Back in time
Seeding for Future (called Up for Europe at the time) is a project that started back in 2019. 7 students came together to create the first edition of the project. Their goal was to gather young Europeans perspectives on ecology and bring those to the European Parlement in Bruxelles. Unfortunately, we all know what happened in Spring 2020 and they had to cancel their trip. The idea reminds and so did the conviction that the project could bring value. They looked for successors.
2021 edition
A team of 7 people came together to work on the project. They reoriented the project a bit to suit better their callings and adapt to a pandemic context. For a year they worked together and finally went on their journey!
Goals
Their aim this year was to raise awareness about ecology across Europe to understand the plural visions of ecology and how it was managed in the different countries. They also met people who were already involved in social and climate justice at different scales to get inspired and testify that a happy and committed life was possible.
People and places
Their trip took them from Spain to Belgium, crossing Italy, Slovenia, Poland and Germany. They especially enjoyed the forest occupation in Poland and the green lands of Slovenia where they saw the determination and solidarity of the people. Despite the environmental issues they faced in every country, they have been amazed by the creative actions and unstoppable motivation of the youngest.
ACTIVIST, the documentary series
ACTIVIST is a documentary series that follows the journey of Seeding for Future in 2021, portraying activists and initiatives committed to climate and social justice in Europe. From these discussions is born a 5-episode documentary series, illustrating the diversity of ideas, strategies and possible commitments, in order to create a more fair and environmentally friendly world. From civil disobedience to the European Parliament, these activists are shaping new ways of coexisting. A dose of inspiration to join this movement of commitment that brings people together beyond borders.
Find more information here.
2022 edition
Nourished from their experience, the 2021 team believed their adventure could benefit more people and gathered 7 new facilitators for another European tour. “Up for Europe” was renamed “Seeding for Future” to better capture the essence, the political directions and ambitions of the collective: spreading seeds of empowerment and knowledge all over Europe.
Goals
Building on the success of the 2021 edition, Seeding for Future’s mission strengthened around raising awareness about ecology and increasing the visibility of the impactful initiatives they met. Once again, the team adapted the travel and its activities to the wishes and specific skills of the group, infusing our creative and artistic vibes into the workshops. Etching, imaginative games, social theatre, and much more creative techniques have allowed Seeding for Future to reach many different audiences from children at school, to young ecologists, or random ​​passers-by in the street.
People and places
Their trip began in south Italy, to go up north through Balkans including Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. They got the chance to discover many alternative ways of living and commitments to radical ecology. It inspired them in their traveling choices, such as proposing to barter hosting against their help in farming or constructing. They liked learning how to build natural clay houses in Cob, an eco-community in the greek country-side, as well as contributing to the social circus of Sofia hosted by Galina Ryom-Røjbek, monocycle's world champion.
Podcast
Some of the encounters of this exploration in 2022 have been recorded to create a podcast series. In each country they visited, the team has chosen one person to interview on a specific branch of ecology. From ethical engagement in producing food, to thinking about collective solar energy… It will give examples of the various possibilities to get involved. The podcasts are still on their way but you can already find the first episode to hear about “Krater”, a slovenian laboratory, where designers found how to upcycle weeds and mycelium to create material. Go listen to it here.
Erasmus + training
Shaped under a skillshare format, the training Ecologicall to Action aimed to empower the participants with playful, impactful, and meaningful tools to speak and raise awareness about ecology in the complex challenges we are living.
Goals
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Raising the awareness of youth workers around the topic of ecology and systemic oppressions
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Sharing impactful tools to open empowering spaces of dialogue, education and collective learning
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Creating connections and bridges between activists and youth workers of many different countries and background
Participants and accomodation
We selected youth workers and activists from European countries to spread knowledge about ecology in their community, run workshops and open spaces on similar topics. For 10 days, participants had the opportunity to live in La CasBa (France), an eco-community based on exchange, encounter, and experimentation.
Dissemination activities
The participants had the opportunity to discover various workshops during the training and use them as inspiration to create their own activities in their community afterward.
Want to join?
Every year a new Seeding for Future team get together and prepare this incredible journey. Feeling intrigued by the project and could see yourself involved?
We are looking for the next members of the 2024 edition! For us, motivation and communication are the keys. Shoot us a message telling us a bit about you and let's talk! Feel free to contact us just out of curiosity for the project. We are very much looking forward to getting to know you and see where this could lead us!
