We're mid-way through 4 days of workshop here in Wellington, New Zealand. 30 young people from the north to the south of New Zealand have come together to learn climate leadership skills and to start putting them into action for Moving Planet.
The venue is a very special place – it's a marae, which is a traditional Maori meeting and living place. This particular one spans nine levels and is the world's largest fully wooden building – and it is made of 95% recycled materials. The builder and guardian of Tapu-te-ranga Marae shared with us his deeply moving story – of how he went from being stuck in jail and feeling lost to realising that he had a dream – to build a space that he could live in community with his family and others and to offer it to groups like us to stay and meet in. It's a beautiful space that feels enchanted with the intention of creating dreams.
Earlier today we had Dr James Hansen take a few hours out of his week-long tour of New Zealand to brief us on the science and moral imperative of the number 350. We delved into the urgency and the clarity of the mission – to move away from coal and other fossil fuels to a clean energy future. Hansen has continued on his way, but our group remains for another two nights, as we deepen our understanding of how we as young people can respond to the climate crisis.
We're deep in the dreaming space for how we will mobilise around Moving Planet, and to live into the hope that New Zealand could become a leader on setting the world in motion to 350ppm (right now it's not!). We recorded an interview with Hansen – to be developed as a resource for 350.org workshops the world over.
The path ahead is full of peril – unless we change the path we tread. With that mission in mind, I return my attention to the workshop and the campaign planning!