We are delighted to announce the upcoming symposium The Language of Nature as part of PONY’s CONFLUENCE project. Join a selection of leading scientists, historians, educators and Australian First Nations knowledge holders for an online panel discussion.

The Language of Nature is a platform to share cultural and scientific stories that collectively rethink the foundations of existence which underpin our interconnectedness with the planet. Cross-disciplinary vocabularies will inform alternative bodies of knowledge, to demonstrate the urgency of building cross-sector relationships to address the climate crisis. For the past 6 months we have been collaborating with a range of leading experts from Australia and the UK, discussing the latest scientific discoveries, and First Nations cultural expressions; unearthing insights about how the natural world communicates with us, and how we, as humans, have changed this vocabulary.

Bringing a diversity of voices together to challenge generalisations around climate change, the panel will reveal some of the latest scientific findings and Indigenous stories about how we might generate new behaviours and understanding, to ultimately embed ecological thinking into everyday life for a more sustainable future.

UK Speakers:

· Dr. Andrew Flack (Environmental Historian, University of Bristol, co-Chair of the European Society for Environmental History conference)

· Dr. Tommaso Jucker (NERC Research Fellow, Lecturer School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol and Founder of Selva lab)

· Prof. Daniela Schmidt (Professor, University of Bristol) currently leading the IPCC WGII chapter on Europe for the 6th IPCC assessment)

Australian Speakers:

· Lee Carr (Wiradjuri woman and Aboriginal Languages teacher with the Education Standards Authority)

· Jacob Morris (Gumea-Dharrawal Ngundah of the Yuin Murring, a poet, language holder and educator)

· Sophie O’Brien (Head of Curatorial and Learning, Bundanon)

This symposium is presented as part of CONFLUENCE, in association with The British Council’s UK/AU 21-22 Season Programme. Cabot is proud to be a partner of PONY’s CONFLUENCE project. The UK/AU Season is a joint initiative between the British Council and The Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.