The Akashi festival was organised by The Akashi Project, a DEFRA-funded project created by local environment organisation Cambridge Carbon Footprint. The programme included speeches and cultural performances and creative workshops to explore what we can do about climate change in innovative and inclusive ways. An exhibition featuring a diversity of local people’s views was also unveiled on the day.

'Inspiration by teachings, stories and art forms from around the world'

Climate change is a problem already affecting people from all over the world. The solutions can come from all over the world too. Many cultural and faith traditions and stories teach that living without wastefulness and harm to our natural environment is desirable.

Shilpa Shah, coordinator of the Akashi Project, said ‘The UK is blessed with a wealth of different cultural and faith communities with roots and connections all over the world. The message of the Akashi Festival as clear - whilst climate change can be a scary issue, all of us can do something to help, through reducing our own carbon footprints and through talking to as many people as we can about it. And all of us can take inspiration from stories, teachings and art forms from all over the world.'


Rosemary Randall, director of Cambridge Carbon Footprint, said ‘Environmentalists have usually been too pressured by their work and resources to engage people beyond their familiar audiences. The Akashi Festival and Project have shown that there is an eager and interested audience among people outside this comfort zone - people in the UK whose roots and connections all over the world make them key players in the debate and actions needed to tackle climate change’

The Mayor of Cambridge, Councillor Jenny Bailey, officially opened the festival. She said ‘Climate Change needn’t be a boring topic. As today’s event showed, it can be explored in a fun way that is relevant to our own particular lifestyles and values.’

The Akashi Project is funded by Defra’s Tomorrow’s Climate is Today’s challenge initiative. Additional funding for this event has been provided by Awards for All.

See www.akashi.org.uk


For further information:

Shilpa Shah, Project Coordinator , Tel: 01223 460475,  shilpa@cambridgecarbonfootprint.org

Note to Editors:

These photos are to give a flavour of the event. Please do check with us before you use any of them in your publications.

For additional photos or interviews, please contact Shilpa Shah, Project Coordinator, Tel: 01223 460475,  shilpa@cambridgecarbonfootprint.org
About the Akashi project:

The Akashi Project works with people from different cultural and faith backgrounds to raise awareness about climate change. We explore what climate change is and what we can do about it in a way that is positive and personal, incorporating teachings and traditions from the relevant culture or faith. We believe in the power of conversation and have held discussion workshops with a diverse range of community groups in and around Cambridge. We also work creatively, incorporating music and art activities where appropriate to engage our audience.

The Akashi project started in July 2006. It was set up by local environmental organization Cambridge Carbon Footprint (www.cambridgecarbonfootprint.org) and is funded by DEFRA’s Tomorrow’s Climate is Today’s Challenge fund. The Steering Committee for the project consists of representatives from Community Development at the Cambridge City Council, MENTER, Momentum Arts and Cambridge County Council.

Additional funding for the festival was provided by Awards for All.

‘Akashi’ means ‘Sky’ in a number of South Asian Languages. To see similar words from other languages, see www.akashi.org.uk/about.
The Akashi project, Cambridge Carbon Footprint , Unit 6, 23-25 Gwydir Street
Cambridge , CB1 2LG