This event marks the launching of The Way Forward, a collectively constructed, large solar hot air balloon made of 11,000 plastic bags that would otherwise be trash. A project suggested by Keynote speaker Pablo Suarez, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, based on the invitation to an artistic experimental performance by artist Tomás Saraceno.
Co-created in a conference workshop, is this wonder-producing artwork from a pernicious source of waste – the plastic bag – produces a powerful experience for all communities threatened by a changing climate. It attracts viewers and offers a means to re-imagine the world and its possibilities. The proposed crowd-made solar hot air balloon can be used as part of participatory processes to explore climate change science, adaptation, and mitigation. A flying solar balloon can promote resilience in any local context, offering local media a simple story for reporting community efforts in understanding and addressing climate change.
This iteration of the project has been managed by sculptor Bobby Zokaites
