The first speaker at the transition forum challenged and touched.
Pella Thiel's opening speech did not turn a blind eye to the seriousness of the situation in the world with several ongoing wars and mass extinction of species. In the midst of this, to still see the fireworks of autumn trees of colors and to "live with style" and "in dignity" is about honoring life. In the words of Nick Cave, Pella spoke about the importance of fighting the cynicism within ourselves. The greatest resistance to creating a better world is believing that it is not possible, that people do not want to and that you yourself have no power. Pella was named Environmental Hero of the Year by WWF in 2019 and received the Martin Luther King Award in 2023.
After that, the participants were challenged by Carmen Blanco Valer's lecture. Carmen has roots with the Quechua people in the Andes and has worked for a long time with popular organizing, environmental, climate and justice issues. She works as a folk high school teacher at Färnebo Folk High School with courses on indigenous rights, the rights of nature, The Good Life, environmental and climate justice and ecofeminist creativity. The good life, Carmen explained, is a collective term for visions of equal societies, free from oppression and in harmony with the rest of nature. We cannot separate ourselves from nature. Nor can we separate the transition movement from other movements, such as Black Lives Matter. When we join hands, we become stronger together. The good life takes a holistic perspective and begins by questioning all social structures that oppress other people and forms of life – sexism, racism, capitalism and colonialism. But it is not a recipe. What it means is shaped together by people in participatory processes with reflection and creative joy!
Thanks to the organizing team for a great start!