COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh: a success for Climate Fresk
From 6 to 18 November, a Climate Fresk delegation attended COP27 to meet many key international actors in climate action. It was a great opportunity to introduce Climate Fresk to people and entities from all over the world, as well as to develop the NGO's international reputation. Here’s a look back at two very emotional weeks!
A delegation determined to achieve the same goal: to make Climate Fresk known throughout the world
Climate Fresk quickly made a strong impression. On the first day of COY17 – the Youth Conference held in Egypt a few days before COP27 – Climate Fresk facilitators organised workshops for 70 national youth delegates: 4 workshops were run in English, Arabic and French. Among these participants, 20 were then trained in facilitation: back in their home countries, they can now use the workshop to educate and mobilise people to take action for the climate.
During the two weeks at COP, the delegation was active in the Blue and Green Zones, running workshops and training sessions in several languages, and moving the Fresk Quiz from event to event in the different Pavilions.
Connecting with people of all ages and from all over the world, members of the delegation facilitated the Fresk Quiz for two female teachers from Somalia, pitched the Climate Fresk to American researchers and exchanged views with policy makers from five continents, among other activities!
At least 150 people were fresked during this COP – with very positive feedback! From the exchanges that took place with the participants at the end of these workshops, Freskers felt a strong desire to go on to use the Climate Fresk tool themselves.
Crucial contacts and collaborations
In addition to the contacts established with Egyptian and regional entities – who were numerous during this COP – Freskers also exchanged with representatives of NGOs, international organisations and governments.
For example, the Egyptian Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, took part in a Fresk Quiz led by one of our Egyptian Freskers! The delegation also succeeded in exchanging views on climate change with key figures in the US government.
Conferences and round tables on climate education
Freskers took part in no less than 5 conferences and round tables. And all proved to be successful, with a particularly receptive audience!
Hemavathi Shekhar, India’s Country Coordinator, spoke alongside Professor Shen Xiaoming, Director of the Institute for Environment and Human Security, a branch of the United Nations University (UNU-EHS), on the theme of environmental education. There was a full house for this event organised at the Thailand Pavilion!
At the France Pavilion, Benoît Rolland de Ravel – one of our blue belts – presented Climate Fresk alongside other French organisations involved in formal and informal climate education, such as the Office for Climate Education.
Referenced in the official COP27 programme, the round table co-organised by Climate Fresk with Earthday.org, on the theme of climate education, allowed the USA and Sweden country coordinators, Sheila Suarez de Flores and Andreia Olaru, to represent the NGO alongside Runa Khan (founder of Friendship International), among other speakers. This public talk, broadcast live online on the UNFCCC communication channels, allowed Climate Fresk to position itself alongside Earthday.org, the organisation behind the first pavilion entirely dedicated to climate education during a COP (“Climate Education Hub”).
A close-knit team of Freskers
These two weeks dedicated to representing Climate Fresk on the international stage would not have been the same without the cohesion and solidarity that emerged within the group. For the country coordinators and the Egyptian community, this COP on the African continent was also an opportunity to feel part of an international community of Freskers, and to build strong bonds with one another.
Nancy Moussa, Egypt’s Country Coordinator, says: “One of my greatest sources of pride is to have met Freskers from all over the world and to have left them feeling like family. The cohesion of our team and the support we gave each other was just incredible. It was this team that made the COP such a success.”
