Category: Uncategorized

  • On the road

    Schools kids in Belogorsk, Ukraine, organised activities for a safe-climate future
    Schools kids in Belogorsk, Ukraine, organised activities for a safe-climate future

    Right now I’m in the middle point of my two-weeks tour through the Nordic, Baltic and Eastern European countries. There’s been many presentations, speeches, workshops, meetings and conversations (and a healthy amount of partying, too). And, as my vocal chords have begun to fail me, I decided to take a minute and communicate via written text, not with spoken words.

    My tour started last Tuesday, on April 12th, with a two-days stay on Tjärö in Blekinge, with a fantastic group of teenagers from Klaipeda in Lithuania, Kaliningrad in Russia and Karlskrona in Sweden discussed the climate and environmental issues of the Baltic Sea region. Sven, Maja and myself delivered a presentation on youth climate action and facilitated a workshop ‘Redesign the World’ in three parallel groups. The project was organised by our friends in Blekinge, Green Teens, and was led by the project manager Sissa Pagels.
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  • Discovering Gothenburg

    Yep, it’s official: Wake-Up Call has just established its third regional office (after Skåne and Stockholm) in Sweden’s second-largest city of Gothenburg, on the west coast. The city is very beautiful and our new local team is fantastic and dedicated. Part of our team is made up of students of Chalmers University of Technology (who are also active members of the student NGO Chalmers Students for Sustainability) and another part of local volunteers for one of the biggest environmental NGOs.

    It is exciting to explore a new city, establish new partnerships, build new relationships and reconnect with old friends. Occasions are plenty, Gothenburg has a lot to offer in terms of networking events, workshops, mingles, interesting lectures, sustainability-themed cafés and informal gatherings. Just two days ago our team attended a talk in Ekocentrum delivered by two of our all-time favourite role-models, Anders Wijkman and Johan Rockström. It was amazing to see how many of our partners and old friends popped up at that event, and the presentation itself was fantastic.
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  • Wake-Up Call goes Nynäshamn

    As part of the EarthWeek activities in Nynäshamn, Wake-Up Call visited this lovely town on the beautiful spring day of March 24th. And we were so glad we did! Three hundred high school students had gathered to first see the documentary HOME and then to attend a highly inspirational and energising talk delivered by Wake-Up Call’s Adam Olsson (on the photo). Adam fired up his audience by sharing stories of youths from all over the planet actively engaging in a work for a more sustainable and beautiful world. The entire Folkets Hus in Nynäshamn was fully packed and the public followed the story-telling with attention and enthusiasm.

    After the presentation a girl came up to us and told that she’s planning an event for climate that will include music, talks and happy faces. So keep your eyes and ears open for the ‘Smile for climate’ event in Nynäshamn this summer! 🙂

    In two words: a great day! 5/5 toasters! 😉 (more…)

  • Morning of the Final Day with the “Young Ideas for Europe”

    Good morning! I’m in the Aula at Spyken with the rest of the Young Ideas for Europe-folks and you can really take on the excitement in the air. The blinds roar behind me as Oleg and Adam, our Wake-Up Call colleague from Stockholm, are letting them down.

    We are about to watch a promotional video, made by the poitical advisors/election consultants. It’s made just in two days and I am truly amazed!

    Also I am very proud to present to you our three smoking hot parties:


    Environmental Initiative! © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Foto: Maja Cronert


    Party of Planet and People! © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Foto: Maja Cronert


    Green Market Party! © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Foto: Maja Cronert

    Finally, I want to encourage you to take a look at the media groups awesome new blog about the project: http://youngideasforeurope.blogg.se/!

  • We’re walking on sunshine

    Valter is happy about the Lester R. Brown's book "Plan B 4.0"
    Valter is happy about the Lester R. Brown’s book "Plan B 4.0" © IFOK, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert

    This year Young Ideas for Europe can be called nothing less than a success story so far. Day one, two and three have passed and tomorrow is the grand finale. Like many old students, I still had a somewhat living connection to Spyken, my old gymnasium. But what I have faced in our “camp site” classroom this week has surprised me greatly. Young people, just a year or three younger than myself, have shown amazing insight, analytical skills, enthusiasm and compassion for the world that we live in. Through their own presentations and hard work, through the tools/knowledge given to them by the invited speakers Lars Almström and Thomas B. Johansson and through my fellow colleges facilitation, the “Young Ideas” participants at Spyken have done some incredible work within a very short time frame. Tomorrow they will spread light over the many issues and solutions that we have available, today and in the future. Tomorrow, we can all walk on sunshine.

