Events
Global Understanding in dialogue, education and public action.
The International Year of Global Understanding unfolded through a series of milestone events across science, culture, education and public dialogue. Together, these events show the characteristic range of the IYGU: from international proclamation and academic congresses to festival collaborations, policy forums and later legacy events that carried the initiative beyond 2016.
Key Events
Constitutive Weimar Meeting
Held in Weimar in March 2011, this meeting was a key moment in the development of the future IYGU. It brought together leading international partners and helped establish the initiative’s transdisciplinary focus on everyday practices, global change and shared responsibility.
The Jena Meeting
Held in May 2011, the Jena Meeting brought together the IYGU Steering Committee, Scientific Committee and Outreach Committee to define the final programme and key steps for implementation. In the aftermath of Fukushima, the meeting reinforced the need to connect natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities in order to better understand global change and its consequences for everyday life.
Proclamation: ISSC Durban
In Durban, the International Year of Global Understanding was formally proclaimed by the major international science councils. This was a key milestone for us, as it gave the initiative global visibility and positioned it as a joint effort of the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Opening Ceremony
Our opening ceremony in Jena marked the public beginning of the IYGU in 2016. It introduced the central idea of Global Understanding and brought together partners, researchers and the wider public to launch a year of international dialogue, education and cooperation.
Harvest Event
Our Harvest Event in Jena was a moment to reflect on the achievements of the IYGU and to bring together experiences from across the year. It marked not only a conclusion, but also a transition towards the longer-term legacy of Global Understanding.
10th Anniversary Celebration
The 10th Anniversary Celebration revisited the beginnings of the IYGU and reflected on what has grown out of it since. For us, it was an opportunity to connect the original momentum of 2016 with the ongoing work of Global Understanding today.
Events by Partners
Japanese Academy of Science
The event at the Science Council of Japan marked a key moment in the launch of the IYGU Regional Action Center for Japan. It placed Global Understanding at the heart of Japanese scientific dialogue and highlighted its relevance across disciplines in the context of sustainability and everyday action.
World Cultural Forum
At the World Cultural Forum (Taihu) in Macao, the IYGU was presented within an international debate on culture, global responsibility and shared futures. The event marked the start of an ongoing collaboration with CIPSH and the Forum.
Glastonbury Festival
Our presence at the Glastonbury Festival brought the idea of Global Understanding into a cultural and public setting beyond academia. It allowed us to engage with new audiences and to connect questions of sustainability, everyday life and global responsibility with a broader public.
IGC Beijing
At the International Geographical Congress in Beijing, we presented the IYGU within one of the most important global forums for geography. The event strengthened our academic profile and highlighted the relevance of Global Understanding for geography, sustainability research and international exchange.
CNI Event Rio de Janeiro
The event in Rio de Janeiro gave us the opportunity to place the IYGU in a wider debate on sustainability, climate change and the low-carbon economy. It showed how the idea of Global Understanding could also contribute to discussions beyond academia, including policy and business contexts.
World Humanities Conference
The World Humanities Conference was important for us because it carried the IYGU perspective into a broader international debate on culture, knowledge and global transformation. It reinforced our conviction that sustainability must include the humanities and the cultural dimensions of everyday life.
Meetings of the IYGU
Global Community
The about 40 Regional Action Centers reported more than 1000 specific IYGU events for 2008-2018.
The Spatial-Temporal Emergenced of the IYGU 2008-2018
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