Call for Papers: Kurdish Studies journal welcomes submissions for 2024 issue

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The editorial team of Kurdish Studies journal is delighted to announce the Call for papers for the first issue of 2024. With ISSN 2051-4883, the journal invites scholars, researchers, and practitioners from diverse disciplines to contribute their original research, theoretical insights, and critical perspectives to enrich the field of Kurdish Studies.

About the journal: Kurdish Studies journal is a multidisciplinary platform dedicated to the exploration of Kurdish studies. Covering aspects such as history, culture, society, politics, language, literature, arts, economy, and diaspora, the journal welcomes contributions from anthropology, history, sociology, political science, linguistics, literature, gender studies, migration studies, human rights, business studies, and social sciences.

Submission guidelines: Original research articles, review articles, book reviews, and opinion pieces are invited for submission. Manuscripts should be in English, adhering to the journal’s guidelines available on the website. A stringent double-blind peer-review process will be conducted to uphold scholarly standards.

Important dates:

  • Deadline for submission: 15th January 2024
  • Notification of acceptance: Within one week
  • Expected publication date: January 2024

Submission process: Manuscripts can be submitted electronically via email to submissions@kurdishstudies.info. The editorial team will assist authors throughout the submission process, providing updates on the progress of their submissions.

Publication and open access: Kurdish Studies is an open-access journal, ensuring the broadest possible dissemination of scholarly research. Published articles will be freely available worldwide, promoting accessibility and impact.

Contact information: For inquiries or additional information, please contact the editorial team at submissions@kurdishstudies.info.

We eagerly anticipate your valuable contributions and active participation in advancing the diverse field of Kurdish studies. Submissions can be made following the guidelines on our website: https://kurdishstudies.net/.

Developing educational action: the success of World EE Day 2023

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On 14 October 2023 the 7th World environmental education day took place. On this day, in 1977, the UN Conference in Tbilisi, Georgia noted the unanimous accord in the important role of the EE in the preservation and improvement of the world’s environment. 46 years later, WEEC continues to advocate and strive for environmental education to maintain its crucial role in paving a green road towards more sustainable societies.

Since World EE Day was established, WEEC has encouraged organizations around the world to promote initiatives and projects related to environmental education in the month of October. From festivals to conferences, from workshops to academic study projects, we received many communications through our online form of initiatives related to World environmental education eay 2023.

This is our final report for this year’s World EE Day: here are some meaningful and remarkable projects from all over the world.

Every year we at WEEC, together with our local italian networks, fulfill our educational and environmental mission with the organization of many events, in the city of Turin and on italian territory. Events like the Earth Festival in Luino (VA), which has reached its third edition this year and has received a great response in participation from the public. For three days, from October 12 to 15, the picturesque town on Lake Maggiore hosted exhibitions, performances, conferences, workshops, and events for schools, each of them focusing on the role of Environmental Education in preserving “Nature, Climate and Biodiversity”.

In Turin, the local association of WEEC Casa dell’Ambiente organized, on October 17, a screening open to the public of the 2020 Documentary “Citizen Nobel” by Stephane Goel. Following the life and achievements of Nobel Prize Winner and environmentalist Jacques Dubochet, the documentary is an example of great commitment to the environment and sparked discussion among the audience, hosted in our headquarter in the Capital city of Piedmont region.

Can sea lettuce (ulva lactuca), whose population is increasing uncontrollably in Izmir Bay and seems to be an environmental problem, turn into a sustainable benefit? Project Ulva Pac, led by a group of researchers from Turkey, tried to answer this question. Findings from the study showed that Ulva Lactuca has a lot of cellulose among its biological components, which is very important for packaging. Its cultivation offers advantages over land-based sources of lignin-containing cellulose such as cotton, requiring smaller quantities of fresh water and pesticides, therefore having a lower water and carbon footprint and unprecedented potential for a green and blue economy.

Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) has partnered with Fortress REIT to combine the Fortress Running Series with environmental education and social development, a partnership aiming to upskill the community and make a positive impact. The first race was held in Rustenburg, South Africa in July 2022 and was coupled with a tree planting day at nearby schools, and the project continues today, with events organized for World EE Day 2023. On the Friday before each of the races, the FTFA team hosts activities at schools in the area, including a climate change workshop, the “Climate Hero” training for a group of learners at each school, and the planting of trees at the schools through FTFA’s Trees for All programme. The running series is part of a broader strategy to future-proof Fortress REIT communities and to promote environmental education in South African territory.

