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Ecotransformation Summer School (Litomyšl)
2022
2022
Our Czech Summer School opens its doors one more year to welcome green activists for a weekend of insightful seminars, debates, and collaborative workshops to explore green and energy issues.
Context
The quick transformation of European energy is one of our biggest challenges today. Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and thus on democracy and fundamental freedom, has shown that investment in renewable energy production and storage is crucial not only for tackling the climate crisis and mitigating its effects but also as part of a strategy to increase European security and our energy independence.
Unfortunately, the Czech Republic is still lagging behind in this regard. Will the amendment to the Energy Act bring a change that sets rules for community energy production? What can cities and municipalities do today to promote renewables and increase energy self-sufficiency? The ongoing crises highlight the need for significant changes in how we operate as a society, how we manage limited resources, care for the natural environment, and care for each other. What is the role of politicians, activists and other partners in achieving such change? How can we support each other and spread green ideas? These are the questions we’d like to debate this during this summer school.
About Ecotransformation 2022
Ecotransformation is an environmental policy summer school, but it’s also a weekend full of interesting seminars, debates, presentations and experiential workshops aimed at helping you develop skills to drive green social change. In this third edition, we will focus on the following areas and topics:
- Energy revolution: how cities and municipalities can support the development of renewable energy sources and contribute to increasing energy security
- Community energy opportunities: experience from other European countries and what we can expect in connection with the new energy law organizing across movements: how to achieve lasting change in a sustainable, inclusive and effective way – communication, cooperation, capacity building and finding partners in different parts of society
- Seeking consensus in a divided society: public opinion is influenced by a number of stereotypes and deliberate misinformation, the debate on issues such as helping refugees is dominated by populists who reduce it to simple slogans, a splitting society – what we can do about it and how to talk to people who do not share our opinions
Who is this summer school for?
We invite anyone passionate about green policy and wanting to take an active part in promoting it. This event can be beneficial for people interested in environmental issues who want to explore how to implement practical sustainable solutions such as activists, researchers, students, scientists, teachers, politicians, journalists and so on.
Programme
THURSDAY 14 JULY
19:00–21:00 Public Debate: Pacifism and green values in the light of the war in Ukraine
Dagmar Tutschek (Co-president of the Green European Foundation and chair of FREDA, Austria)
Kateřina Vnoučková (Faculty of Social Science, Charles University in Prague)
Moderator: Michal Berg
FRIDAY 15 JULY
9:00–9:45
Introduction & Ice-breakers
Klára Berg (GEF)
10:00–11:00
Community energy – experience from Austria – Michael Sigmund, Vice Mayor of Pressbaum, Austria
Modern waste management – example of good practice – Jan Pažin, Choceň Town Councillor
11:15–12:45
The energy revolution: reducing our dependence on Russian fossil fuels – Patrícia Čekanová, Association of Community Energy of the Czech Republic
14:30–16:00
Organizing the climate movement – Klára Bělíčková, Klára Suková, Fridays for Future Czech Republic
Walking tour of Litomyšl – Citizen participation in the design of urban public space – Daniel Brýdl, Litomyšl Town Mayor
16:30–18:00
Community energy projects: energy self-sufficiency of municipalities – Jiří Krist, Local Action Group Opavsko
Active hope – doing activism sustainably (workshop) – Martin Nawrath, therapist and facilitator
20:00–21:30
Debate: Barriers and opportunities for engaging women in active citizenship
Anna Kárníková (Friends of the Earth Czech Republic)
Klára Bělíčková (Fridays for Future Czech Republic)
Eliška Koldová (cooperative SdruŽeny)
Moderator: Marie Sehnalová
SATURDAY 16 JULY
9:00–10:30
Group Work & networking
Klára Berg (GEF)
10:45–12:15
Building communities – experience from Poland (workshop in English) – Dagmara Kubik, Rzecz Społeczna
Ageing in the city, cities friendly to older people – Marcela Petrová Kafková, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University in Brno
14:30–16:00
How to engage religious communities in environmental issues – Marek Drápal, Czech Christian Environmental Network (ČKES)
Light pollution – Hynek Medřický, the lighting expert
16:30–18:00
Klimavize – the future of the Czech climate movement – Tereza Navarová, klimavize.cz
Citizens’ assemblies as a tool for change – Andrea Culková, filmmaker, author of the documentary Citizens’ Assemblies
20:00–21:30
Civil society in Ukraine before and during the war (helping activists in occupied Ukraine) – Milan Štefanec, NESEHNUTÍ
SUNDAY 17 JULY
9:00 – 12:30
Open space – an opportunity to bring your own topics
Practicalities
Date: 14. 07- 17. 07. 2022
Location: Castle Hill in Litomyšl
Price: The price of the registration fee includes accommodation and meals
– basic amount of fee 990 CZK
– reduced fee 650 CZK
– sponsorship fee (any amount over 990 CZK)
The reduced fee is intended for those participants who, for whatever reason, cannot afford the basic fee – we do not require any justification. If you can support the event with an amount higher than 990 CZK, we will use it to pay the total budget.
Accommodation: the price of the registration fee includes accommodation in 2-4 bed rooms with shared bathroom facilities.
If you have questions or special requests for accommodation, do not hesitate to contact us.
Meals: we provide common vegan / vegetarian meals for all participants throughout the event.
Registration: Registrations are now closed for this summer school
Contact person: Martina Dušková, project coordinator, martinaduskova@yahoo.co.uk
– We look forward to seeing you in July!
This event is organised by the Green European Foundation, with the support of the Institute for Active Citizenship and the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation.