Peace and nature: building the UNESCO network in Wales

The Biosphere is organising a workshop at Aberystwyth University as part of a programme of events to develop the potential of UNESCO designations in Wales. Darllen yn Gymraeg.

The power of the Biosphere designation lies in its accreditation by UNESCO and membership of an international network with high ideals, which supports research and learning.

Two years ago, it was the UK National Commission for UNESCO that helped the Biosphere to take a step forward with its Local to Global programme. Together with a Welsh Government grant, this meant that we could update our website and social media work, develop a fundraising strategy and reach out to new audiences with events.

Now the programme is back, with further funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and this spring the Biosphere is helping to organise a series of events that will invigorate the Welsh UNESCO network as a whole.

We are kicking off with a workshop on 4 March at Aberystwyth University. This is a collaboration with the Department of International Politics, which has historic links to the foundation of UNESCO, and will include speakers from academia and the Biosphere partnership, as well as Academi Heddwch and the new Dinas Llên Aberystwyth/Ceredigion.

The theme of the workshop is peace-building in the context of our relationship with nature. What does it mean to exist alongside other species, to feel ourselves part of nature, and to care for it? How does that support UNESCO’s mission to create “peace in the hearts of men and women”? You can book your free place here and download the programme below.

Building Peace with Nature_workshop programme_en.pdf

Download PDF • 413KB

On 16 April, Fforest Fawr UNESCO Global Geopark will run an event at Ystradgynlais which will focus on the natural and cultural heritage of a part of the existing Geopark, together with an adjacent area into which it might expand. It will consider how different elements of that local heritage might be celebrated and make positive contributions to the local economy and wellbeing. 

The workshop will be run collaboratively with two other organisations, the Josef Herman Art Foundation, a charity based in Ystradgynlais and working across Wales to support the arts, education, human rights and to promote the life and work of Josef Herman, and Brecon Beacons Tourism, the tourism trade association.

GeoMôn’s event on 13 May on Anglesey will explore how the assets of the Geopark can best be used to contribute to the health and wellbeing of local communities. There will be particular emphasis on activities for people with recognised personal and social issues, and participants will include health practitioners, community groups, youth organisations, and local businesses.

The workshop will be conducted in collaboration with Mind over Mountains, a charity that offers professional mental fitness support by combining expert-led walks in natural settings with experienced wellbeing coaches and counsellors.

We hope that all three workshops will benefit from contributions from the other UNESCO sites in Wales, which include four World Heritage Sites and University chairs at Swansea and Cardiff.

Finally on 18 June there will be an online event to share the learning from the programme and see what the potential is for future collaboration in Wales.