Plastic Free Odv Onlus is a volunteering association founded on July 29, 2019, aiming at raising awareness and educating italian communities about the dangers of plastic pollution; with more than 1000 representatives all over Italy, Plastic Free has become one of the most important association in the field, organizing clean-ups, concrete actions for turtles protection and conservation and events in italian schools and cities. To promote its activities and on the occasion of World EE Day 2023, the local section of Plastic Free Pavia has organized a video-photographic exhibition on Sunday October 22 at Cupola Arnaboldi in Pavia (IT).  Since 2021, Plastic Free in Pavia and in the Ticino Park has contributed with concrete actions in the area (clean-ups), in schools and at events to raise awareness among pupils and citizens about protecting the environment.

For the second consecutive year, the Municipality of Esparreguera, Tallers Artístics i Culturals d’Esparreguera (Barcelona), in cooperation with the Department of Agroecology of the University of Humboldt (Germany), X Eleva Group (Mexico) and The Handprint Initiative (Mexico-Barcelona), organized a two days online symposium on 26 and 27 October, for the exchange of experiences between international professionals and focusing on the best educational practices and the Art as a transdisciplinary tool. The II Virtual Symposium “Art and Global Citizenship Education” offers the opportunity for new collaborations among people around the world, given the need to generate spaces for reflection and collaboration in the face of global challenges, allowing the strengthening of educational strategies that integrate the Sustainable Development Goals and promoting the Global Citizenship Education.

“Bracing Biophilia” is an exploratory research programme which verifies the effect of Nature-based ILEs on pupils’ attentional performance and affiliation with Nature, led by researchers from the University of Aosta Valley, Italy. Biophilic design is an architectural model that offers the possibility to create the Nature-based Innovative Learning Environment (ILE), which might support cognitive processes and stimulate affiliation with Nature. The experimental observations spanned three school years; they were carried out within a conventional learning environment in the first year and in a biophilic designed one in the next two. The results, shared during the month of October 2023, show that learning environments with biophilic design, in addition to being preferred and perceived as more restorative, are more effective in supporting pupils’ attentional performance than conventional learning environments and, over time, strengthen the feeling of affiliation with Nature.

St Kizito Schools, in Kampala, Uganda organized project-based Initiatives for Engaging Youths in Climate Action, promoting nature-stewardship and green entrepreneurship among pupils and students by imparting knowledge, skills and values related to sustainability. The environmental teaching and learning activities are conducted at different learning levels, sharing knowledge about nature using stories, scrap-books and media, engaging children in nature-based experiences like outdoor nature-play activities and interaction with animals and promoting interactive/reflective activities like debates, quiz and oral presentations and much more. On October 14, the schools hosted the ambassador of Sweden in Uganda as they celebrated 25 years of climate activism, bringing her on a tour of all the green projects of the two schools in Kampala.

A group of teachers of the ITCG OGGIANO high school in Siniscola, Sardinia, organized an ecological walk at the Mandras Pine Forest in the Santa Lucia Area. The event aimed to involve the school community and the local area in an experience of territorial and sensory regeneration within the Tepilora, Rio Posada, and Montalbo Biosphere Reserve, raising awareness within the community about environmental conservation with a focus on sustainable development and the valorization of the region. Participants acquired specific knowledge about the territory, recognizing and appreciating its value and potential, through inclusive approaches, including those for more vulnerable individuals. The event, held on October 19, also involved the cleaning of the environment from waste and the promotion of environmental sustainability through good practices.

Democracy in a Hotter Time: navigating the challenges of climate change

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In a world where climate change is no longer a distant threat but a harsh reality, the pages of the book “Democracy in a Hotter Time” edited by David W. Orr beckon us to contemplate the nexus between democracy and the climate crisis. Let us embark on a journey to understand the vital role democracy plays in shaping our response to the greatest challenge of our era.

The crisis at hand

The year 2023 has already witnessed extreme heatwaves and devastating wildfires. These climate-related catastrophes are not isolated incidents but symptoms of a broader crisis—a political crisis that has gripped democracies worldwide for the past half-century. As David W. Orr reminds us, this crisis has contributed to the Earth being hotter now than it has been in millennia, threatening the very fabric of our existence. It is a crisis that demands our attention and action.

Democracy versus autocracy

In a world struggling to confront climate change, we find ourselves at a crossroads. On one side, there are growing anti-democracy movements that advocate for authoritarian rule, believing it to be more efficient in addressing complex issues. However, history reveals a different truth. Autocratic leaders often rely on corruption, fear, and division to maintain power, failing to tackle long-term problems like climate change effectively. In contrast, democracy rests on the foundation that people have an inherent right to participate in decisions that impact their lives. The climate crisis adds a new dimension to this, emphasizing that everyone must be engaged, informed, and involved because climate change affects us all. The creativity, energy, and knowledge of the broader public are indispensable in the battle against a destabilizing climate, as history has shown during times of crisis, such as World War II.

