Join us in Amsterdam for a groundbreaking exploration of climate, society & the arts
-knowledge meets creativity, and ideas transform into action-

CARAVANE, the Art Fusion Project

GIRES, the Global Institute for Research, Education & Scholarship, invites you to an interdisciplinary dialogue on climate change, society, and the arts as part of the CARAVANE Project, a European Union Creative Europe initiative.
CARAVANE fosters artistic exchange, sustainability, and social transformation through co-creation labs, artistic exchanges, and festivals. By bringing together artists, communities, and scholars, the project explores how art can inspire resilience and action in response to climate change.

ACTIVITIES

To advance this mission, we have organized a three folded line of activities in Amsterdam:
-On April 7, we will host the first in-person coordination meeting of 2025 for participating organizations in the CARAVANE project—open to consortium members only.
-On April 8, we will host a symposium and open discussion at the KIT Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)  a global leader in climate change research, sustainability, and public health.
-On April 9, we will present a short series of talks in Open Garden Talks  led by renowned artists Zone2Source ,testing ground for art and ecology in Amstelpark  a platform that explores art, nature, and technology through exhibitions, workshops, and community events.

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SYMPOSIUM INAUGURATION (April 8, 20.00)
Official Opening of the Three-day CARAVANE Activities, Symposium and Open Garden Talks

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SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM (April 8, 9.00-18.00 at KIT)
(Final Program on Friday 4 April – Please check for updates)

9:00 – 9:30 Registration

9:30 – 9:40 Welcome and Opening Remarks
A brief overview of the CARAVANE initiative, introducing the day’s objectives and collaborative spirit behind the event.

9:40 – 9:50 KIT Opening Address
A welcome from Lisanne Gerstel, highlighting KIT’s mission and its collaboration for this symposium.

Panel A

9:50 – 10:10 Climate Transitions: A Historical Lens on Society’s Future
Konstantinos Karatzas (GIRES, The Netherlands)

10:10 – 10:30 Cities on the Frontline: Climate Challenges and Research Agendas in Europe
Pablo Cozano Pérez (University of Malaga, Spain)

10:30 – 10:50 Discussion on Climate-Change-Induced Challenges and Best Practices from Nepal
Neha Basnet (GIRES, The Netherlands)

10:50 – 11:10 Discussion (Q&A)

11:10 – 11:30 Coffee Break 1 (20 minutes)

Keynote Speech I

11:30 – 12:00 When It Rains, It Pours: The Relationship Between Conflict, Disasters, and Health in the Era of Climate Change
Nima Yaghmaei (KIT, The Netherlands)

12:00 – 12:10 Discussion (Q&A)

12:10 – 13:00 Lunch Break (50 minutes)

Panel B

13:00 – 13:20 Art & Sustainability: Artistic Responses to Climate Change
Natascha Wahlberg Macías (Social Climate, Spain)

13:20 – 13:40 Zone2Source: Where Art, Nature, and Technology Converge in Amstelpark
Alice Smits (Zone2Source, The Netherlands)

13:40 – 13:50 Discussion (Q&A)

13:50 – 14:00 Break 2 (10 minutes)

Keynote Speech II

14:00 – 14:30 Climate Change Impacts on Vulnerable and Marginalised Groups: Integrating Social Inclusion and Justice in Sustainable Development
Maria Kottari (Principal Consultant at Technopolis Group, Founder of “The Energy Matrix,” The Netherlands)

14:30 – 14:40 Discussion (Q&A)

14:40 – 15:00  Coffee Break 3 (20 minutes)

Panel C

15:00 – 15:30
Climate Justice Beyond Words: Exploring the Emancipatory Power of Theater of the Oppressed
Andreja Potočnik & Metka Bahlen Okoli (Zavod BOB, Slovenia)

15:30 – 15:40 Discussion (Q&A)

15:40 – 15:50  Break 4 (10 minutes)

Panel D

15:50 – 16:05 Sustainability Practices in the Filmmaking Industry: Necessity or Greenwashing?
Anita Juka (Centre for Cultural Activities – CKD, Croatia)

