Introduction
This initiative was created through the collaboration between Solid Sustainability and the Multilingual Energy Helpdesk of the Leiden Migrant Support Desk (LSM). With multilingual, interactive information evenings, we aimed to increase social involvement in the energy transition and climate justice among migrants and people with a migration background in Leiden.
Summary of Activities
LSM and Solid Sustainability jointly organized six multilingual evenings focused on the climate crisis and a fair energy transition. These evenings included a delicious meal (provided free of charge by the LSM World Kitchen), followed by short presentations and interactive discussions. In addition to addressing climate and energy issues, the information evenings also emphasized connection, inclusivity, knowledge exchange, and cultural integration.
Evening Schedule
Climate:
What’s happening with the climate? What does it mean to you?
February 9: English & Dutch
March 8: Arabic & Dutch
April 12: Farsi & Dutch
Energy Transition:
What is needed for a fair energy transition? How can you contribute to the solution?
May 10: English & Dutch
June 14: Arabic & Dutch
July 5: Farsi & Dutch
Achieved Goals
During these six evenings, we achieved several goals:
Inform and Empower: We informed participants about the how and why of the energy transition and inspired them to become more actively involved in climate justice.
Broad Involvement: With over 300 participants, including more than 70 during the Arabic evenings, we reached a wide audience.
Heart-warming Discussions: The evenings facilitated discussions between people of different languages and cultures.
Feedback and Networking: We collected feedback and encouraged participants to share the knowledge gained within their networks and on social media.
Basic Knowledge: Participants developed a basic understanding of the climate crisis, the energy transition, and its effects on themselves and their loved ones.
Active Participation: Participants learned various ways they can contribute to accelerating the energy transition, saving energy, and adapting to the consequences of global warming.
Social and Political Participation: Participants gained insight into how social and political involvement can influence a just energy transition.
Plans for the Future
Energy poverty and climate change are serious issues, including in Leiden. Based on the valuable feedback and wishes of the participants, we are planning more information evenings to gather ideas about the energy transition, climate change, and climate justice. The perspectives of non-native speakers, migrants, and non-migrants are crucial for a just transition in Leiden, the Netherlands, and worldwide. Many of our participants come from war zones and are keenly aware of the significant role wars play in climate change. They are very interested in future information evenings on the impact of wars and the arms trade on the climate crisis.
Acknowledgment
Our meetings contribute to social cohesion and provide a space for newcomers to Leiden to participate and connect with others. Special thanks go to our fantastic partners at Solid Sustainability, Aaron and Linda, for their excellent preparation and substantial knowledge about climate issues. Their contributions ensured the information was accessible to the public.
We also thank local organizations such as Coöperatie Energiek Leiden, the Dutch Association for Veganism (NVV), Zon op Leiden, Milieudefensie, Repair Café, and LSM for their engaging presentations and stimulating discussions. Special thanks to the 1818 Fund and the Municipality of Leiden for their support and contributions, which enabled us to make our information evenings a success. We look forward to continued support for the upcoming information evenings after the summer holidays.
It was a series of warm and successful evenings focused on knowledge exchange and stimulating discussions. Our sincere thanks go to all discussion table
leaders for their expert and enthusiastic guidance.
Conclusion
With this project, we have laid a solid foundation for an inclusive approach to the climate and energy transition in Leiden. We look forward to future meetings to continue this positive movement.
