FESTIVAL OF ACTION 2023

About

Workshops

Encounters

With respect for Aboriginal cultural protocol and out of recognition that its campuses occupy traditional lands, Western Sydney University acknowledges the Darug, Eora, ​Dharawal (also referred to as Tharawal) and Wiradjuri peoples and thanks them for their support of its work in their lands (Greater Western Sydney and beyond). We pay ​respect to Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge all First Nations Peoples. We acknowledge that sovereignty of the Land was never ceded. Always was, always ​will be Aboriginal Land. The consequences of colonial violence and ongoing settler colonialism are the foundation of inequity and injustice, and we support all those who ​resist.

day of participatory events calling for

CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW

Friday 22nd Sept 2023 10am-3pm

parramatta city campus

Western Sydney University

Dr.Jenna Condie

Senior lecturer, Western Sydney University

Shivani Suresh

WSU Student (Master of Public Health)

events schedule

CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW is the third Festival of Action, an events-based initiative for social and climate justice, organised student-staff coalition at Western Sydney University

The climate crisis is happening now. Our climate justice now event creates new possibilities for different groups (students, staff, partners and community) to come together and collectively act for climate justice.

A day of participatory events

for climate justice.

Friday 22nd Sept 2023 10am-3pm at Parramatta City Campus,

Western Sydney University.

How to participate?

OPTION1! You can join us for the whole day! We have a range of workshops and our encounter room, which is full of fun with calls to action. Register here.

OPTION 2! Alternatively you can register for individual events. For example, you might be interested in our 'Researching Climate justice' workshop with researchers from the Young and Resilient Research Centre, our 'Making Climate Justice curriculum' workshop with educators from the Critical Pedagogies Research Group, or our 'Sustainability lunch' provided by the Inclusive Communities team at WSU! See our collection of events here.

Workshops

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP: Unlock the power of visual storytelling and deepen your eco-literacy in this immersive workshop. Discover how compelling visuals can convey the urgent message of environmental stewardship and inspire positive change. We will explore camera shooting skills, to document people, activities, and events, along with visual design strategies.

By combining compelling imagery with environmental narratives, we can effectively convey the urgency of environmental issues, inspire empathy, and motivate individuals and communities to take meaningful action to protect our planet.

led by maryella hatfield and leo robba

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led by Amie Matthews (SoSS), Thilakshi Mallawa Arachchi (SoSS and SHCA), Tai Peseta (Learning Futures), James Gourley (SHCA).

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP: A collective conversation about practices, current projects and prospects for climate justice curriculum and pedagogies at WSU. In a time of climate emergency, where there is significant agreement about the necessity of university curriculum attending more closely to the climate crisis but more gradual change in this space, this CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW conversation connects student and staff viewpoints on curriculums and pedagogies for climate justice.

Students will discuss their classroom experiences as well as their hopes and expectations for future curriculum and teaching practices; and current staff from across a range of disciplines (including those working in inter- and trans-disciplinary contexts) will provide a showcase of their current curriculum and pedagogies, or what they have in development.

Moving from 5-minute presentations to compered roundtable discussions, this event will support students and staff to collectively understand our shared aspirations for just and equitable curriculum, pedagogies and classrooms in aid of climate justice.

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

register here

FRI 22ND SEPT 10.30-12pM

Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Location: WSU Parramatta City Campus, Level 6,

Room 1.6.66

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP: The mass mobilisation of school students for action on climate change has been inspirational. It has forced politicians and business leaders to do more to tackle the climate crisis and has shown that many young Australians want a more participatory and inclusive form of democracy. The New Possibilities project examines the way student leadership, organising and participation occurs across online and offline spaces, shaping Australia’s political and democratic culture, in a time of climate crisis.

Join this research team in this hands-on workshop where you will learn about the project and experiment with some of their research methods, including the analysis of visual, social and survey data.

FRI 22ND SEPT 1-3PM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

register here

Time: 1- 2 PM

Location: WSU Parramatta City Campus,

Level 5, Room 01.5.82

FRI 22ND SEPT 1-2pM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

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led by WSU’s Environment Collective

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP:

The Environment Collective at Western Sydney University is a student-led, self-organised group for those passionate in promoting and learning about sustainability and taking action on climate change. This Forum will introduce the Environment Collective’s activities in advocating for the environment and explore our main goal for the end of 2023 into 2024: re-establishing and maintaining campus community gardens. We will invite community stakeholders to speak on their experiences of running community gardens and invite you to imagine your community garden: a space of connecting people, creating a safe place, and advocating for the planet.

