Our friends in Canada have given us a great example of a festival celebrating our relationship with the Earth. But they also had their problems. The original date had to be changed as a hurricane tore through the area. What a sign that was of the importance of the work we are doing!
They gave their festival the title EARTHfest, and it was a resounding success with about 10% of their local people attending. Young people were a major focus with streams of young people arriving through the day and participating in workshops that varied from gourmet mushroom preparation through to serious discussions about eco- systems, a planet-based song and an Earth Promise. The evening was for adults and again there was a range of activities on offer including a drumming circle based on practices of indigenous people, a poetry slam and an earth-based meditation.
As I received this news from Canada, one of the things that delighted me was how different this was from the festival we have so far conceived here in Emersons Green, Bristol UK. I love the focus on education and young people and their use of creative arts, like poetry. These things could really enhance our own approach. I also love the title EARTHfest, which I am sure others will want to copy. You will find more details about their day here.
