COP26 Green Zone Event

Ancient Knowledge and Modern Thinking:
Climate Perspectives in Folk Art

The Open University is delighted to be co-hosting this event at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) with Glasgow Life.

This event will take place at the COP26 Green Zone, which is open to the public at the Glasgow Science Centre. It will also be livestreamed. A short trailer for the event is below.    

How can art and science come together to inform the future of climate action? How can we utilise learnings from Indigenous communities to inspire nature-based solutions?

In a fascinating event, Indigenous artists and experts from The Open University and Glasgow Life will explore the connections between culture, citizens, and climate by examining three works of art from Glasgow Museums’ World Cultures collection.

Indigenous artists will discuss the meaning behind these artworks in a series of three short films, which bring to life some of the cultural and creative practices in India, Ecuador and the Arctic.

The in-person academic panel will examine the local climate adaptation actions championed by communities in these locations and invite participants to consider how the resilience they show can inspire a more sustainable way of life.

The event will be compered by OU honorary graduate, and Meteorologist Dr Heather Reid. The contributors will include: Duncan Dornan, Head of Museums and Collections at Glasgow Life; Susan Stewart, Director of The Open University in Scotland; plus experts from the OU Mark Brandon MBE, Janice Ansine, and Advaith Siddharthan. 

You can join this event virtually by subscribing to the COP26 YouTube channel (in-person tickets have sold out). The live stream link will also be available on the COP26 Green Zone Programme website from 1 November. Send your questions to the panel in advance by emailing STEM-Communications@open.ac.uk. 

There is a wide range of free online resources exploring climate change and the importance of COP26, on the OU’s free learning site OpenLearn. 

Event trailer: