival with a community celebration that embraces solidarity. There will be refreshments, cultural performances, a DJ, and many more!
wednesday, MAR 13
1PM - 2.30PM | ONLINE | ZOOM
Building the Future of Climate Hub: Let's Shape It Together
In 2018, the Climate Hub was founded as a student-led, staff-supported hub for climate justice at UBC. Since then, the Climate Hub has continued to support student-centered programming and initiatives, including climate storytelling, community-based research, climate wellbeing, and more! Student discussions, activism, and town halls shaped the Climate Hub’s original programming and structure. Now, the Climate Hub is planning and restructuring — and needs your help to shape its future! This is an opportunity to share your ideas about the governance, programs, and priorities of the Climate Hub. Join us for an engaging discussion on March 8th at the CIRS Policy Lab or on March 13th online via Zoom as we collaborate to shape the future of the Climate Hub at UBC.