16:05 – 16:15 Participative Decision-Making for Climate Justice and Sustainability in Teams of Young Professionals
Martina Belić (Centre for Cultural Activities – CKD, Croatia)

16:15 – 16:30 Sustainable Tourism Video Marketing Industry Guidelines 
Natia Stuart-Fox (Black Sea Global Art League, Georgia)

16:30 – 16:40 Discussion (Q&A)

16:40 – 16:50 Break 5 (10 minutes)

Keynote Speech III

16:50 – 17:20 The World Is Breathing Us: About Artful Practices and Being Fundamentally Entangled
Jan van Boeckel (Hanze University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands)

17:20 – 17:30 Discussion (Q&A)

17:30 – 17:40 Closing Remarks-End of Symposium

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OPEN GARDEN TALKS (April 9, 10.00-12.00 at Zone2Source ,testing ground for art and ecology-starting point Het Glazen Huis at Amstelpark)
(Final Program on Friday 4 April – Please check for updates)

10:00 – 10:30 Alice Smits (Director of Zone2Source ,testing ground for art and ecology)
Introduction by Alice Smits (director) and view of the exhibition Material Flows: the hidden afterlives of plastic waste (https://zone2source.net/en/tentoonstelling/material-flows/)

Walks and talks to 3 artist gardens on artistic practice as gardening

10:30 – 11:00 Zack Denfeld
Genomic Gastronomy Garden artist talk by Zack Denfeld.
-Genomic Gastronomy is an artist-led think tank launched in 2010 by Cathrine Kramer and Zack Denfeld that examines the biotechnologies and biodiversity of human food systems.
-Since spring 2024 Genomic Gastronomy has run a garden in Amstelpark to explore food systems and agro-cultural practices and it links imaginative futures—like space travel—with local, grounded environmental action.

11:00 – 11:30 Theun Karelse
Theun Karelse talk on Otterdam on the Amstelparks pond.
-Theun Karelse is a dutch artist whose experimental practice explores the intersections of art, ecology, and technology.
-He regenerates ecosystems in Europe, India, and Africa, using gardens as outdoor studios for biodiversity and climate adaptation.
-A member of Embassy of the Earth and Speaker for the Living at CCU,he supports living landscapes and kinship with non-human life.
-His floating garden project Otterdam invites us to rethink Dutch water management by embracing the otter’s wisdom and cultivating water-rich ecologies.

11:30 – 12:00 Jonmar van Vlijmen
Jonmar van Vlijmen in the Shadow Garden on Future Gardening.
-The Onkruidenier is an artist collective founded in 2013 by Jonmar van Vlijmen, Rosanne van Wijk, and Ronald Boer.
-Through fieldwork and storytelling, he explores the evolving relationship between humans and (urban) nature, both above and below sea level.
-As ecosystem futurist, he collaborates with citizens, scientists, and landscapes to question ingrained systems and imagine alternative ecologies.
-At The Shadow Garden in Amstelpark, he experiments with regenerative, heat-loving biotopes to explore the future of gardening in a rapidly warming world.

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A SPACE FOR OPEN DIALOGUE

A space for open dialogue: We invite scholars, researchers, artists, activists, policymakers, and engaged citizens to take part in an interdisciplinary discussion on the impacts of climate change on society, policy, and culture. Through critical debate and creative engagement, we will explore both practical and theoretical responses—ranging from scientific research and policy insights to artistic expression and lived experience. Our goal is to foster collaboration, innovation, and meaningful dialogue around the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of climate, society, and the arts.

A Free & Open Event – But RSVP is Required!
This event is free of charge for all attendees.
Seating is limited and will be allocated in the order in which registrations are received.
RSVP is mandatory for both Symposium and Open Garden Talks.

!!Sign up now to secure your spot!!

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Code of Conduct, GDPR and Activities Recording
Please note that the symposium and all associated activities will be recorded for documentation purposes only. The recordings will not be used for commercial purposes but will serve solely to archive the work and outcomes of the event. All activities are conducted in accordance with our Code of Conduct and in full compliance with EU data protection and privacy regulations, including the GDPR. If you prefer not to appear in the recordings, please inform us in advance by contacting us here