    And for now, a word of inspiration and encouragement from one of our political patrons, a great role-model of an activist, a politician and a wonderful human being, Jens Holm:

  • And off we go!

    At last we reached the 8th of March! And so it was time for the first day of Young Ideas for Europe 2011 to take a start. Day 1 at Spyken, Lund, is now over and Day 2 is just about to begin. I, Maja, swung by the school after lunch yesterday to take some photos and check up on the students work. I happened to run into the bunch of brilliant young people just as they were about to start the brainstorming session.

    After discussing in smaller groups, the boys and girls one after one walked up to the white board, to put up post it-notes with criticism and things they didn’t like about the EU, as well as solutions for a sustainable future. I think we were all very happy to see that we got the double amount of post it-notes in the latter case. 🙂

    When I wasn’t dazzled by the students’ impressive understanding of and familiarity with these topics, I managed to take some photos. Enjoy! And check in the rest of the photos here, on our Flickr set.

    Julia Runeson in action. © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert
    Julia Runeson in action. © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert
    Oleg facilitates the brainstorm session. © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert
    Oleg facilitates the brainstorm session. © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert
    Natural systems are essential for our existence. © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert
    Natural systems are essential for our existence. © IFOK GmbH, 2011. Photo: Maja Cronert

    Hopefully we’ve all got a good night’s sleep and are awake by now, eager for this second day to take off. Today experts will join us in the class room to share their knowledge and give the students feedback on the work so far. It is going to be an exciting day!

  • Wake-Up Call arrives in Stockholm

    Three of Wake-Up Call’s new staff members take a stroll towards bright future
    Three of Wake-Up Call’s new staff members take a stroll towards bright future
    Adam Olsson
    Adam Olsson

    Wake-Up Call has reached over three thousand youths in Sweden and other European countries in the past two years.

    So it felt like a right time for us to expand our operations to invite even more young people to our presentations and workshops about climate, sustainability, youth leadership and action.

    Hannah Aurell
    Hannah Aurell

    That’s why we are now opening a new regional branch with a focus on Stockholm and the surrounding region. Our new staff at Wake-Up Call Stockholm is going to work with schools, the university and non-governmental organisation in the area.

    Who are we?

    Adam Olsson is a Team Leader, while Hannah Aurell and myself are the trainees. Magnus Åkerlind and Sophy Eleval from project “HOME” and the magasine “Heroes of Today” are our closest partners.

    Lorentz Tovatt

    My name is Lorentz Tovatt. I’m quite interested in international climate politics and have been following the UN climate negotiations for few years. I also enjoy football and punch rolls. I shall let others introduce themselves.

    Don’t hesitate to contact us if want to have a partner in your work with youth, leadership and sustainability!

  • Annons från våra partners: medarbetare sökes

    Vi vill dela med oss av ett fantastiskt erbjudande från våra underbara partners, Magnus Åkerlind och Sophy Elevall, som skapade magasinet “Heroes of Today” och nu söker duktiga medarbetare för att hjälpa inspirera ungdomar att agera för en bättre värld (och även få ersättning för sitt arbete):

    Vill du tjäna pengar och samtidigt inspirera unga människor att agera för en bättre värld?

    Vi, Magnus Åkerlind och Sophy Elevall, driver projektet ”Visa filmen HOME för alla”, genom vilket vi vill inspirera så många som möjligt att arrangera egna visningar av filmen HOME. Vi har övertalat Universal Pictures att släppa visningsrätten fri för filmen så att vem som helst kan använda och visa den när som helst för vem som helst för att påverka andra. HOME har setts av över 100 miljoner människor i världen och tar upp hållbarhetsfrågan ur många olika perspektiv.