Evolution of democracy

David W. Orr takes us on a historical journey through the evolution of democracy, from its inception around tribal campfires (democracy 1.0) to the public dialogue and reasoned arguments of Ancient Greece (democracy 2.0), and the ideals of the American Revolution (democracy 3.0). Yet, today, we face the challenge of envisioning democracy 4.0, a democracy that must adapt governance, law, politics, and economies to the complex reality of our Earth as a biophysical system.

The vision of democracy 4.0

Democracy 4.0 demands more than just minor improvements to our present systems. It requires us to reorient our values, prioritize the rights of people over money, uphold the rights of future generations and the natural world, and ensure an equitable distribution of costs, risks, and benefits within and between generations. At its core, democracy 4.0 is founded on a moral imperative—a belief in our collective responsibility to protect the planet and each other. It calls for a shift from individualistic pronouns like “I” and “me” to inclusive pronouns like “we” and “us.” This transformation will manifest differently across cultures, but its essence remains the same: the rejection of domination, oligarchy, technical shortcuts, and above all, violence.

While democracy 4.0 may seem like a distant goal, history has taught us that ideas can spread rapidly in our interconnected world. We must work diligently to educate and mobilize citizens who are both ecologically competent and civically aware. Environmental literacy, civic principles, and the understanding of Earth systems science should be integral to every student’s education. As we move forward, let us remember that the “Great Work” of our rising generation is to build an inclusive movement—one that values clean water, clean air, a stable climate, a fair economy, and the collective voice of people. This movement acknowledges that our future is inherently political, focusing on the fundamental question of “who gets what, when, and how.” In closing, “Democracy in a Hotter Time” serves as a profound call to action. It challenges us to reimagine and reinvent democracy for the age of climate crisis. While the path to democracy 4.0 is fraught with challenges, it is not an impossible endeavor. As we face a world where time is of the essence, let us draw inspiration from the pages of this book and work tirelessly toward a future where democracy and sustainability are not mere aspirations but the bedrock of our existence.

Last Five Days to Secure Your Early Bird Discount for WEEC Congress!

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Join the Environmental Education Network in Abu Dhabi from January 29th to February 2nd, 2024

Are you passionate about environmental education and eager to connect with leading experts in the field? The World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) is just around the corner, and there are only five days left to take advantage of our special Early Bird discount. Don’t miss this golden opportunity to become a part of our vibrant community.

WEEC Congress Highlights:

The WEEC Congress is set to take place in the stunning city of Abu Dhabi from January 29th to February 2nd, 2024. It promises to be a gathering of some of the world’s foremost experts in environmental education.

One key feature that sets WEEC apart is our commitment to inclusivity. If you haven’t received acceptance for your abstract yet, worry not! You can still secure the discounted rate even after the deadline has passed.

Registration Costs:

  • Conference Delegate (Teachers, Academics, Business Community): USD 450
  • Conference Youth (Students, Young Researchers, and Young Professionals, age between 18-30 years): USD 400
  • Conference Pass for NGOs or Residents of Least Developed Countries: USD 350
  • Conference Group Rates (5+ pax / 10+ pax): -10% / -20%

This is a unique opportunity to engage with the latest developments in environmental education, connect with like-minded individuals, and contribute to a more sustainable future. Act now to secure your spot at the WEEC Congress at a discounted rate before it’s too late!

To register and learn more about the event, please visit our official website.

Don’t miss out on this chance to make a difference and be a part of a global network dedicated to environmental education. We look forward to welcoming you to Abu Dhabi for the WEEC Congress in 2024!

Abstract Submission Deadline postponed to Septemebr 15, 2023

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The deadline for the abstract submission of the 12th World Enviromental Education Congress has been postponed by the Socio – Scientific Committee to September 15, 2023!

The decision to extend the Call for Abstract for 2 extra weeks has been taken by the Committees after receiving a great amount of abstracts from all over the world; witnessing the great response from EE experts and people interested in taking part in the WEEC Congress, the SSC agreed to give more time to new potential abstract submitters in order to increase the participation at the Congress and make it an even more incredible and meaningful experience as it already promises to be.

Send your abstract today! If approved, your work will be presented and discussed during the sessions of WEEC 2024 in Abu Dhabi, together with all the other works submitted by attendees from all over the world.
One of the 10 themes must be the central argument of your abstract, in order to spark discussion on the role of EE today and in the challenges of the future.

Your work can be submitted as an oral presentation, as a poster or Pecha Kucha format, or can be structured as a more interactive workshop experience or a round table discussion.

The QAOEECL – Inauguaral Big Idea Oration

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Join the Livestream on Septemebr 7, 2023!

