What does cultural heritage have to do with climate change, and how can creativity help communities respond to a crisis that threatens both land and legacy?
In the opening episode of Season 3, host Christine Wilson explores cultural heritage and creativity in the context of climate action. From a local neighbourhood in Cairo, to the cultural policy conference Mondiacult, to the United Nations’ global gathering on climate change (the Conference of the Parties - COP), we’re asking how culture and creativity can build more resilient communities and more sustainable futures.
Christine is joined by Dr. Sally Flint, a writer, researcher, and creative lead of the We Are the Possible programme at the University of Exeter - an international initiative using poetry and storytelling to communicate the climate crisis. Through Sally’s work, we explore the power of the arts to foster emotional connection, shift perspectives, and imagine new possibilities for the planet.
We also hear from May al-Ibrashy, a conservation architect and founder of Megawra, an Egyptian initiative preserving historic Cairo through community-led heritage projects. As the climate crisis reshapes urban life, May shares how heritage conservation can restore not only buildings, but also agency, pride and collective memory.
Together, Sally and May offer a powerful reminder that culture is not just what we stand to lose, it’s also how we find the strength to act.
Listen to Our World, Connected, brought to you by the British Council. Subscribe and follow for more thought-provoking conversations on culture, communication, and the power of education.
Additional Resources & Links:
Season 1 Episode 5: Climate change and cultural heritage with Dr Scott Orr and Barbra Babweteera Mutambi
Climate change impacts on cultural heritage
https://www.britishcouncil.org/climate-change-impacts-cultural-heritage-0
The British Council Strategic Literature Review: Climate Change Impacts on Cultural Heritage
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