France
The second annual coordination meeting of the Sublime project partners has come to a close, hosted this time by the French town of Grande-Synthe and organised by Lianes coopération.
It was an opportunity to take stock of the past year and the challenges facing the entire partnership for the coming year, starting with each of the three pillars of the work: calls for sub-grant applicants, the development of project activities, and the planned awareness-raising campaigns and training sessions.
It was also a chance to discuss the results achieved, both in terms of content and communication, and from the perspective of the project’s impact, as well as the engagement levels of those reached by Sublime’s activities.
Particular attention was paid to the results of the Kamalé call for proposals, which involved organisations across all partner territories, focusing on projects and initiatives linked to raising awareness of climate action (SciatuMia) and those tackling gender injustices and the gap to be bridged regarding the status of women.
A two-day working session provided an opportunity for discussion, during which positive results and areas for improvement were shared, and opinions and working methods were exchanged, both in general and in relation to the partnership’s individual contexts.
As always, however, we are not operating in a vacuum, and Lianes coopération has had the opportunity to present its research on the local area, highlighting the significance of the impact of climate change on a coastal region stretching from Grand-Synthe to Calais and Dunkirk. Even on a narrative level, we are confronted with the idea that a horizon which has held together the identity narrative of generations may change forever due to climate change.
The historical paintings of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot come to mind; he painted the seascape of Dunkirk, immortalising something that today could change forever. Similarly, inside the community centre hosting the meeting’s proceedings, the partners moved amongst the photos of an exhibition on the history of migration in the region – a topic that remains highly significant today – demonstrating that we are facing a global and historical process that cannot be addressed with empty slogans.
Following a review of the project’s activities over the past year and its outlook for the year ahead, the group took an exclusive tour of Grande-Synthe, exploring local initiatives driven by an alternative vision for the town, such as urban allotments, communal gardens, and community shops selling locally sourced produce with guaranteed supply chains.
It is time to start afresh, with renewed energy and new goals to achieve, both locally and globally. After all, it is within our own local communities that the shared experiences driving global transformation are truly born.