Queensland Association of Outdoor & Environmental Education Centre Leaders (QAOEECL) with the support of the AAEEQ Chapter present The Inaugural Big Idea Oration, held in Stamford Plaza Brisbane and online on September 7, 2023 at 4:30 pm. A timely and amazing event, with talks from two renowned educators presenting their ideas about Outdoor & Environmental Education in the Contemporary World. 
In the first part of the event, Dr Ron Tooth, Honorary Associate Professor UQ and Founding Principal of Pullenvale Environmental Education Centre, will give a talk on “Enchantment: Designing Pedagogies for a Fractured World“, discussing contemporary scholarship on enchantment/disenchantment and First Nations philosophies to explore alternative ideas and to challenge “our habit of dividing the world into passive matter (it) and vibrant life (us)“.


In the second part, Professor Emerita Annette Gough OAM will speak about “Outdoor & Environmental Education in the Contemporary World”  and how should outdoor and environmental education evolve to address the growing impact of the climate emergency and meet the needs of society in a post-COVID-19 world, while also learning from its tradition about what to keep and what to change.


The event will be live streamed, therefore capable of reaching audiences Australian wide and even globally. For more information on ticketing, click here. 

Speaking 4 the Planet

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10 Year Anniversary Evaluation 2013 – 2022

Speaking 4 the Planet is an Arts-based competition for young people. It invites participants to express themselves and their ideas about a sustainable world through the following modes:
• Speaking (prepared and impromptu)
• Drama (impromptu)
• Art (prepared and impromptu)
• Writing (prepared and impromptu)
• Video
• Memes
• Performance poetry
• Song

Originating in 2013 at The Jannali High School in Sydney, Australia, as an initiative for high school students, S4P has evolved to include primary schools (Kids 4 the Planet), universities and adults (Adults 4 Planet A). Ten years after its birth, these elements emerge:

Schools/Youth

  1. Increased student confidence and competence in speaking up. They describe themselves as ‘advocates’.
  2. Helped students take on leadership roles.
  3. Increased environmental awareness and activity at schools. Participation has stimulated school-based environmental education initiatives.
  4. Inspired whole-school involvement in preparation for the competitions held at schools.
  5. Expanded understanding of the social, political and economic elements of sustainability – not just the environment.
  6. Established local networks of students. ‘We learn that we are not alone,’ said one concerned student.

Teachers

  1. Increased teacher awareness and pedagogical changes, including increased integration and connections to multiple curriculum areas.
  2. Increased awareness of the connections between sustainability and core competencies.

Communities

  1. Improved relations between schools and local councils, businesses, and NGOs.
  2. Increased appreciation of the role of the Arts in sustainability and in bringing about change.
  3. Created public speaking and employment opportunities outside of school: Toastmasters, local councils, community events, AGMs, youth events.
  4. Influenced the World Environmental Education Congress Secretariat to hold youth events with their biennial conferences.
  5. Provided artworks for used in climate action campaigns and marches.

Future

Speaking 4 the Planet will continue to be available for use as an education initiative highly effective in raising awareness, improving pedagogy, inspiring action, building networks, and influencing individual choices and broader policies.
S4P will continue to evolve and adapt to need and interest. In the near future, S4P will include these elements:
• Competitions for university students
• Global competitions
• Competitions for adults and community organisations

If you are interested in finding out how you can adapt the S4P initiative for your audience and purpose, please contact Phil on phil@speaking4theplanet.org.au

Please find links to two videos done by 7yr old students to support the use of a WED theme and SDG 4 in the conduct of sustainability and arts competitions in Sydney:

• Only One Earth

• Education for All 

2023 Youth Innovation Challenge

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Fresh ideas for saving our seas

Do you have an innovative idea about how to protect marine life? Or tackle marine debris? Or help coastal communities adapt to the effects of climate change? GEEP is excited to announce its 2023 Youth Innovation Challenge: Saving Our Seas! In partnership with the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA), this year’s challenge provides an opportunity for young people ages 15–30 around the world to share their innovative solutions to protect marine resources and support people of all ages to be engaged stewards for marine conservation. We’re looking for solutions that are innovative, feasible, and informed by research. Winning solutions will receive global recognition and a $1,000 USD prize! 

Have a great idea? Follow the steps at this link

Pratt & Whitney E-STEM Awards – Apply by June 28!

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NAAEE (North American Association for Environmental Education) and partners develop programs to advance E-STEM (Environment, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), the integration of environmental education into STEM learning for youth. 

The Pratt & Whitney E-STEM Awards support promising E-STEM programs across the globe to build environmental literacy, STEM skills, and pathways to environmental careers through two funding opportunities: E-STEM Prizes and E-STEM Grants. E-STEM Prizes recognize excellence in established programs and E-STEM Grants support and enhance new programs.

They are particularly looking to support applicant organizations that engage students (ages 11–22) in taking action on climate change solutions, sustainable energy, and/or sustainable aviation; work with underrepresented audiences in STEM; and use partnerships to boost their impact.

Click here to read and learn more about the funding opportunities for the Prizes and Grants .