Ilmastoseikkailu
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Project Title
Full project title
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Project Description
Ilmastoseikkailu (Climate Adventure) is an event and a group of young people that bring together those interested in sustainability and adventurous events. The concept of the event is based on interaction where all parties learn and inspire each other to work for the climate, both in their own lives and as part of civil society. The event is held in summer on a sailing ship, where workshops, sailing and connecting with like-minded people take place in the beautiful Finnish Archipelago.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
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Description of the project
Summary
Ilmastoseikkailu is a climate event held on a sailing ship, in the summery Finnish archipelago. It is a two-day event that consists of workshops, taking part in sailing tasks, exploring the rocky islands and enjoying the sunny days and light nights of the Baltic Sea. The event is organized voluntarily by a group of young people for other environmentally concerned people.
The first Ilmastoseikkailu was organized 1,5 years ago by four students, who wanted to create an unique event combining environmental issues and adventures on a sailing ship. Ilmastoseikkailu has been organized for two summers now, with two individual events each year. The organizers of the second year were participants from the first year’s events, which ensured both the continuity and the renewal of Ilmastoseikkailu.
The event combines three elements: The first element is to educate people about different themes of environmentally sustainable life, such as traveling, consuming and taking part in different types of climate actions. The second element of Ilmastoseikkailu is to bring together (young) changemakers from different backgrounds and fields of expertise, who each offer new ideas and inspiration to act for the environment. Ilmastoseikkailu has created a community where people can come up with new innovative climate actions. The third element is to give people an unforgettable experience of climate-friendly traveling. Venturing around the Baltic Sea with a traditional wooden galeas inspires the participants to protect the local nature and travel locally without losing the sense of new experiences.
The organizers run workshops about themes that they have gained expertise in throughout their studies or by work or life experience. One important value of Ilmastoseikkailu is that the participants also take part in providing new information and viewpoints in the workshops, either by being actively involved in the conversations or by running workshops themselves about their own expert topics.
Key objectives for sustainability
The key sustainability objectives of Ilmastoseikkailu are to promote a sustainable and climate-friendly lifestyle. Our goal is to show how one can reduce their own carbon footprint by changing their habits. Individuals' consumption choices play a key role in reducing their own carbon footprint and in our event we give concrete ways to reduce personal emissions. Sustainability is also a key factor while arranging the physical event, which has a low carbon footprint.
There are various themes in Ilmastoseikkailu that all relate to sustainability, including how to travel, eat and dress sustainably. The objectives are met by arranged workshops where each of the themes are discussed in a dialogue. In the workshops we provide information, but also facilitate conversations and gather information from the participants. The information that is shared and gathered at the event is later shared with the participants via email, as well as some parts on our social media. We have workshops about sustainable traveling, whilst the participants get to be part of one themselves.
Ilmastoseikkailu is exemplary because it considers sustainability in every aspect of the event; As mentioned, Ilmastoseikkailu happens at a sailing ship, and the event serves only plant-based meals. The sustainable themes of the workshops teach, inspire, raise discussion, and give peer support on issues related to climate change and sustainable lifestyle. In the workshops we both give and gather concrete examples, i.e. how to travel sustainably and to where.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Distinctive aesthetics and high-quality experiences are central to Ilmastoseikkailu. The event is a truly unique experience that takes place on a traditional wooden sailing ship, galeas Astrid (https://purjelaiva.fi/laivat1/maux-astrid), surrounded by the Finnish archipelago, a natural landscape which is the primary aesthetic feature. The workshops are based either inside or on the deck of the ship, creating a marine atmosphere. Some workshops include slideshows that have a clear and fresh aesthetic. The event serves delicious plant-based food that is arranged on the wooden deck of the ship. Between workshops, the participants eat quality food, take a refreshing dip in the sea, and explore the nearby islands.
The visuals of information on social media attract people with a clear and fresh outlook, including earthy tones and the atmosphere of the Finnish archipelago. We also make sure we have quality photographs, including film photos, from the events which play a part in our social media development. Ilmastoseikkailu demonstrates in an exemplary way how nature provides an unparalleled aesthetic while also being inextricably linked to the themes and values of the event. The event pays close attention to detail and maintains a commitment to its aesthetic integrity in everything from social media visuals to the arrangement of meals onboard.
Topics surrounding climate change action and sustainability can often be seen as having a certain kind of aesthetic, that is maybe stuck in the past and is not the most pleasant to look at. Ilmastoseikkailu demonstrates that sustainability can be an attractive and intriguing topic.
Key objectives for inclusion
The main aspects of inclusion at Ilmastoseikkailu are citizen engagement, co-design and affordability. The concept of the event leans to the idea of actively involving citizens in making sustainable choices in their own lifes and as part of civil society. Rather than organizing an event with vertical interaction and inactive participants, we have structured Ilmastoseikkailu so that the participants are an active part of the event not only by participating in workshops but also by making their own and creating conversations on the topics they feel passionate about. This way, the participants co-designed the event with the organizers, and a strong sense of community was formed. This sense of community and belonging is great for engaging people, and this is something every climate event should pay attention for.
