Živel Initiative
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
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Project Description
Živel initiative will focus on groups of society which are not targeted by other environmental organisations such as elderly people and students from local university. Živel Initiative will reconnect these marginalized groups to sustainable society and bring them feeling of belonging using attractive tools such as exploring countryside, theatre, workshops, movie streaming and traditional customs.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
EU Programme or fund
Which funds
Description of the project
Summary
In recent years, we have begun to implement community events in our region, in which we have linked the elements of sustainable living, nature conservation and social inclusion. We managed to introduce annual Meadow mowing in June and Christmas carolling in December. Thanks to these traditional activities, we penetrated deeper into local communities and were able to identify groups in society that are not yet interested in sustainable living and environmentalism. It is mainly people of retirement age, mostly outside of interest to other cultural and environmental organizations, and local university students who lack a comprehensive platform for sharing and communicating information about the issues of sustainable society and climate change. Therefore, we decided to build on previous activities and create a new project Živel Initiative to implement programs covering this part of the society. We are now in the process of preparing our future activities, which will target not only these marginalized groups, but also their interconnection and involvement in the wider community and society in the region. We addressed the Tomas Bata University in Zlin, offering lectures and workshops on climate and environmental protection. We also approached the local home for the elderly with an offer of a cultural and educational program in which the students at the mentioned university will be involved in the implementation. We are also preparing an environmental play with the Envi Divy theatre ensemble, aimed at elder people. We will start regular walks in the surrounding countryside commented by an expert, always on a given topic related to the visited place. In this way, we will create a sense of belonging to the place, which will deepen the interest in the local nature and its adequate protection. The walks will be attended by students and elderly, as well as other citizens. Thus, we will be able to provide them with the basic pillars of environmental protection.
Key objectives for sustainability
Our key words are intergenerational connectivity, sustainability, traditions, place and people belonging and environmentalism. In our project, we want to focus the attention of local people on the environment and its relationship to it. When it comes to environmental sustainability, we believe that people will be more motivated to take care of their immediate surroundings. We want to use the knowledge of people of retirement age, many of whom have personal experience with cultivating agricultural land and with a naturally efficient way of processing both products and waste. By connecting generations, we will stimulate the flow of information that is otherwise in danger of being forgotten. Tradition and sustainability go hand in hand. Young people will learn a lot of useful advice they can use in their conservation practice. Older people, on the other hand, will be approached by younger ones and inspired to "greener" thinking, for example in the political sphere. Our approach will be able to serve as an example to other environmental organizations that seek to appeal to a sustainable way of life, but often focus only on those already interested and fail to involve those who are not interested in the subject. Especially for older people, it is important to offer something familiar and not overwhelm them with new modern concepts. We believe that an intergenerational exchange of worldviews and the involvement of retired seniors could be an effective solution. In all our activities, we want to make the most of local resources: citizens' experts, the provision of raw materials from local farmers and small producers, and the use of local businesses. This will make small unconventional manufacturers visible and highlight their value. We will thus support the circularity in the region of both human and material resources and prevent the outflow of funds away from the region.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
We are in close contact with folklore ensembles in Zlín and plan to hold joint events. As I mentioned above, traditions and folk customs are inherently sustainable and often have a protectionist character. But not only that. Singing and dancing is a great tool for connecting people of all ages and social bubbles. We have already managed to organize a traditional mowing of the meadow, which was attended by several costumed dancers, singers, and musicians. They actively participated in the event as mowers and at the same time as cultural enrichment in the form of performing. In this way, we succeed in conveying people's traditions together with folk entertainment and thus bringing them back to life. Our events will have not only a protective but also an aesthetic significance and everyone will take home a cultural experience. We are also preparing a performance with an environmental theme, which will address the inhabitants of the retirement house. We would like to involve seniors themselves in the theatrical process and together create an environmentally tuned play. Watching a play or getting involved in it will become a quality aesthetic experience that will deepen relationships in the community and hopefully pull seniors out of their daily routine. We do not look at performers only as a spectator but involve everyone in an active and especially authentic event, with a community and conservation overlap. In other words, we not only enjoy what we do, but it has its own practical meaning, and the pleasure multiplies. At the same time, everything fits into the regional context (in the case of folk traditions) and into the global context (in the case of environmental issues).
Key objectives for inclusion
One of our keywords is intergenerational connections. With the whole project, we try to reach all age categories and social groups. Another word is tradition, thanks to which we have a great chance to reach a wide range of people, environmentalism and sustainability apply to everyone. At our events, we want to be open to everyone and hold open doors to anyone who would like to participate. Everyone has something to offer. We want our activities to be accessible to all, both practically (barrier-free) and financially (voluntary contribution). Thus, we would appreciate the financial support the most, as we are reluctant to collect high entrance fees for our activities, but at the same time we want to provide a quality program and tools. At the events already organized, we always placed a small box with the inscription Voluntary Contribution, and people were happy to support our activities. At all events, we want to create a friendly environment so that individuals of any religion and political beliefs feel welcomed. We welcome foreign visitors and are happy to enrich ourselves by sharing traditions from their environment. We oppose discrimination against any gender, and we are open to anyone from the LGBTQ + community. It is our effort to reach people across all walks of life that can set an example among similar projects. We do not focus only on interested environmentalists, but on every individual in society.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
Sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion naturally go through our entire concept. Through tradition, we want to introduce people to a sustainable way of life and to remind them of the forgotten elements of everyday life that are sustainable. Our folk traditions are very diverse and one of their most visible manifestations is folk dance, singing and costume. As we want to include these elements in our activities, the events will be aesthetically very attractive and will highlight the style and individuality of our region. Our activities will be inclusive. Young and old will come together, share their experiences with the modern world, as well as memories and old times. If we manage to cover the events financially, they will not be costly, and we will be able to welcome citizens of all social bubbles. Significant benefit of our events is the rapprochement with the place and the perception of its needs and the needs of the inhabitants living here.
