THE ENVIRONMENT ISSUE TABLE OF CONTENTS Helping the Amazon
1
by Amanda de Souza
Tech is Wack
6
Hike Review: Myoko by Brunella Tipismana
by Brunella Tipismana
Humans of ISAK
7
Dr Mandy - Maddox O’Rourke - Kai Yamagami
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Environmental and Student Action Related Films
14
by Kinga Fraczkiewicz
An Insider to a Musician’s Mind
by Rikio Dahlgren and Pema Lhundrup
16 CREDITS CATALYSM A UWC ISAK Japan publication: Volume 6, issue 1 WRITERS / EDITORS
by Pallavi Talwar
Amanda de Souza
Brunella Tipismana
Lydia Etherington
Pallavi Talwar
Sudhish Thapa
Kinga Fraczkiewicz Rikio Dahlgren
Pema Lhundrup
PHOTOGRAPHERS Elena May Saini Jeffery
Contemplating the Zen
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Striking in Canada
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Pallavi Talwar
Sisi Wattanagool
LAYOUT TEAM Chengyu Fan (Cathy)
Elena May Saini Jeffery Mana Sakamoto
Lydia Etherington Pema Lhundrup
by Lydia Etherington
of Mushrooms submission by Ms Wong
Dear Friend (a poem)
Hassan Alkkle
Sara Al-Lawati
Briclandji Brice
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Ignorance and Climate Change
20
by Sudhish Thapa
by Kwadwo Osafo
Should Protest be Fun?
22
by Amanda de Souza
In this edition, old and new
I have been thinking a lot
“Can the world be saved? I
voices from the Catalysm
about the sheer magnitude of
sincerely do not know. [But]
team talk about
this problem. Sometimes I
what other choice do we
environments. We talk about
become suddenly aware of the
have? If we don't believe,
our immediate environment,
scale of the consequences of
who will?”.
ISAK, and about its clubs, its art,
climate chance, and our apparent
and its people. However, we also
powerlessness to stop it paralyzes
I hope something in this issue
stop and think about our
me and pushes me into fear. At
moves you to believe. I hope
environment in a different way:
times, I feel like any action we
something in this issue
the pressing issue of climate
take is meaningless: we’re in too
resonates with you as well,
change. In these pages, you’ll find our writers talking to you about the Amazon fires, the climate
deep. The words of Dr. Mandy, featured in this issue’s Human Of ISAK, resonated deeply with me
and moves you reflect, act, and hope.
crisis, and worldwide movement of student protests asking for (and taking) action.
because of the solution they seem to suggest:
Brunella Tipismana, Catalysm editor
Helping the Amazon
1
By Amanda de Souza
In the last few months, Brazil has become the focus of the international media because of the biggest fire ever seen in seven years in the Amazon.
People from all over the world have been asking themselves: “Why are Brazilians not fighting against the fires?” “Why do so many Brazilians continue to defend a government that refuses to accept donations to stop the fire?”and “How can we help?” To answer these questions it is necessary to learn about Brazil’s history, because this is the only way to understand the actual economic, social and political situation. Brazil was the last Latin American country to abolish slavery. When black people achieved their “freedom’’, after many years of fighting, they had nowhere to go. They couldn't get any job and didn't receive any help from the royalty. Their only option was to move into the big hills in Rio de Janeiro and remote regions in other states and build really poor houses using their limited resources or continue to work for their masters. That is how the favelas (ghettos) were born. During the colonization of Brazil, the native people were forced toquit their beliefs to adopt Catholicism, and nowadays the very few of them that thrived in surviving and keeping their ideas and beliefs are being killed and forced to move away from their homes, because of the deforestation and wildfires.
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Helping the Amazon
Nowadays, 75% of the people who are the most poor in Brazil are black and still live in the favelas. They have almost no access to education or health care and suffer from police violence. As just one example, just recently on August 12, Dyogo Coutinho, a black boy, was heading to play soccer with his friends when he was shot by the police, who assumed that he was a drug dealer because of his skin color. As another, police helicopters shot at the Complexo da Mare, a favela in Rio de Janeiro, while people were working and kids were having classes. In Brazil people die everyday during police interventions.
