How can art enhance our ability to think and act differently?
12-19 October 2009
Bangkok, Thailand

About the Workshop
The Workshop Climate leaders: release your creative powers - How can art enhance our ability to think and act differently? will be held in Bangkok , Thailand from 12-19 October 2009.
The primary objectives of the Workshop include building individual and group capacities to develop and run a climate solution project in local communities. Towards this end, the Workshop aims to develop project management and leadership skills, creative thinking and cross cultural learning.
The Workshop specifically aims to explore the critical role of creativity and the arts in helping find solutions to problems of climate change. It also aims to enable sharing of experience and views on climate issues affecting Europe and Asia , and to strengthen local and regional networks for collective action.
The Workshop is an interactive week of activities delivered through presentations, interactive discussion, group work and site visits to organisations working in the field of creativity and sustainable development. It will also include presentations by stakeholders from various sectors who will introduce different sectoral and regional perspectives on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Creativity and the Arts
In line with the broader cultural relations objectives of the British Council and ASEF, this Workshop will explore the role that creativity and the arts can play in developing innovative and sustainable climate solutions.
It is broadly acknowledged arts and culture are a source of creativity and can offer creative potential and innovative solutions especially in transdisciplinary contexts. The Workshop will explore this topic by highlighting the fact that creativity is not the exclusive domain to any sector and that can be learned. Creativity is a methodology through which many types of challenges and problems may be addressed.
The role of artists in finding climate solutions will also be explored. Artists often contribute by inventing new methods or perspectives; and, by posing or provoking questions that challenge generally-accepted knowledge. Artists can thus help illustrate and conceptualise issues and solutions by bringing attention to the problems from a different and innovative angle.

Participant profile

• Active people, age of 20 and 35, from ASEM[1] countries. Graduate students and young professionals from various sectors such as government, business, NGOs, academia, education, the arts and creative industries are invited to apply.
• Should have demonstrable leadership qualities and interest in environmental issues, especially climate change.
• Some participants will be selected because of their creative backgrounds and experience, whilst others will have experience in other sectors including government policy making, education, the voluntary sector, and the media. Our intention is to bring together a diverse group of young practitioners with different backgrounds.
• Should be interested in exploring the creativity agenda further and applying it to their situation.
• Applicants from Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, UK and Eastern Europe .

Responsibilities

• Participants are expected to contribute actively in the Workshop to the development of a project plan and ideas for strengthening relationships and networks which lead to action on climate change by contributing actively to the process with thoughts, ideas, knowledge and experience. Participants should support the ethos of the programme through actively engaging in the activities, supporting other participants, being a team player and showing commitment to the network
• Participants should join the Climate Cool network and open up a blog with a personal profile and overview of personal experience in climate change activities, by 1 October 2009. Participants will be expected to maintain their blogs during their stay in Thailand
• Participants should engage in an online interview, by 19 October, for Culture360, ASEF’s web portal for cultural dialogue and exchange between Asia and Europe
• The participants would be expected to remain engaged with the organisers after the Workshop.
• After the Workshop, participants should submit a Workshop Report (which can include photos, blog entries, personal feelings, learning, summary etc.)
• The role of participants is to inform and inspire others with local (national) and personal views on climate change. They should cascade information and skills obtained from this training through their communities and networks.
• Participants should submit a detailed project proposal after the Workshop.
• Participants should make a commitment to engage in climate change activities through projects leading to action, as part of the Climate Cool Network after the workshop.
• Participants should develop, maintain, and actively participate in the East Asia Climate Cool network via blogging and on-line forum discussions on the website.
• Participants should update regularly British Council teams in the participants’ country directly and other participants in the Climate Cool network via the website.

Indicative content

• Climate change issues
• Leadership
• Creative thinking tools and cross-cultural learning
• Networking skills
• Communication skills
• Project management skills and project proposal development

Presentations

Participants will be asked to give a short presentation or show a video at the Workshop that demonstrates their ideas for a proposed project plan OR a Best Practice project related to climate change solutions from their country. Presentations should be no longer than 5 minutes duration

We call all of you to register by completing this application form and to submit before 30 August 2009, 17.00 WIB.