News
Personal, Reflective and Artistic Students’ Initiatives
In the course Empowerment for Sustainability (ELS21806) students study worldviews and empowerment processes in the context of socio-ecological challenges. Students also create an initiative of own choosing through which they, in a personal, creative and often artistic manner, engage with their hopes and concerns towards ongoing challenges. In this space, few students bravely share with us their initiative, to support or perhaps inspire further reflection. The course is taught by dr. Valentina Tassone in collaboration with dr. Martijn Duineveld, PhD candidate Daan Buijs, performing artists Anna van Diepen and Suzanne Prak, and guest speakers.
Initiative by student Elettra Giampaoletti
Elettra engaged into the creation of a video: Re-member Eva. Through this artistic expression she wishes to stimulate an empathetic bond between people and nature. In the video, current human society is identified with the metaphor of the astronauts as a glorification of modern rationality. Once they land back on earth, the astronauts feel out of place, alone and lost. Eva (nature on earth) has a severe voice and she will speak to them to make them acknowledge the difficult times we live in. But Eva is a mother and as such her voice is caring and comforting too. The astronauts will take a step back, reconsider their actions and finally are able to re-connect to their mother.
- Unfortunately, your cookie settings do not allow videos to be displayed. - check your settings
Initiative by student Yorran Bosma
Yorran shares his reflections about humanity living on a planet that can no longer sustain its never-ending growth, and how he found meaning in sustainability despite a lack of faith in humanity. In this video essays, he bravely communicate his thoughts and experiences. His reflections are inspired, among others, by the American poet Charles Bukowski where a focus of the video essay is put on his words “Humanity, you never had it from the beginning”. Yorran expresses his lack of faith in humanity as a whole, and worries about the state of our planet. Such reflection, however, enabled Yorran to find meaning in sustainability, to experience a renewed sense of responsibility and personal purpose in life.
Watch the video by clicking the link below:
Finding meaning in sustainability - YouTube
Initiative by student Tessa Stroeken
Tessa has created a song, “There is fire”, representing a call for action. Through her song and related video, Tessa would like to express her concern for the ongoing socio-ecological degradation. The first sentence: “there is fire in the sea”, is an analogy for the climate crisis that is almost too big to comprehend and to consider possible, like a fire in the sea as something not possible or hard to imagine. After this, the song sketches other “fires” in the world that the human society should deal with. On the other hand, Tessa is also providing a message of hope and inviting towards communication and action for more regenerative futures.
- Unfortunately, your cookie settings do not allow videos to be displayed. - check your settings
View lyrics
View lyrics
There is fire
In the sea
Though you would think
How could that be
There is fire
Everywhere
Instead of flowers growing
Flames are mowing the trees
Save the future
You would say
But the government won’t
Think of it that way
There are people
That won’t survive
When the sea is rising
Far above their height
There are children
In this world
Who fear their dreams
Won’t be fulfilled
Save the future
You would say
But only a wish
won’t get us all that way
There is fear
Hanging in the air
Climate anxiety
Is the new fair
A good solution
Won’t be found
With just a little bit of
debating around
Save the future
You would think
Lets get all together
And find the missing link
We are hoping
To survive
So get together
We just have to thrive
A bit of fighting
That will do
So scream it out
You know what to do
Save the future
You would say
Time is up
Just listen what we say