Southwestern tribal climate change summit welcomes public
The participating tribes of the second Southwestern Tribal Climate Change Summit, occurring Aug.13 to 16 on the Idyllwild Arts campus, happily welcome the public to the Tuesday, Aug. 13 “Celebrating Resilience” community gathering. This summit kickoff event will begin at 7 p.m. in William M. Lowman Concert Hall.
The summit will bring together tribes from across the Southwestern United States to focus on climate strategies and solutions and advance tribal resilience efforts. By hosting the event, Idyllwild Arts expresses its long-standing commitment to Native American communities. The impact of climate change on farming, energy and water sustainability, natural resources and preservation of sacred places will be discussed in closed panels, training sessions and a powerful youth training component that integrates western science with tribal knowledge.
But if the panels and training sessions are largely educational in purpose, as the numerous tribal representatives share knowledge and action plans with each other to take back to their communities, the Aug. 13 opening session is largely celebratory. Tribal nations are being disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change. This gathering represents their continued commitment to resilience.
Performances by the Cahuilla Indian Bird Singers, the award-winning Earth Warriors, as well as poetry by Cahuilla writer Emily Clarke, an Idyllwild Arts Academy graduate, will be among the many ways that the evening strikes a jubilant note. The Celebrating Resilience community gathering will also showcase the opening of RISE — an art show in the Parks Exhibition Center that showcases hope and resilience in the midst of our changing climate.
Seating for the gathering is limited and is first come, first served. The event is free and open to the public. Full summit participation is by invitation only. For more information, please visit www.climatesciencealliance.org/tribal-summit.
