Kupu Fest: Uniting for climate action

Kupu pronounced as Koo-Poo, is derived from a Hawaiian word, which means 'to sprout' and is about growth, renewal, and a promising future.

Held for two days, 17 and 18 June, from 9 am to 7.30 pm, the Kupu event hosted many workshops, immersive experiences, panel discussions, interactive exhibits, and meaningful conversations for the general public to express their concerns and gain in-depth knowledge about the environment and topics related to climate change.

The festival also hosted a music concert and a humorous theatre play to appeal to the young generation. The event was free for all.

There were many activities for climate activists and nature enthusiasts on both festival days. The main attractions of the first day of the event were – A panel discussion named 'Brews and Brainstorms: Education for a Changing Climate' and 'Laughing in the Face of Climate Change' - a cartooning workshop by cartoonist Rohan Chakravarty of Green Humour fame.

Another attraction for day 1 was an interactive session by Bhairavi Prakash, psychologist and founder of Mithra Trust. The session was named 'Healing in the Anthropocene: Coping with eco-anxiety.' It took the participants to various emotions one can feel during burnout and ways to deal with those.

'The Brews and Brainstorms: Education for a Changing Climate' was a conversation with Dr Srivi Kalyan, Educator and Dean, Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Jigyasa Labroo, co-founder and CEO of Slam Out Loud and Kuldeep Dantewadia, co-founder and CEO of Reap Benefit. Anshul Tewari, the founder of Youth Ki Awaaz, moderated the panel discussion.

During the discussion, Dr Srivi Kalyan talked about the role of education during the climate crisis, while Jigyasa Labroo elaborated on the power of parents in raising awareness about issues related to climate change. Kuldeep Dantewadia stressed the importance of individual contributions vs collective contributions for climate action.

Vikram Singh, naturalist and National Geographic explorer with his mobile natural history museum exhibit 

There were several film screenings related to climate change on both days of the festival.

There was also a unique photo workshop for wheelchair users, neurodivergent (persons with brains that work differently from the average or 'neurotypical' persons), and the deaf community called 'Beyond Barriers' by photographer and disability rights activist Srivatsan Shankaran.

Several organizations like Youth Conservation Action Network (YouCAN), Youth Ki Awaaz, Urban Folk Project, First Drop Theatre, Dream a Dream Foundation, Conservation India, BeFantastic, and Fields of View were curators and collaborators for the event.

Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, Rainmatter Foundation, National Geographic Society, and iThought Advisory supported the two-day festival.

Several prominent names from music, art, and education were present at the event as speakers, facilitators, and collaborators.

The event aimed to make the participants, especially students, and the youth, aware of the realities of our planet and the climate and inspire them to take action.

(Images courtesy - Last Bench Studio)