(Favela Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro Rehak, : Matyas. Aerial View of Favela Rocinha in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. N.d. Favela Rocinha, Rio De Janeiro. 123RF. Web. 2 Sept. 2019.)
54% of Brazil's population is black, and in most cases these people are fighting to be alive, to eat and to have a basic education. Without access to information and basic human rights, they can’t fight against the government and the wildfires that are happening really at a great distance and won’t affect them immediately.
Helping the Amazon
In 2002, when Lula da Silva, a metallurgical
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who promised to turn Brazil into a more equal country was elected, I n 2 0 1 6 , D i l m a R o u s s e f w a s Brazilians started to be hopeful impeached and the country was about the future. President Lula divided into two: one half wanted Lula controlled inflation, took Brazil out da Silva to be re-elected, and the other of the Hunger Map, built schools half wanted a new person, that would and gave to poor people better turn Brazil into a first world country. opportunities. But he was also In the same year, Jair Messias accused of corruption, making Bolsonaro, a federal deputy, started to many electors stop trusting in him, become more and more famous in the and the situation started to get internet because of his conservative worse when his successor, Dilma speech. Roussef, from the same political Bolsonaro seemed to say everything party, was elected and
Brazil that many people thought but were
started to go through a bad afraid to say. The federal deputy was in economic situation.
favor of stopping gun control, giving more power to religious institutions and had an extremely nationalist
speech.
Since the beginning of his political career, 31 years ago, Bolsonaro said a lot of prejudiced statements: “I had four sons, but then I had a moment of weakness, and the fifth was a girl.’’, “I’d rather have my son die in a car accident than have him show up dating some guy.’’
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Helping the Amazon
During the electoral campaign in the years of 2017 and 2018, a lot of fake news in favor of Jair Messias Bolsonaro were spread through social media. People all (Bolsonaro showing the “gay kit’’, which was actually a book about sexual education - TV Globo, Reprodução. Em Entrevista Ao Jornal Nacional, Bolsonaro Mostra O Livro ‘ Aparelho Sexual E Cia'. N.d. Rede Globo, Rio
over the country were reading that the opposite political party wanted to introduce a “gay kit’’ in the schools, to teach the kids how
to be homosexual, and that Lula da Silva wanted Brazil to become a communist country. Then, people with less access to education and information started to think that maybe Bolsonaro was the only way of saving the country. In 2018, the ex-president Lula da Silva was unable to run in the presidential election anymore because he was convicted of corruption by the judge Sergio Moro, one of Bolsonaro’s biggest supporters, and sentenced to almost 13 years in prison. With the support of many famous religious leaders and without his biggest rival, Bolsonaro was elected president. Since Bolsonaro was elected he approved many laws that benefit the landowners and cause a lot of damage to the environment. When the wildfire started to be noticed by the international media, many Brazilians didn't even know about what was happening, and then Bolsonaro gave declarations saying that the media was overreacting, and since he has a solid base of followers, a lot of people believed what he said and still support him.
Helping the Amazon
Stopping the wildfires in the Amazon is really important, and people from all over the world need to press Brazil's president to accept help and take care of the Amazon, but the problems in Brazil are way more deep. It’s necessary to give information, education and basic human rights to people, or the Amazon might be on fire again in the next few years and people will still be killed everyday by the hands of the ones who should protect them.
Works Consulted Caleiro, Pedro. "Os Dados Que Mostram a Desigualdade Entre Brancos E Negros No Brasil." EXAME. EXAME, 20 Nov. 2018. Web. 02 Sept. 2019.Brum, Eliane. "How a Homophobic, Misogynist, Racist 'thing' Could Be Brazil's next President | Eliane Brum." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 06 Oct. 2018. Web. 02 Sept. 2019.Calma, Justine. "Everything You Need to Know about the Fires in the Amazon." The Verge. The Verge, 28 Aug. 2019. Web. 02 Sept. 2019.
