Blog entry by Erik Vráb
Professor Fella Benabed of Badji Mokhtar - Annaba University, Algeria, led two online workshops on June 20, 2023, titled Heal the Planet through Art and Be a Colibri: The importance of Nature Conservation. Both workshops focused on issues related to nature conservation and climate change, connecting the subjects of art, culture, and civic education.
The first workshop worked with Fabrice Monteiro’s "The Prophecy" photographs and Michael Jackson’s "Earth Song", while the second used Conservation International’s "Mother Nature" video and the indigenous peoples’ Colibri legend. Through a series of communicative tasks, the participants discussed the role of art in raising awareness about nature conservation and climate change, the importance of them in their lives, and how human activity impacts the climate. The workshop also helped them reflect on their own personal responsibility in preserving nature and reducing the pace of climate change, and to identify different strategies that will enable them to do so.