Global Earth Exchange on the shore of Lake Iidesjärvi
Map
Map
Story & Experience
The second open Global Earth Exchange Day in Finland took place on Wednesday 12th June 2024 in the city of Tampere, on the shore of Lake Iidesjärvi. The event was promoted in networks of environmentally-minded people in the Tampere area, and it was offered as part of the voluntary program for the NYRIS international conference on youth research. The event was hosted by eco-emotions researcher and writer Panu Pihkala, research professor Sofia Laine from the Finnish Youth Research Society, and environmental educator Tuomas Lilleberg.
The event began with an introduction and a joint walk from the University of Tampere main building. During the 25 minutes walk to Iidesjärvi, Panu encouraged people first to walk with a pair they didn’t know yet and share a short story of one personally important relation with a natural environment. For the second part of the walk, the participants were encouraged to walk in silence, keeping various senses open to the environment. This way the walk to the site already opened our sensors, minds and bodies to a deeper connection with the more-than-human environment.
Next to the spot, Tuomas explained how there used to be a dumping ground next to the Iidesjärvi lake in the 20th Century. There has been major clean-up in the area, but the scenery still has the clear feel of a wounded place, and the lake still suffers from some poisonous waste. He also explained about the flora and fauna, and how the area is used for recreation purposes today. In the midst of the area, Panu introduced the principles of the Earth Exchange, and everyone had time to get to know the place by themselves as it is now. All 16 participants of the event walked around the multi-species environment. We witnessed a lot of various objects and organic material that had been carried to this wasteland, but also different plants and animals alive on the site.
The second open Global Earth Exchange Day in Finland took place on Wednesday 12th June 2024 in the city of Tampere, on the shore of Lake Iidesjärvi. The event was promoted in networks of environmentally-minded people in the Tampere area, and it was offered as part of the voluntary program for the NYRIS international conference on youth research. The event was hosted by eco-emotions researcher and writer Panu Pihkala, research professor Sofia Laine from the Finnish Youth Research Society, and environmental educator Tuomas Lilleberg.
The event began with an introduction and a joint walk from the University of Tampere main building. During the 25 minutes walk to Iidesjärvi, Panu encouraged people first to walk with a pair they didn’t know yet and share a short story of one personally important relation with a natural environment. For the second part of the walk, the participants were encouraged to walk in silence, keeping various senses open to the environment. This way the walk to the site already opened our sensors, minds and bodies to a deeper connection with the more-than-human environment.
Next to the spot, Tuomas explained how there used to be a dumping ground next to the Iidesjärvi lake in the 20th Century. There has been major clean-up in the area, but the scenery still has the clear feel of a wounded place, and the lake still suffers from some poisonous waste. He also explained about the flora and fauna, and how the area is used for recreation purposes today. In the midst of the area, Panu introduced the principles of the Earth Exchange, and everyone had time to get to know the place by themselves as it is now. All 16 participants of the event walked around the multi-species environment. We witnessed a lot of various objects and organic material that had been carried to this wasteland, but also different plants and animals alive on the site.
Act of Beauty
We gathered branches, leaves, flowers and other artifacts and formed a RadJoy bird out of those. As amazing as it is, also this year the birds in the surrounding trees became more active in singing and moving close to us when the bird was done. There was an opportunity for sharing, and some participants told how they just wanted to listen to the space, eyes closed and really feel it. One participant explained how moving any artifacts in their indigenous religion is forbidden, and therefore not participating in forming the bird. The differences in various cultures and the need for a humble approach to making changes was affirmed by Panu in the following discussion. Overall, the atmosphere was calm and serene, and the later feedback of participants was very positive. As for the conference members who participated, many of them reflected how this had been the most moving part of the conference so far for them.
Additional Photos
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