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TECH IS WACK Tech Crew by Brunella Tipismana I always say, half-joking and half-seriously, that if there is one club that is the backbone of this school, that is Tech Crew. All your lights for the theatre plays, and your mics for the Talent Shows, and your sound systems for the Cultural Nights ? someone is there to set it up, pick it up, make sure the equipment works: it doesn?t just happen. This year, the team is Beam, Kwadwo, Alex P, Marin, Ying, Nabill, Arata and Rin and, per Alex?s words, ?some newsters who are still in the try-out process?. We asked Alex P about the club and what it does: below, you can learn more about it.
ITISALWAYSVEry enj oyabl ef or me t owor k andint er act wit ht hepeopl e in t ech What is t het ech cr ew ? Tech Crew is a group of tech enthusiasts committed to supporting UWC I SAK Japan's events by providing optimal light, sound, and other technical solutions. Tech Crew meets for briefings and organizational purposes sporadically, for training sessions throughout the year based on the skillset needs of the members and works together almost every week to set-up, rehearse and run events.
WHATDOYOUDO? When an event is being organized, you can imagine there are a lot of technicalities to figure out and prepare. This is exactly what we do. The process starts by the gig?s leader meeting with the event organizers to discuss their vision and needs, the leader of the gig then proceeds to make a technical plan, which is what we work with. Members then meet and spearheaded by the leader and more experienced members setup lights, sound, visuals, stage or other specifics depending on the event really.
HOWDOYOUGUYSWORK? Tech Crew started as a group of 3 people (Kunawat, Vori and Vu) doing this purely out of their interest. Not much structure was needed, they helped out as they could and went where they where needed. As we started getting more members and requests last year, we included some fundamental structure, like The Support Request Form and training sessions, as well as keeping a tab on the attendance. We try to have fun as much as we can, so there is not many rules besides the safety guidelines of course.
What is t het hing you enj oy t hemost about t he cl ub? I enjoy the friendly and fun environment we built together the most. I t is always very enjoyable for me to work and interact with the people in tech, it?s fun, so sometimes it doesn't feel like work.
What is a good memor y you hav eat t ached t o t he cl ub? Last year we had to setup for 3 events a weekend. We had to stay behind in KAC until 2 am climbing on the support beams to hang bed sheets as projector screens. We were tired, but we cleared our heads from school and saw things from a different perspective, literally.
What is somet hing t he cl ub is doing t hat you ar e l ooking f or war d t o? A surprise.
If you coul d say somet hing t o t hewhol e communit y about Tech Cr ew, what woul d it be? Tech is wack.
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HUMANS OF ISAK
WRITTEN BY RIKIO DAHLGREN AND PEMA LHUNDRUP PHOTOGRAPHY BY SISI WATTANAGOOL EDITED BY LYDIA ETHERINGTON AND KARINA BRUNELLA TIPISMANA
DR. Mandy “Humans are who perceive life and make it this poetic, beautiful idea. If there's nobody here to witness it, what difference does it make? That's why human beings are so connected to nature; without its biodiversity and the greater feeling of being connected, we become ill and disconnected. When we are destroying the planet we are not only causing harm to it and the species around us, but also to ourselves. Human comfort and basic wants do matter, and it is okay to indulge in those sometimes, but not to the extent that we are doing today”. “Small changes really do matter. As human beings we see things moving at a certain time scale and a certain magnitude; we only see things that are big and happening now, and we don't understand small changes. But what we need to be more aware of is that small changes take time and effort to accumulate and show action. It's like when you push a boulder. At first, it feels like it's not getting anywhere... and suddenly it starts to move. We can see in history that tiny steps made huge differences. If we talk about global movements like the abolition of slavery, it don't believe, who will?” “So, can the world be saved? I sincerely do not know. I feel a little hopeful because there is a lot of momentum behind the [climate] protests and people’s voices. We are starting to pay attention and create awareness, and this is suddenly quite big, and that gives me hope. (...) I'm new to UWC, but here at ISAK, we are at the baby stages of being sustainable. However, this is a school with a completely different atmosphere, one that makes students feel like they have a voice, a place where they feel like they can or do make huge changes. Any other school I’ve worked at I've had to organize the events and plan them, but here the students are the leaders. And if we are going to do something for the planet, it will require leaders. This is what this school cultivates and, in that sense, we are doing a lot”.
