The interdisciplinary seminar “Climate, Culture and Quality of Life” held in Riga on 15 February will gather Latvian and foreign experts specialising in culture and nature sciences, policy planners and cultural heritage professionals who will discuss the challenges raised by climate change and the role of culture in solving these challenges and improving the quality of life. The seminar will be held in the Saeima Building from 10.00 to 15.30.
“The modern rush, consumers’ life-style choices, tendency to deconstruct and construct more and more without saving energy, to produce for short-term use—all of this create unprecedented environmental pollution and increasing amount of waste thus endangering the human existence in the future. Until now, there has been a lack of the cultural dimension in our attitude towards the climate. In its broader meaning, culture is a discussion about the quality of life. Preserving the cultural heritage allows us to keep in mind our experience analysis of which is necessary for sustainable thinking and future development quality,” stresses the head of the National Heritage board, Dr. arch. Juris Dambis.
Experts and specialists will present their opinions about culture and especially cultural heritage as a solution to climate-related challenges during the four sections of the seminar: “Climate and cultural policy” will address the role of culture in solving climate change challenges, “Climate and the cultural and historical environment” will focus on the potential of the tangible cultural heritage in the context of climate change and on the engagement of local communities in sustainable environment development, “Climate, culture and environment” will look at the dialogue between culture and ecology, and the cultural and natural heritage in the context of climate change, its impact on natural processes, ecosystems and urban environment, and “Climate and intangible cultural heritage” will examine how the climate and environment change affects traditions. Each thematic section will present both the international and theoretical context, analysis of the situation in Latvia, case stories and discussion.
The international dimension will be presented by prominent experts. The European-wide network of cultural heritage experts Europa Nostra will be represented by the Secretary General Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, who will introduce the audience to an important guideline document that presents the principles of the European Green Deal in the field of culture and cultural heritage. Ugis Zanders from The Council of the Baltic Sea States will highlight the climate challenges in the Baltic Sea region and how culture can contribute to the response to them. Joan Pronnier, Project Manager at the Association of the Contemporary Art, Ecology and Research Professionals COAL, will show how to build a successful dialogue between art and ecology, while an insight into the living cultural heritage project LIVIND will be offered by the Finnish cultural heritage experts Elisa Kraatari and Leena Marsio.
The opening addresses will be given by the Speaker of the Saeima Mr Edvards Smiltēns, the Minister for Culture Mr Nauris Puntulis, the Minister for Climate and Energy Mr Raimonds Čudars, the Chair of the Education, Culture and Science Committee of the Saeima Ms Agita Zariņa-Stūre, the Chair of the Social and Employment Matters Committee of the Saeima Ms Inga Bērziņa, and the Assistant Director-general for Culture of UNESCO Mr Ernesto Ottone.
In addition to the seminar, there will also be a student workshop organised in cooperation with the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia.
The seminar is organised by the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO, the State Inspectorate for Heritage Protection and ICOMOS Latvia together with the Education, Culture and Science Committee of the Saeima, the Social and Employment Matters Committee of the Saeima, the National Library of Latvia, the French Institute in Latvia, and the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia. The financial support is provided by the State Cultural Capital Foundation.
Environmental sustainability is one of those global issues faced by all sectors equally, including culture and cultural heritage which is not only threatened by the climate change but can also be used as a resource in implementing the Green Deal and an excellent source of knowledge and skills in addressing the widest range of consequences of the changing climate.
The Final Declaration of the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, MONDIACULT 2022, stresses “the importance of integrating cultural heritage and creativity into international discussions on climate change, given its multidimensional impact on the safeguarding of all forms of cultural heritage and expressions and acknowledging the role of culture for climate action, notably through traditional and indigenous knowledge systems”.
While the European Cultural Heritage Green Paper presents the view that preservation of cultural heritage can be a way for seeking answers to all the major issues addressed by the European Green Deal, including clean energy, circular economy, renovation wave, smart mobility, farm to fork, environmentally friendly environment, green financing and a just transition, research and innovation, education and training, as well as the Green Deal diplomacy.
The Latvian Cultural Policy Guidelines for 2021–2027 recognises the important input of culture and creative industries and especially of the cultural heritage in “addressing climate issues both directly by implementing activities aimed at achieving the climate neutrality goals and indirectly by taking steps to raise the public awareness of climate change”, including the understanding of the direct impact climate change has on the quality of life and of the possibilities of the culture sector to improve it.
The seminar will be broadcast live on www.saeima.lv and it will be possible to submit questions on Sli.do using the code #klimats. The working languages of the seminar will be Latvian and English.
Find the agenda here: https://www.unesco.lv/lv/media/1167/download?attachment.
About UNESCO
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialised United Nations agency that brings together 193 countries worldwide for mutual cooperation in education, science, culture, communication and information to promote peace, public welfare and sustainable development. Latvia joined UNESCO in 1991, but since 1994 the Latvian National Commission of UNESCO has ensured the implementation of UNESCO programmes in Latvia and is concerned with the representation of Latvia’s interests and experience in the areas of UNESCO’s activities internationally. More: www.unesco.lv and Facebook.com/UNESCOLNK.
Information prepared by:
Kitija Balcare, Communication Consultant for the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO
Telephone (+371) 29683396 | E-mail: k.balcare@gmail.com