The adventurous event also gave people a lot more than just climate knowledge; the experience they got from a traditional wooden sailing ship was unique, unifying, and something many of the participants would not have afforded otherwise. Since traditional wooden sailing ships are maintained by artisan work, they are not very affordable to operate. To maximize the inclusivity of the event, the selection of participants was done by the organizers from all who applied. We took care to form as diverse a group as possible based on applicants’ age, sex and pervious knowledge on the topic. Also, applicants' motivation and desire to learn about the topic affected the selection. We can take 20 participants per event, which is the maximum accomondation capacity on the ship, so in total we have had 80 participants.
A strong commitment to co-design and accessibility, especially in providing the participants with an experience they could not otherwise afford, are excellent ways to create an inspiring and truly meaningful event.
Results in relation to category
Our project contributes to the category of “Regaining a sense of belonging” first and foremost in creating and maintaining a community of like-minded people from diverse backgrounds. We want to put forward a sense of meaning in doing something together. The event workshops are interactive and participants are encouraged to facilitate their own workshops, promoting multidimensional information sharing while amplifying participants’ unique concerns and areas of expertise. Working towards a common goal comes up also concretely on the ship as everyone is invited to help with the maneuvers (lifting the sails up, etc.) to keep the ship moving, signaling how cooperative efforts are necessary for all types of forward movement.
Our approach has inspired people from previous events to join as organizers for new events. We are a multidisciplinary group from diverse backgrounds, such as business, sociology, psychology, geography, education, and so on. Participants from all ages and backgrounds are welcome to join the events – our aim is to have a diverse group, which can facilitate interactions between people who may not otherwise meet. For example, we have had participants from ages 15-55 in previous events.
Through our event we also promote connecting with the local nature; the ship sails in the beautiful Finnish archipelago, which few people may otherwise have the privilege to experience, as sailing is usually considered to be an expensive hobby. The staff on the ship share information about the local biodiversity (threatened by climate change) and also local history (many islands used to belong to the army, for example, but have recently opened for visitors).
How Citizens benefit
Active citizens and civil society is an inseparable part of Ilmastoseikkailu. The concept was created by individuals who wanted to unite people for climate
and provide them with out-of-the-box experience of sustainability. All program during ilmastoseikkailu event was also held by them, in the means of sharing and inspiring others by the information that the citizens already collectively have. The target was also to activate people who have not before taken part in these kinds of events or action.
This target of the event became true, since participants of Ilmastoseikkailu from the summer 2020 became organizers of Ilmastoseikkailu for the summer 2021. The adventurous concept got people well engaged and even thrilled about the event, and it was not hard to find people who wanted to develop the concept forward. Participants of the events were also encouraged to spread the information and ideas they got during the event, and in the registration form they were asked specific ways how they will do this, for example sharing what they learned on social media, sending emails to decision-makers, organizing their own events and so on.).
Now, almost two years from the first event, Ilmastoseikkailu has decided to become part of Luonto-Liitto (The Finnish Nature League), a Finnish ENGO working broadly on climate and environmental topics. This enables the collective behind Ilmastoseikkailu to grow and organize more events, as well as to spread the word of them more effectively.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
The idea behind Ilmastoseikkailu was to gather people around sustainability in a new exciting way. Conventional and mainstream climate events are often seen as dull and serious events that might lack an inspiring and inviting atmosphere. With Ilmastoseikkailu we wanted to break this idea with an inherently adventurous concept that holds more than serious business. We made adventure a key part of the event to reach different types of people, who would not be interested in mainstream climate events. We did not choose any type of adventure though, but one that promotes local and traditional sustainable culture.
Ilmastoseikkailu is also all about sharing, connecting and inspiring the people around you. Workshops in the event were held by the organizers or by the participants themselves, creating an environment where sharing between equals is the key. There were no speeches or lessons held by professionals in the field, nor any other top-down approach was used.
Learning transferred to other parties
One of the key elements of Ilmastoseikkailu is to inspire people to take an active role in solving environmental issues. The participants are encouraged from the start to share the new knowledge and practical skills for climate-friendly lifestyle that they have gained at Ilmastoseikkailu. The workshop materials are shared with the participants after the event, so they can be used again, whenever the participants have opportunities to share their knowledge.
Ilmastoseikkailu has an active role in social media, where the workshop materials are shared as fact posts, quizzes and tips. This also applies to the inspiring and aesthetic side of Ilmastoseikkailu: we aim to raise interest and attraction of local nature, climate-friendly travelling and sustainable, yet enjoyable lifestyle.
This winter we decided to become a part of Luonto-Liitto (The Finnish Nature League, ENGO), to have continuity for the event and to develop it forward. Through Luonto-Liitto it also becomes possible and natural to share our experiences of organizing the event: what worked and what can be developed. In the future with Luonto-Liitto we aim to organize more events with the same adventurous mind-set Ilmastoseikkailu has successfully been organized with. We will also be able to promote e.i. our principle of co-creation and co-design in climate events. Ilmastoseikkailu will be part of Luonto-Liitto’s “Climate action group” (ilmastoryhmä), which meets up regularly. Luonto-Liitto has wide-spread connections and channels to spread knowledge and inspiration about our goals as well.