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MADDOX O’ROURKE When I first met Maddox O’Rourke as a new ISAK student, I immediately felt welcomed by his warmth and humor. He is a funny guy, and I as I got to know him better, I discovered the many aspects of him that come together to form a caring and thoughtful individual. He tells me how he finds it really important that, “everyone feels comfortable and free, whether that means fighting against racism and xenophobia, humane immigration policies, or economic equality.” At ISAK, Maddox has invested a lot of time into his Leadership Project, Project Koe, and club, Rainbow Alliance. This has been a worthy cause: last year, Rainbow Alliance began their sessions on the LGBT community. Since then, it has become a part of the curriculum here at ISAK. While our community is commonly thought of as well informed and accepting, these informative sessions have allowed Maddox to realize more about the misinformation surrounding the LGBT community. Drawing on this diverse community here at ISAK enables us to learn more about each other’s backgrounds, something which is especially important for something such as fighting for LGBT rights within Japan, a traditionally conservative country. When Maddox and other members of Project Koe met with the Karuizawa Minister of Education, he realized how “something about Karuizawa officials in general is that they seem very positive in the beginning, but as you continue, they seem to become less and less enthusiastic.” The Japanese political and social landscape doesn’t lend itself well to LGBT activism; however, through this CAS project, Maddox has learned a lot about the Maddox has learned a lot about the importance of adapting to different environments and truly addressing the important issues. ISAK is an environment where everybody can be themselves and be respected for that, a crucial step in making sure that everybody is heard. Maddox believes it’s important to spread that sort of respectful and supportive environment to other schools: he explains how, “something that a lot of people don’t realize is that lives are at stake… [and how] everything is worse when you feel like you’re alone.” It’s easy to see Maddox’s genuine compassion and concern for those who don’t feel heard. The effort and thought he’s put into these projects will carry him in the future as he pursues his interests in “psychology, international relations, and linguistics.” While he’s definitely given a lot to the environment surrounding him, he’s also learned a lot from this same environment: Maddox now recognizes “the value in living in a place where you have an amazing community where you contribute to lots of things.” I’m certain that ISAK will continue to benefit from his empathetic and dynamic personality, and likewise, he will bring the things he’s learned here to all of his future endeavors.
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KAI YAMAGAMI “I love to stay in the forest. When I'm there, I feel connected... like I'm part of the bigger picture. This all started when I was in kindergarten. We went to the rural parts of Japan and experienced life working in rice fields and collecting wild edible plants in the mountains. In forests trees talk and share resources right under our feet, using a fungal network called mycelium. Plants use this network to share information and grow as a community. I want to apply a similar philosophy to ISAK: a place where each person would be a “tree” with knowledge, experiences, and memories of their own that they are willing to share through reflections, making many discoveries about others along the way. Environmental issues like climate change are rooted in humans losing touch with nature. In order to harmonize with nature, we need to revive that deeper connection with the forest: the more we immerse ourselves in nature, the more we feel a sense of belonging”.
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Dear Friend By Kwadwo Osafo
Good Friend, it’s me, how great You look today! You watch on as I skip and play Your broad shade kept me cool In rain or shine the world felt right as long as I had You. You towered tall and strong, around Your roots i tumbled, proud of You, You brought me smiles I’ll love You always, all year round.
My Friend, it’s me. It’s not been long, yet now it seems You lost some weight, how so? Now-brittle bark breaks at my touch Your roots don’t seem to grow Leaves shower down on me like tears, they fall, down to the ground a constant sigh they make What’s wrong? I barely know You now
Friend? Your barren branches, bent and drooped You’re barefaced, broken, cold just yesterday, You seemed so warm Was this that long ago? What happened? What went wrong? I wish and pray yet hope in vain Your life has ebbed away My Friend is gone, my Friend is slain.
End.
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HIKE REVIEW: MYOKO HIKE The Myoko Hike, which took place during September 7th and 8th, is one of the most challenging hikes the OED program offers. This year, it certainly posed some hardship: a group couldn’t finish the excursion and had to go back, the main group arrived at the camping site later than expected, and someone felt off a cliff (a rescue mission ensued).
