"The pleasure of working on a project bigger than oneself"
To celebrate the milestone of one million participants, Cédric Ringenbach reflects on five years of successful deployment. He shares the keys to success and the challenges that await Climate Fresk and Freskers to respond to the climate emergency around the world.
More than one million people have participated in a Climate Fresk workshop. What lies behind this symbol?
A lot of pride and gratitude towards Freskers! The objective that we set for ourselves has been achieved, and this milestone of one million is a new source of hope and motivation for the entire community. Over the past five years, things have fallen into place, the adventure is experiencing exponential growth, and the bet has paid off: to allow the largest number of people to take up the project and take over.
How do you explain this success?
We have to thank the community of Freskers above all. Through their enthusiasm and commitment, they are the first architects of the project’s success. I also think of the permanent team, who are doing a fantastic job and expanding day by day. It is not insignificant to be part of a continuously growing project whose practices and methods are almost new every day. And how can we not salute the thousands of organisations that have contributed by choosing to deploy Climate Fresk; we benefit from a self-supporting tool that facilitates its appropriation and multiplication. Climate Fresk has taken up the tremendous challenge of bringing together a large number of people around common issues which are essential to the survival of living beings. We make indispensable scientific teachings accessible to everyone. Finally, we have built an organisational model in which everyone feels as though they can play a part.
Climate Fresk has given itself a new raison d’être. With what ambition?
Our raison d’être describes our vocation, which is to accelerate the understanding of climate issues at the global level in order to help trigger the necessary changes for the preservation of life as soon as possible. It is the result of co-construction and allows us to assume the role we want to play in the long term. It is a compass for our community whose commitment is likely to change the game on a global scale. The climate emergency raises the question of our relationship to the world of living beings and the future of humanity.
The project has inspired other collages. Can we talk about competition?
The development of other collages is a very positive trend. I see it more as the emergence of complementary initiatives that encourage new collaborations. This enriches the skills of Freskers and our search for continuous learning. We are stronger together and foster a fertile ecosystem in service of societal issues.
What are the next challenges?
We will accelerate our international development with the ambitious goal of bringing together a borderless community of one million Freskers worldwide within three years. This requires supporting the Country Coordinators in the structuring and governance of local entities and adapting our organisation to meet both the new needs at the international level and our development in France.
Do you have any advice for Freskers and a dream to share?
“It’s by fresking that you become a Fresker!” The joy of working on a project larger than oneself gives a project its complete value. One could almost dream that one day Climate Fresk will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize… That’s what I wish for our community.