    För att engagemanget som filmen väcker inte ska ta slut när filmen tar slut, skapade vi ”Heroes of Today”, vilket är ett 84-sidigt magasin om nya tidens hjältar, med syfte att inspirera unga att agera för en bättre, roligare och mer hållbar värld. Vi skriver om samhällsentreprenören Sven Heijbel, artisten Ane Brun, regissören Franny Armstrong, kampanjen Köttfri måndag, grön teknik & lösningar, gerillaodling, nätverket 350.org och mycket mer. Magasinet följer en positiv grön tråd med syfte att engagemanget ska smitta av sig.

    Av filmen HOME, Hereos of Today, en handledning och en inspirationsdatabas på nätet har vi skapat ett visningspaket som vi sedan hösten sålt och marknadsfört gentemot gymnasier, högskolor, folkhögskolor, föreningar, organisationer, kommuner o.s.v. Visningar av filmen har skett över hela landet, från Kiruna i Norr till Lund i Söder och material har beställts från allt från körskolor och polisstationer till studiefrämjanden, skolor och primärvårdskanslin.

    Nu söker vi drivna människor som vill vara med och sälja detta paket på provision under vinter/vår 2011. På heltid, halvtid eller kvartstid spelar ingen roll, du lägger ner så mycket tid och kraft som du själv vill!

    Kontakta Magnus Åkerlind om du är intresserad, på: magnus@heroesoftoday.se eller 073-7842885.

    Läs mer om filmen HOME, Heroes of Today och visningspaketet på: www.filmenhome.se och www.heroesoftoday.se

  • Äppelkaka med eldsjälstopping

    Det var en regnig oktobereftermiddag då de tre musketörerna Sven, Valter och Maja begav sig till Österlen för att möta fäktmästaren Lotta Hedström. Beväpnande med en bunt frågor, entusiasm och Svens charmiga mössa, anlände vi till en nästan tom parkering nära en laxtrappa som vi senare vandrade runt. Lotta Hedström som är f. d. språkrör för Miljöpartiet, men samtidigt kan tilltalas med en rad andra epitet, hade svarat ja på en begäran om ett möte för att dela med sig av sitt kunnande, sin erfarenhet och sina insikter. Vi inledde med att Sven guidade oss runt den lokala laxtrappan och visade sin släkts sommarstuga medan han berättade “the story of Wake Up Call”.

    Sven, Lotta, Maja

    När det väl blivit uppenbart att sommarstugan bara var marginellt varmare på insidan än utsidan, bjöd Lotta med oss hem till sig. Väl där blev vi bjudna på en delikat äppel-knäckkaka med vaniljsås och Lottas livshistoria. Som nybliven trainee upplevde jag det som fantastiskt att informellt diskutera problem, möjligheter och lösningar kring miljöfrågor i stort och smått. Som Sven sa efteråt: När man lyssnar på någon som efter hela sitt liv kommit fram till insikter och man inser att man själv har dem, då känns det verkligen som om man är på rätt spår.

  • Wake Up Call at Globsol in Finland

    Some of Swedish participants on the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki
    Some of Swedish participants on the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki

    Friendship and cooperation between Sweden and its neighbouring country, Finland, is easily left behind in a globalizing world. This last weekend Wake Up Call went to facilitate workshops at the yearly conference called Globsol in Finland, which aims at bridging and strengthening the relations between Finnish and Swedish youth. This year’s theme of the conference was ‘international trade’. In four different workshops, out of which Wake Up Call was helping to facilitate two (one on Corporate Social Responsibility and one on Climate), the participants went through an intensive weekend with exchanged personal stories, knowledge and practical work.

    The conference was graced by some great keynote speakers and panelists, among them researches, politicians and investment bankers. They all did their very best to provide information and inspiration to the workshops’ participant and to fuel their enthusiasm.

    Wake Up Call thanks the skilful and capable organisers of the Globsol–2010 and all the wonderful participants for the intense, productive and fun weekend that we had together in Hanaholmen! We hope to see you all again soon!