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However, the OED group collaborated in such a way that none of this difficulties represented a serious problem. Other than that, the hike was amazing — the pasta with pesto was delicious (or so we’ve heard), and look at those views!
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Environmental Environmental and and Student Student
Here you’ll find 3 fantastic films that relate to
strikes that are being organized by people our
the theme of environment and student action.
age around the world, these films will open
I know that “environment and student
your eyes to world issues in a fun and relaxing
action”-based films aren’t always the most
way… and give you an excuse to eat popcorn!
interesting, but considering the climate
#1 Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Maxwell Simba and Lily Brenda, ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ is about a 13-year-old boy who, against all odds, is determined to not give up when faced with challenges to build a windmill that will save his village from a famine consequence of drought and deforestation.
This ‘documentary’ shows how climate change
when persistent enough. With a rating of 7.6/10
affects deeply those reliant on farming as a
(IMDb), ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’ is
source of both income and food. However, it’s
both a book written by Bryan Mealer and
also a great representation of how young people
William Kamkwamba and a Netflix film. So if the
can bring about change in their communities
film isn’t enough, be sure to read the book!
#3 Conceived as a marrow donor for
The intense court case threatens
her gravely ill sister, 11-year-old
to destroy the family.
Anna has undergone countless medical procedures. The
The 11-year-old finds the courage
unorthodox decision of Anna's
and strength to sue her own
parents to prolong their older
parents after the way they have
daughter’s life have caused Anna
treated her, showing that we too,
to sue parents for emancipation.
can have that kind of power.
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Action Action Related Related Films Films #2
Wall-E spends 700 years cleaning
Captivated by EVE, he embarks
up the planet after it was left
on a treacherous adventure
entirely covered in garbage. The
through the galaxy to find her.
megacorporation Buy n Large evacuated the human race into
Wall-E, everyone’s favourite
space as a result and left Wall-E
childhood movie, it’s still relevant
and many others to clean up the
today. Every year, 2.01 billion
Earth. Being the only robot left,
metric tons of waste are dumped
Wall-E develops a personality
onto this Earth. With global
during those 700 years. One day
warming becoming an increasing
he spots EVE, a probe sent back
threat, we may one day end up
to earth on a scanning mission.
like Wall-E’s world.
Rated an 8.4/10 on IMDb, WALL-E can be watched on Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Youtube. This movie is a great way go back to those good childhood memories, but it will also remind you of the severity of current global issues.
The courage shown by
internal challenges or when
Anna throughout film
we are facing bigger issues
demonstrates the power
such as deforestation.
young people can have. Although suing your
‘My Sister’s Keeper’ is
parents isn’t the best idea,
found on netflix and with a
the bravery and
rating of 7.4/10 IMDb, it
determination shown by
will inspire you… and make
Anna could be used in our
you cry a lot, so grab some
everyday lives, both when
popcorn and tissues before
we’re facing our own
watching.
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An insider to a Musician’s Mind By Pallavi .T.
Every song has a picture and every picture tells us a story. That’s how I see it. However, it all starts with that one little tune or that one melody which slowly grows into a riot of sounds. These sounds all have a different purpose and a different reason to breathe. Some are meant to help let out your anger and others are meant to catch your body as you fall down shivering with tears. The type of sound also depends on the lovely composer who created this symphony. Try listening to the tune and speaking the words; you’ll be surprised by how much you really understand from the song. Song that may ‘sound good’ may actually be about war or drugs but we only focus on how the melody sounds. To be honest, I do that sometimes too. When someone writes a song for you to listen to, it’s because they’re trying to tell you about what is happening in their life using words or, in this case, lyrics. Behind every song is an untold story and the lyrics are the ones who tell us this story, bringing peace to the composer’s mind and lifting that giant weight off them. It’s all about that one song, that one song sending you into a new dimension where you control what happens, you control when it starts, when it ends, and you control when the plot twists and turns into a new adventure. That one good song can take your mind to another place; another parallel universe. It helps you escape from the reality you currently live in. Why do you think music is right there next to art when you choose your school subjects? Music is an art but this is the kind of artwork that goes into the ears and straight to the heart. It could also be called the outburst of your soul, the sound that releases the grasp of guilty secrets from you. Music is known to be life for many people for their heart is the beatbox for the song of their life.
