TURN IT
AROUND!

How to

TURN IT AROUND! is a toolkit to help us radically reimagine education in response to the climate and ecological emergency.  There is no one right way to use them, but here are some ideas that may get you started in turning this emergency around.

 

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THE DEATH OF THE ARAL SEA

The Final Duty (2000) is a deeply realistic work – a philosophical reflection on the vast and unfathom- able tragedy of the Kazakh people: the death of the Aral Sea. In this novel by Kazakh writer A. Nurpeisov, the storms of a hard and tangled huma...

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DRAWING DOODLES

I find hope and resilience in drawing doodles, digital characters, flowers, and cartoons. Almost everytime when I face an uncertain future, I turn to doodling....

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Common Worlds Research Collective

How might common worlding pedagogies foster new ways of learning and living on our damaged earth? Common worlding pedagogies refuse to separate us humans off from our fellow earthlings. Instead of thinking about the world ‘out there’ as something...

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DIVERSITY AND CHANGE

Diversity and change are the only constant. ...

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RESILIENCE

Resilience. Nature shows us the ability to recover after being damaged or destroyed. We always see how it strives to survive: the small plants and flowers that emerge after devastating floods, the forests that regrow after fires, the trees that lift...

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CARING FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU

In spring, we admire the flowers, mountain rivers, and beautiful landscapes – and we want them to last forever! Just as our parents care for us, we must care for Nature, which brings us joy today and will bring joy to our children tomorrow....

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RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF ALL LIVING AND NON-LIVING BEINGS

My ancestors have taught me that we are supposed to be custodians of all life on Earth. This means that we should not just plant trees and keep the environment clean where we can, but we should take the extra step to ensure that the rights of every s...

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Global Youth Biodiversity Network

We are living in a social-ecological crisis. Societal values and principles, colored by systemic inequalities, are shaping our economies, policies, and institutions in unsustainable and inequitable ways. The result is an global social-ecological cris...

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TURN IT AROUND! Central Asia

The TURN IT AROUND! Central Asia Climate and Ecology Flashcards are a message from the youth of Central Asia to their governments and educators: ‘We care about our planet. We want you to take climate and ecological action – and education â€...

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RESILIENCE

The global situation is testing the limits of the humanity’s resilience, one more time in history. In these moments we realize that we have the capacity to transform the world in a way that is more inclusive and in symbiosis with nature. The connec...

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The Grandmothers’ Gift of Fibrous Yarning

This gift comes from an ancestry of strong women. Across continents and generations, they’ve been weaving and sewing the fabrics that sustain life while crafting subversive stories. We pick up the stitches cast by our grandmothers, which they’ve...

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THE INNOCENCE OF HORNBILL

Flied semi-low, Hornbill exposed, Ambrosial comparable to drugs, In a lively space. Feeling dulcifies, Watching other birds fly, High expands, Let it be lost without winning. Proud of the rank, Endangered species; the hornbill nominated, Mankind’s...

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LIGHT SOMEONE’S DARKNESS

What stops me when I am on the verge of giving up is the fact that one day in the future my voice and words will motivate all those young minds who think that one failure can catastrophically destroy their future. Even in a situation when things make...

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THE FRAGILE FABRIC OF LIFE

When we pollute nature, we’re not just leaving waste on the Earth’s surface – we’re tearing apart the fragile fabric of life. We poison rivers, destroy forests that give us clean air, and condemn future generations to struggle for survival in...

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NATURE IS THE SECOND MOTHER

Nature is the second mother from whom I learn the lessons of four elements essential to life. Water teaches me how to calm and keep going when meeting any obstacles. Fire teaches me how to be a burning star. Earth teaches me how to be patient. Air te...

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RETHINK. TRANSFORM.

I vividly remember sitting at the table with my grandmother two years ago, talking about life, when she said, ‘Only death is irreversible…’ I thought how perfectly that cap- tures the strength of life and its endless possibilities. That phrase...

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LEAVE KIND TRACES

In our Akmola region, there is a magical place called love going there with my family, walking among the tall pine trees, listening to the birds sing, and watching the reflection of the cliffs in the lake’s clear waters. But it makes me sad to see...

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DEVELOPMENT IS UNNECESSARY EVIL

Remember that development is unnecessary evil. It may make my life luxurious and easy, but it should not jeopardise my basic right of a blue sky, clean air, water and soil. I do not want to be pumped with chemicals and energy shots for food and gaspi...

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CLIMATE FACTS

Central Asia is highly vulnerable. Droughts and floods could cost up to 1.3% of GDP annually and cut crop yields by 30% by 2050, potentially forcing 5.1 million people to migrate within their countries. Governments must prioritise adaptation and prot...

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