THE VENICE AGREEMENT: Protecting Global Peatlands Locally

On World Peatland Day, June 2nd, 2022, The Venice Agreement will be signed at TBA21–Academy’s Ocean Space to inspire local action for peatland protection. It will represent a commitment by local and regional organizations, like the Patagonian Peatland Initiative, to establish concrete custodial programs for the ecological and cultural management of peatlands. The event is organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Chile, Ensayos, and the Greifswald Mire Centre, in collaboration with TBA21–Academy.

The Venice Agreement is a bottom-up approach that responds to the need for smaller local initiatives to be recognized as important contributors to the international peatland conservation process, and to inspire the art of conserving peatlands. Just as each local peatland has had a global impact on the Earth’s climate through the mitigation or emission of greenhouse gasses, locally-scaled conservation efforts are critical for peatland conservation on a global scale.

By creating an opportunity for the sharing of similarities and differences of on-the-ground peatland conservation initiatives from different continents, The Venice Agreement’s aim is to identify global opportunities in funding, policy and commitment to face local challenges for global peatlands conservation.

The Venice Agreement is inspired in part by Turba Tol Hol-Hol Tol, the Chilean Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia, the 59th International Art Exhibition. Turba Tol Hol-Hol Tol seeks an experimental path towards the effective conservation of peatlands, an effort that is intrinsically linked to the future wellbeing of humanity and, in Patagonia, to the rebirth of the Selk'nam people.

7.30 pm: Keynote Speakers: Hans Joosten (Professor of Peatland Studies and Palaeoecology, Greifswald Mire Centre) and Bárbara Saavedra (ecologist, director of Wildlife Conservation Society Chile).

9 pm: Signing of The Venice Agreement: Master of Ceremony Reverend Houston Cypress, Opening words by Dianna Kopansky (Global Peatland Initiative).

Scents, sounds and stories from the bog by Ensayos and music by Vera Dvale.

The Venice Agreement was made possible through the generous support of:

• Stiftung Zukunfts Jetzt! www.stiftung-zukunftjetzt.de
• Hartwig Behrendt Stiftung Zukunft www.stiftung-zukunft.org
• Global Peatlands Initiative led by UN Environment /www.globalpeatlands.org/

For more information, visit https://turbatol.org/venice-agreement.html.

Participation is free, with mandatory reservation at this link.

Drinks supported by Bevande Futuriste

“Becoming Fresh & Salty Drops (of water)” is a month-long program celebrating the water and life forms of the Venice Lagoon from ecological and magical perspectives, curated by María Montero Sierra. Organized by TBA21–Academy and supported by STARTS.