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Striking in Canada
By Lydia Etherington
In grade ten, I wrote an essay for
questions when I got to ISAK. Before
English class about why students strikes
then, it was just the norm for me. But
aren’t all that bad. It was a persuasive
here, I am met with students who have
essay and I really had to think hard to
been encouraged and congratulated for
justify this last-resort method of
their efforts organizing protests.
activism. The general opinion of my
Teachers and faculty actively participate
school and my community was simply
in these strikes and encourage students
that strikes were a part of the problem.
to do the same.
I remember trying to organize a school
I can’t pretend that my experience is the
strike and having it shut down by the
same as all Canadians’. However, I
school administration. It got to a point
know that this idea was shared in many
where teachers would spend their
communities across the country. A
classes talking about why students
student in Newfoundland was
shouldn’t strike, the principal would
called an “idiotic sheep” for
suspend students for the classes they
believing in her cause. Other
missed, and tests would be scheduled
common insults included “liberal
for the time of the strike. The
pawns” and “confused children.” At face
administration would never refer to it as
value, this reaction is disturbingly
striking, but as ‘skipping’. They talked
similar to a YA dystopian novel.
about safety concerns, how any
However, every story has multiple sides,
organizers risked lawsuits, and how
and the teachers who pushed back
rather than going to the protest,
against the strikes also had their
everybody would use it as an excuse to
reasons.
go home. Striking in Canada, particularly in But why was this opinion so prevalent,
Ontario, did not begin with the climate
especially in a progressive country like
strikes movement. Instead, it gained
Canada? Why were students told that
traction in the spring of 2018 with the
they shouldn’t be exercising their voices
“Walkouts for Education” movement.
in this way? I only started asking these
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Members of Parliament would attend board meetings, student unions and social justice clubs risked being shut down if they endorsed the strike, and any teacher who supported students’ efforts would end conversations with “we never had this conversation” to avoid losing their jobs. Of course, the “Fridays for Future” This was sparked by the new Premier of
movement should not face the same issues.
Ontario, Doug Ford, making drastic changes
The strikes call our federal governments to
to education budgets and policies. The first
action, and do
walkout addressed major changes to the sex
not give the Minister of Education any
ed curriculum such as the removal of any
reason to be angry with teachers. However,
information regarding the LGBTQ+
the controversy surrounding the Walkouts
community or cybersafety. Later on, Ford
for Education set a precedent in
came under more heat by laying off
communities that painted all strikes in an
thousands of teachers and cutting funding
extremely negative light. Students developed
back so drastically that many schools lost
the belief that striking made them appear
their art programs.
lazy or radical. It told activists that no one attended strikes and that they created too many enemies. Teachers learned to shut
A student in Newfoundland was called an “idiotic sheep” for believing in her cause.
However, having a strike about the education system is more difficult than striking about environmental issues. When you walk out of school to protest changes to education, you are challenging the Department of Education, which challenges the school board, which challenges your teachers. Because of this, the strikes themselves barely mattered; everyone was focused on the politics that happened behind closed doors.
strikes down at the first sign of their development and parents became increasingly concerned about their children’s safety.
19 This resulted in a loss of motivation that
Students ranging from elementary school to
affected many subsequent strikes. However,
university were joined by adults of all ages,
it also forced students to be more creative
carrying cardboard signs and yelling into
and think beyond the strikes. Instead of just
megaphones to demand change.
organizing a strike, students would need to create an action plan to legitimize it, thinking
More and more teachers are becoming
about how the strike could inspire people to
supportive of the movement as they
move forward. Organizers would always ask
gradually become less fearful of being fired.
themselves a question: what comes next?
There are still those who are against striking
This led to initiatives like a climate change
but that number is much closer to the rest of
forum in my city about what it would mean
the world compared to before. However,
to declare a climate emergency. Three weeks
strikes organized by those who were once
later, the mayor actually did.
discouraged are now geared towards action and meaningful change.Â
People are starting to realize the distinction between the Walkouts for Education and the
And hey, even our Prime Minister supports
Fridays for Future movement.
the movement now.