Sustainable Lunch

Date: September 22, 2023

Time: 12-1 PM

Location: WSU Parramatta City Campus,

Level 6, Room 01.6.63

led by Sandy Lindsay, Daniel Jantos AND Katie Hayes

Encounters

led by DR Jenna Condie & THILAKSHI MALLAWA ARACHCHI

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

Engaging people in climate action is an ongoing challenge. Activists and campaigners use all sorts of creative and arts-based practices to bring new people into the climate movement. Now Barbie is back and trending globally, she is springing into climate action!

At the Barbie Protest pod:

Event attendees can have fun, make protest signs and activist clothing with important messages from Barbie and her friends, and transform the Barbie bus into an eco-friendly vehicle. Find your activist self with Barbie!

FRI 22ND SEPT 10AM-3pM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

register here

FRI 22ND SEPT 10am-3PM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

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led by australian parents for climate action

ABOUT THIS ENCOUNTER: Australian Parents for Climate Action (AP4CA) are Australia’s leading climate advocacy organisation for parents, carers, families and all who care about a safe future for kids. AP4CA educate and empower our supporters to make the climate safer for every child. Founded in 2019, AP4CA grown rapidly to fill a critical gap in the climate movement. AP4CA on a mission to increase the political will for climate action by engaging and empowering millions of parents across Australia to advocate for climate action within their communities, to the media, and to politicians.

At the stall, find out about the challenges parents are facing in a climate crisis, sign the Duty of Care petition, learn about AP4CA's legal action against EnergyAustralia for 'greenwashing', and think through sustainable parenting practices.

FRI 22ND SEPT 10AM-3pM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

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led by WSU STUDENT EVELYN SUGIANTO

ABOUT THIS PROJECT:

The bushland in Parramatta and Greater Sydney, home to a diverse flora and fauna, offers numerous benefits to the community, including air purification, wildlife habitats, and tranquil spaces. However, much of this land has been cleared for residential development, posing a threat to biodiversity and human wellbeing.

Landcare is a nationwide grassroots movement of individuals, groups, and organisations with a shared vision to protect, enhance, or restore the natural environment and protect biodiversity in their local community through sustainable land management, bush regeneration, and other conservation initiatives. Bushcare more specifically is a community-based and volunteer-run environmental conservation program coordinated and supported by Council.

The “Green is the Coolest Color” project seeks to promote bottom-up grass roots actions that community members could take to directly participate in and become part of the solution to the global and local problem of biodiversity loss through volunteering with Bushcare.

At Evelyn’s pod:

People will get a chance to obtain information about the Bushcare program, how it works, and how to sign up. Eveylin will also be giving away native plants for the first 50 people that register themselves as a volunteer for Bushcare (QR code to registration will be provided). Other inclusions: environmental stickers, bushcare brochures, resources about existing reserves and wildlife in Western Sydney.

Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Location: WSU Parramatta City Campus, Level 6,

room 1.6.53

FRI 22ND SEPT 1pm-2pM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

register here

led by western sydney university

library staff

ABOUT THIS ENCOUNTER:

Don't let fake news mislead. This encounter will help you to skill up on fake news, mis- and disinformation in the context of the climate emergency. Become more aware of what you read, and the information it contains.

Library staff will talk you though the diverse types of information available in the climate space. Using critical literary techniques and conversations with experts, you will be better able to distinguish trustworthy information from what’s not. Access guidance and advice and gain critical aware on your outlook to resources, literature, videos & information. Build your knowledge and skills in recognising reliable resources and fake research.

FRI 22ND SEPT 1pM-1.30 pM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

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a short documentary film made by wsu Screen Media students; director Ella Southwell with Bridget Halpin, Siobhan Cowles, Aaron Waite, and others.

ABOUT THIS ENCOUNTER:

Come to this screening of ‘Submerged’, a short documentary film made by Screen Media students; director Ella Southwell with Bridget Halpin, Siobhan Cowles, Aaron Waite, and others. Through interviews with scientists and activists, they explore the issue of shark netting and impacts on marine life and ecosystems. Ella and members of her crew will be there for a Q&A session afterwards, to discuss and answer questions about the making of the film, explaining how they approached the creation of this compelling short documentary.

Time: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Location: WSU Parramatta City Campus, Level 6,

room 1.6.53

FRI 22ND SEPT 1pm-3pM

rEIMAGINING OUR UNIVERSITY FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

register here

led by Dr Cameron McAuliffe

ABOUT THIS ENCOUNTER:

How can we plan our cities for a more sustainable urban future? This workshop allows you to experience urban change as you model the future of Pyrmont in Sydney in an immersive virtual reality (VR) model.

Action on climate change requires us to engage with the contested politics of urban development. Virtual reality urban models allow us to learn ways to engage, contest or mobilise this politics to produce more sustainable cities.

Join us at any time during the session to experience how WSU Planning students are grappling with the wicked problem of urban sustainability.

Partners

Find out more about the Festival of Action

Visit our website