Symposium of CARAVANE Symposium in Amsterdam: Overview

The CARAVANE Symposium, held in Amsterdam from 7–9 April 2025, was a vibrant and deeply meaningful gathering of artists, scholars, activists, and cultural practitioners from across Europe and beyond. Hosted across two venues—KIT Royal Tropical Institute and Zone2Source in Amstelpark—the event embodied a multidimensional approach to addressing the climate crisis through artistic, historical, and social dialogue.

At the first day, the symposium opened with warm welcomes from Dr. Konstantinos D. Karatzas, director of GIRES, the Global Institute for Research Education & Scholarship and KIT’s Lisanne Gerstel, who set the tone for an event grounded in collaboration and critical engagement. Dr. Karatzas introduced the CARAVANE initiative’s aims: to bridge climate action and cultural practice, and to foster transdisciplinary conversations that inspire sustainable futures.

The first panel explored historical and geographical dimensions of the climate crisis. Dr. Karatzas traced the evolution of climate consciousness from the early 20th century to today, emphasizing the lessons of historical inaction and the need for urgent cultural shifts. Pablo Cozano Pérez followed with a compelling talk on urban adaptation in Europe, spotlighting nature-based solutions in climate-resilient city planning.

Neha Basnet added a vital Global South perspective, sharing insights from Nepal on how rural communities—particularly women and youth—are navigating climate-induced challenges. Her emphasis on local innovation and resilience strategies highlighted the global interdependencies in our shared ecological future.

Keynote speaker Nima Yaghmaei delivered a powerful presentation on the interplay between disasters, conflict, and public health in the climate era. Drawing from his work in Afghanistan and South Sudan, Yaghmaei underlined the need for robust, climate-aware health systems in fragile regions.

The second panel turned to artistic responses to climate change. Natascha Wahlberg Macías reflected on the power of artistic storytelling in mobilizing environmental action, while Alice Smits shared the curatorial ethos of Zone2Source, where art, nature, and technology coalesce to spark systemic change.

Maria Kottari’s keynote on social inclusion emphasized that climate justice must always center vulnerable communities. Her policy-driven lens called for integrating equity, gender sensitivity, and human rights into every sustainable development framework, a theme that resonated deeply throughout the symposium.

Later sessions explored climate justice through performance and participatory methods. Andreja Potočnik and Metka Bahlen Okoli facilitated an emotionally charged Theatre of the Oppressed session, empowering participants to physically embody climate injustices and imagine collective solutions.

A panel on sustainable creative industries raised provocative questions. Croatian producer Anita Juka challenged the filmmaking world to go beyond greenwashing, while Martina Belić presented a youth-led documentary project as an example of inclusive, participative climate storytelling. Natia Stuart-Fox concluded with strategies for ethical video marketing in sustainable tourism.

The first day closed with a keynote by Jan van Boeckel, who invited attendees to consider artistic practice as a spiritual and ecological gesture. Drawing from indigenous traditions and environmental art, his talk urged a reimagining of human-nature relationships rooted in reciprocity and reverence.

The second day of the symposium took place at Zone2Source in Amstelpark, where the outdoor setting and active installations enriched the experience. Alice Smits introduced the “Material Flows” exhibition, which examined the hidden afterlives of plastic waste through immersive art.

Zack Denfeld of the Center for Genomic Gastronomy gave an engaging artist talk in the Genomic Gastronomy Garden, where food, ecology, and futurism intersect. His playful yet profound reflections on biotechnology, biodiversity, and taste stimulated lively conversation among attendees.

Theun Karelse continued the exploration with his “Otterdam” project, an artistic intervention focused on water ecologies and the return of otters to Amsterdam. His floating garden installation challenged conventional notions of Dutch water management and reconnected visitors to indigenous and animal knowledge systems.

Jonmar van Vlijmen of the Onkruidenier collective took participants into the Shadow Garden—a speculative landscape project that experiments with regenerative, xerophilic (heat-loving) plant systems for future urban environments. Their research imagines resilient gardening practices in the face of rising urban temperatures and climate change.

The outdoor presentations were complemented by open garden dialogues, walking tours, and sensory encounters that encouraged participants to experience knowledge in embodied, non-linear ways. The natural setting of Amstelpark became a living classroom—bridging theory and practice through soil, air, and interaction.

Throughout the symposium, themes of interconnection, decoloniality, and co-responsibility emerged repeatedly. Whether through academic papers, theatrical methods, ecological gardens, or policy frameworks, participants shared a collective commitment to more just, inclusive, and creative futures.

Crucially, the CARAVANE Symposium also fostered space for informal networking and collaboration. Many attendees formed new partnerships and project ideas during coffee breaks, meals, and after-hours gatherings, demonstrating that meaningful exchange happens as much outside the sessions as within.

Feedback from participants highlighted the depth and diversity of the program. Many praised the balance of structure and openness, the inclusion of both local and international voices, and the commitment to accessibility and respect in all interactions. The organizers’ attention to detail and care for every participant did not go unnoticed.

As the event concluded, it was clear that this symposium had created more than just a dialogue—it had sparked a movement. CARAVANE in Amsterdam became a space of convergence where policy met poetry, data met dance, and urgency met imagination.

The success of the symposium lies not only in its diversed panels and brilliant speakers but also in its ability to hold space for vulnerability, vision, and action. It was a call to think differently, act collectively, and imagine a world where climate justice and cultural transformation walk hand in hand.