Recently, in my community, 800 people attended the September 20th climate strike.
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Ignorance and Climate Change By Sudhish Bikram Thapa
There is a wise saying by Socrates;
Climate change is an issue that we all need to be aware of since it has such large
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing” The true way to gain wisdom is for us to be aware of our short comings. Perhaps politicians are being humble, by saying they know nothing about climate change.
consequences for every single aspect of the planet and yet we fail to be aware or even act even when we are aware. The concept of climate change has been around for a long time, researches were being conducted since the 1970s. However, the issue today is being treated like an event that will happen in the future.
If we count the number of studies we’ve done over the years, the large pile of analytics we’ve collected you’d expect us a species to at least somewhat conscious about the issue. However, a mindset that has been with us since our hunting and gathering days still remains with us. This mindset is simple to explain, we choose to not know things. When
that does not care about an event unless it
the early humans were in this planet, all they
harms us directly today.
cared about was the food, water and shelter
That is not an excuse to explain ignorance.
they could get in the present. They wouldn’t
Ignorance is choosing to not know even when
care about the food, shelter or water they
the information is presented to us. All the
would need for the future. In present day, this
workshops and rallies based on climate
mindset manifests in smaller instances;
change have all presented information as if it’s
Choosing to do assignments a day before the
going to happen in the future. In fact, that
deadline is an example of this mindset.
might be an incorrect way to spread the
Therefore, we were adapted to have a mindset
message about climate change.
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A frightening fact is that most people still
We see society refocus their attention to other
don’t believe climate change is real. There are
problems rather than climate change.
opposing arguments that it is not the general
If there are political issues regarding trade,
population in fault for emissions but it’s
weaponry or terrorism; the solution is near
companies that still rely on burning fossil fuel
immediately implemented and solved. But a
to gain profit to burning fossil fuel again. In a
threat like climate change, an event that can
situation like this, every person has the
affect the socio-economic and environment
responsibility to maintain the threat; Not only
aspects of the world, doesn’t receive the
governments or large corporations. It is
implementation of solution because people
important that awareness in action needs to
are not hopeful about climate change being
be a part of the solution.
reversed in the coming years.
We need to realize that at some point, we could’ve reversed emissions to stay under 1.5 degrees but we failed to do so. Again, today we have a chance of reducing it by 2.5 degrees and this time we need to get rid of our irrational thinking and actually get to it.
The climate crisis is
Global disasters such as typhoons and irregular weather has become a part of our
occurring right now so we
everyday lives and still action is being taken
shouldn’t sit in peace
in few numbers. It is crucial for people to be open to facts and not be ignorant. A solution
Society has gotten so much more ignorant in
to climate change is for us to simply accept
many aspects and that is causing problems.
the information and not ‘procrastinate’ on
A part of Greta Thunberg’s message is that
making changes in our lifestyle. If not, the
the climate crisis is occurring right now so
climate crisis will greatly affect the world
we shouldn’t sit in peace, thinking the
and we might live with a huge sense of.
climate crisis is a part of the future.
regret for the rest of our lives.
22
Should protest be FUN? In September 21, 2019, we By Amanda de Souza
celebrated UWC Day. This year, the theme for the day was “Cli-
Since the beginning of human-
mate of Change”. Many activi-
ity, people have been protesting
ties, some really fun and others
to fight for their rights and causing shifts of power. Women protested to achieve their right to vote, indigenous people protested against oppressive regimes and many black people protested against slavery in many situations, for example when European countries brutally took black people out of many countries in Africa to become slaves in the Latin American countries they invaded. Many people died while trying to fight for their rights, equality, and justice. And nowadays people from all over the world still have to fight for their rights and defend their beliefs, and it includes our school.
