I had the opportunity to organize and facilitate two days visit for a Brazilian community at Breda University of Applied Sciences.
The community presented their work to students and colleagues from the course PlaceMaking Shaping Destination. They had the change to learn from real life examples of developing sustainable places through tourism initiatives as well as organic plantation projects.
Students and community could share their ideas on how local initiatives have the potential to reach the development goals of United Nation – SDGs, creating better places to live and to visit. These are 17 interconnected goals for the planet and people to thrive by 2030 and they address poverty, hunger and climate change, among other issues to promote sustainable development, such as gender equality, clean water and sanitation.
The grassroots movement of Silva Jardim from Brazil is busy creating projects and actions to make SDGs happen in their territory. We have been working together for the last four years and having them visiting us and sharing their projects, strengthened even more our relationship. Every year I coordinate two weeks field work in the region as part of our course Placemaking Shaping Destination. Each year we bring around 40 students to Brazil; we select some challenges for students to investigate together with the locals; after 2 weeks they come up with innovative ideas and actions for the territory.
Having had the Brazilian community here in the Netherlands with us contributed to the expansion of our learning experience, bringing a different layer into our relationship where community enters the university enhancing the plurality of knowledge.
Click here to see the pics.