The first objective of HUM Studio Interactive (HUM) and One Resilient Earth (ORE) was to engage more Europe-based youth facing educational, cultural and social barriers in being active citizens in the fight against climate change. The two organizations wished to capitalize on the release of HUM’s animation film ‘Becoming Air’, and offer immersive online and in-person learning journeys about transformative climate storytelling. This fusion of art and education sought to harness the film's momentum to foster changes in behaviors, individual preferences, cultural values, awareness, and more generally to support active engagement for climate resilience. The second objective was to build the capacity of those young people so that they acquire new digital skills as well as green competencies and skills related to emotional and mental health. Expected results were the dissemination of impactful animations on social media, in schools/universities, and in public spaces leading to enhanced climate resilience across Europe. We also aimed at shifting climate storytelling and practices by centering marginalized voices, respecting Indigenous knowledge, and channeling resources towards the communities and ecosystems that need them the most.
ANIMATE was designed to address the needs of young people, particularlycreative and marginalized young people, who are ‘worried’ to ‘extremely worried’ about climate change, and wish to engage with the topic in impactful ways. Those young people often do not have access to expensive training in animation techniques, nor the knowledge about the latest approaches to climate storytelling. Moreover, owing to the severity of the climate crisis, it is essential to shift the narrative from fighting against climate change to societal transformation and regeneration. A greater diversity of young people should be able to tell their own impactful stories about climate resilience to reach wider audiences. We applied for this project to address such needs by offering online and off-line workshops for a diverse group of young people to (1) explore artistic and creative tools to further the climate agenda, (2) acquire marketable digital skills and green competencies, (3) pioneer transformative and regenerative approaches to climate resilience, (4) contribute to antiracism and decolonization in the climate change field, and (5) understand the risks, limitations and complexities of working with digital tools to address climate change.