Help Send Climate Activists To The Hague!

A climate emergency workshop for museums, libraries, culture

 

I’ve worked in museums for over 30 years — first, in the exhibits shops and then as a director at the Smithsonian Institution, and more recently to create a new, future-focused museum for the United Nations. For the last 5 years I’ve been working almost exclusively on helping cultural organizations like museums, libraries, and performing arts organizations fight for social justice and a sustainable future.

 

At the end of November I’ve invited a group of cultural leaders and activists to The Hague, a city in the Netherlands, for a 2-day workshop to figure out how we can get cultural organizations to take serious action re: the climate emergency and social change.

 

But first, I need help getting the leaders and activists to The Hague!

 

People are being really awesome about donating their time and energy, but I would love to be able to cover people’s travel costs. Two Dutch non-profits (a museum/heritage org. and a scientific/cultural education org.) are providing space for the workshop and food for the participants, and I’ve committed weeks of my own time and thousands of dollars out of my own pockets to get the workshop organized and run, but I need help to reimburse some of the participants for train tickets and hotel rooms. (Note that we’re trying to keep flights to an absolute minimum because of the carbon impact of flying. Some long-distance participants will join via video.)

 

Gathering diverse participants

 

The invitees include scientists and museum and library directors; the heads of big museum and performing arts associations; an economist from Belgium; a library founder and civil servant from Denmark; a former British diplomat and online organizer; a civic activist and grass-roots organizer from the UK; a former Greenpeace director; cultural entrepreneurs (future-focused “culture hackers”) from Rio de Janeiro (currently living in Spain) and the Netherlands; government officials; a fundraising expert …and more!

 

Help covering costs

 

This is an urgent and unusual workshop, a little outside the comfort zone of traditional ways of doing business. I hope to cover about ⅓ of the cost of the workshop with donations from caring global citizens and lovers of the arts, books, and culture like you! The rest I hope to raise from philanthropic organizations (which is time consuming and often comes with strings attached) and I’ll cover any shortfalls with my own funds.

 

Anything you can give will be a tremendous help! AND it will send a signal to participants and the organizations they represent that “ordinary people” really care about social justice and climate action. That statement alone would be worth 10x the money it represents.

 

Once the workshop is over we’ll make a full, public report on the proceedings, outcomes, and the plan moving forward.

 

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