“Nature Rights, Global Citizenship and Reclaiming “the Commons”: The Rise of Earth Trusteeship
7 – 22 July 2019
CURLS 2019 started in Bangkok at Chulalongkorn University. The Chula campus in Bangkok provided a 2,5 day platform for critical academic analysis and new impulses for civil society transformation in a context of an experimental “environment and theatre” programme, including a farm visit where “the commons” are practiced by local communities, before having headed to Nakorn Nayok at Wongsanit Ashram, 40 km from Bangkok. The ashram is member of the eco-village movement. It offers an inspiring environment for self-reflection and creative interaction. Participants started the “design” of their own individual or group future project here. The participants spent three days at the ashram, including “participatory action research” preparation, before having travelled to a rural destination for an exercise in “participatory action research”. This year the excursion brought participants to Maetha Community in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. The community is known for its sustainable forestry and regenerative agriculture, as well as local organic seeds conservation. Their independent mind has strengthened the community for years. After the “participatory action research” exercise to understand and engage with the community, the group travelled back to Bangkok at Chulalongkorn University for their project presentations during the Earth Trusteeship Forum, with Right Livelihood public lecture. The 3-day forum, and its resulting action plan, was the concluding CURLS 2019 session at Chulalongkorn University and final opportunity for exchanges with a great diversity of foreign (Asia and beyond) as well as local resource persons.
Overview Program of Chula Right Livelihood Summer School (CURLS) 2019 and International Forum 7 – 22 July 2019, Thailand
Module 1 Chulalongkorn University (7 – 9 July)
- Critical academic analysis and new impulses for civil society transformation
- Neoliberalism and the politics of climate change
- Exploring the landscape of development in the 21st century –rights, equality, food, wellbeing movement etc. and post development agenda
- Lecture on Participatory Action Research (PAR)
Module 2 Wongsanit Ashram, Nakorn Nayok (10 – 12July)
- Self-reflection and creative interaction
- “Design” of individual or group future project
- “Participatory action research” preparation
- Theatre improvisation
Module 3 Maetha Community, Chiang Mai and Klong Yong, Nakorn Pathom
(13 – 17July)
- Learning from the future plans of a community
- Engagement with a farmers’ group
- Alignment with your own project plan
- Organic agriculture
- Local seeds production and exchanges
- Sustainable forestry and regenerative agriculture
- Local organic seeds conservation
- Independent mind and community resilience
- Excursion to Dr. Prapart Pintobtaeng’s rice farm in Nakorn Prathom
Module 4 Chulalongkorn University (18/19 – 21July): Earth Trusteeship Platform
Mahachulalongkorn Building Room 105
- Preparing for future project presentations
- Exhibition and presentations
- Right Livelihood Public Lecture
- Earth Trusteeship Forum
- Platform building and action plan
- Cultural exchanges and self-expression
Download the report here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qTO5QKH20TfCxGyhIhcyAPntQG9h82lW