more serious, were developed throughout the day. One of those, however, made me get into an existential crisis as I started thinking about how serious and respectful we are when dealing with global issues. This activity was the March for Climate. When I think about marches and protests, many historical, peaceful and violent, conflicts come to my mind. I feel grateful
23
for the courage of those who
tal activist in Portugal and was
fought and gain more strength
one of the organizers of ISAK's
to fight for what I believe. I also
March for Climate. I knew she
remember the protests in my
would be helpful on my journey
country, Brazil, which my
to try to understand why some
mother usually begged me to
people were having so much fun
not attend. My friends were al-
during the march and others
ways so stressed and worried
were just leaving as if it wasn't
but yet ready to fight for what
something really important
they believed in and, most im-
(just the melting of ice shields,
portantly, focused on coming
the rising of the sea and with a
back home alive. We would
little bit more time the death of
make banners and posters, and
almost all of the living things;
shout as loud as possible words
no big deal).
that gave us strength and en-
From left to right in the front row: Brunella,
couraged others to join us. But even in the peaceful protests, when the police didn't shoot, drop bombs, or pepper spray at the protesters, no one was happy. No one was having fun.
Arturo andFrancisca Francisca Aru and
I decided to have a conversation
During the conversation, Fran-
with Francisca Salema, a G11
cisca told me that protesting is a
student who is an environmen-
big part of Portugal's culture. In
24
the past few years, this mani-
When I asked Francisca
fested as young people started
about the UWC march she told
to protest to divert governmen-
me that she herself realized that
tal attention to important mat-
some problems happened. Stu-
ters such as climate change. Ac-
dents, for example, shouldn't
cording to her, everyone was se-
have been forced to participate,
rious about the issue in the
and protesting only inside ISAK
protests in Portugal, but they
is not an effective way of dealing
also sometimes had fun. Even
with the climate crisis. During
though I think protests must be
the march, I was told by staff
serious, now I understand why
people to stay close to the big
there were funny and relaxing
group, because it would look
moments during these protests:
better in the pictures. My first
People in Portugal had no im-
thought was: this is superficial
minent risk of death. Different
and futile. And I still think so,
places, different cultures: some
but now I also understand that
people have their lives threat-
it was a good way to show peo-
ened every day and others are
ple from all over the world that
surrounded by uncountable
we are worried about climate
privileges, but protests are nev-
change and this is a big issue,
er for entertainment and fun
even though it made the act of
only, their objective is creating
protesting seem less important
awareness and speaking up.
than it is. Francisca Arturo Poleo, Francisca and Aru Poleo, a a G12 student who also organized
25
the march, decided that it need-
ones who are in need. I'm not
ed to happen for a meaningful
saying that privileged people
reason. At the center of the
should never have fun and feel
protest, there would be the pre-
guilty for their privileges, but
sentation of a document sent to
they should use all of their pow-
the UWC International Office
er and energy to help the ones
with demands for all UWC
who can't even think about cli-
Schools, in which they also
mate change, because they're
added specific demands for
too busy trying to stay alive. I
ISAK. However, according to
constantly feel scared for the gi-
Francisca, the message wasn't
gantic amount of people that
well spread or well-received --
have to go through daily trau-
people were too busy having fun
mas, deaths, and persecution. I
while protesting against the de-
don't want people to feel over-
struction of the earth.
whelmed by the situation the world is going through, but I do
During many years people died
want people to understand its
to conquer the rights we have
severity. So, I'm not going to be
now. People are still dying, be-
sarcastic right now: IT IS A BIG
cause in many countries they
DEAL.
don't even have the right to protest. We do have the freedom to do so, and we have the power and support to actually help the
CREDITS CATALYSM A UWC ISAK Japan publication: Volume 6, issue 1 WRITERS / EDITORS Amanda de Souza
Brunella Tipismana
Lydia Etherington
Pallavi Talwar
Sudhish Thapa
Kinga Fraczkiewicz Rikio Dahlgren
Pema Lhundrup
PHOTOGRAPHERS Elena May Saini Jeffery
Hassan Alkkle
Sara Al-Lawati
Pallavi Talwar
Sisi Wattanagool
LAYOUT TEAM Briclandji Brice
Chengyu Fan (Cathy)
Elena May Saini Jeffery Mana Sakamoto
Lydia Etherington Pema Lhundrup