To increase collaboration among EUNIC members and strengthen capacities, the hybrid and interactive programme of the ‘Climate Culture(s) Creative Lab’ brings together 34 colleagues from EUNIC member headquarters as well as local branches across Europe and beyond. Following an internal call earlier this year, EUNIC member organisations were able to put forward staff members with solid experience and expertise on either culture work or on the topic of climate and environment and with interest in the other.

On 29 March, EUNIC and the Goethe-Institut held the first meeting for participants which took place online via Zoom. This was a chance for participants to get to know each other and kickstart the co-creative process of identifying topics featured in the programme. These included the cultural dimension in climate policy making, how to measure the sustainability impact of culture work on the ground, making project management processes more environmentally friendly, finding ethical approaches to integrate AI into cultural work and climate issues, and much more.

It is important that we, as policy-makers or cultural organisations, can feel that we are both respecting the unique value that culture has in all our lives and that the culture sector continues to grow at a sustainable rate that respects planetary boundaries.

Rebecca Ryder, Culture Ireland

In a series of two further online meetings and a 5-day physical meeting in Berlin at the end of June, participants will continue to come together to learn about, exchange and produce work on the topic of environment, climate and culture.

With EUNIC’s long-term interest in shaping the evolution of cultural relations practice and its contribution to sustainable development issues such as climate action, we need to address the global challenges of the climate crisis collectively. While many EUNIC members are already equipped with knowledge and expertise on culture work and the topic of climate and environment, the ‘Climate Culture(s) Creative Lab’ is an opportunity to strengthen the capacity of EUNIC staff members and make their voices heard more on these topics. Additionally, it will allow participants to build an internal network of changemakers.

One of the great benefits of the project is the network we will build across the institutions and European countries, which can be used in the long term for future projects

Simona Binko, Czech Centre in Berlin

My ultimate goal is to see concrete outputs from this project, such as the transfer of best practices and innovative approaches to using culture to address environmental challenges, and I am confident that our collective efforts will lead to a brighter future for the environment and for our planet.

Marc Mouarkech, British Council Lebanon & Syria