Amazon Summer School: Applications for International sustainability immersive course are open
01/12/2017
The Amazon Summer School, a 21-day practical course with the purpose to cultivate global sustainability leaders, is now open to receive applications from all around the globe. The program will be held in the community of Tumbira, a community located in the Rio Negro Reserve in the north of Brazil.
The initiative is one of the courses supported by the Amazonia-Edu, an educational platform coordinated by the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS) and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the Amazon (SDSN-Amazonia), that believes in the potential of the Amazon to transform people, organizations and relationships through experiential learning processes.
From July 13th to August 2nd, the third edition of the Amazon Summer School aims at forming a rich and diverse group of global participants interested in the field of global sustainable development and in developing capacities and skills for designing, strategically planning and leading sustainability projects. Applications close by April 1st 2018.
“The Amazon Summer School is an engagement strategy for youth, which our future leaders are part, with topics of sustainable development in the Amazon. This immersion focuses on promoting social and environmental awareness to every single attendee. By doing this, we believe that we can make these leaders want to value our forests, which are worth more standing than cut”, states the technical director of FAS, Eduardo Taveira.
Every 2 years since 2014, the Amazon Summer School brings together participants from different countries, sectors, backgrounds, fields of work, and areas of study. A multiplicity of worldviews and practical knowledge is needed to address the complexity of our growing global opportunities and challenges. For those interested in applying, the main requirement is to be fluent in english and over 18 years of age. The application process considers as main criterias the intention of the applicants and the potential impact it can have in their personal and professional paths. The selection involves analysis of the application and a second round of online interviews. The final group of 20 participants will be formed by 1st May. The 2016 edition received more than 600 applicantions from 61 different countries.
“The selection process is a key step to guarantee the richness of the program. Besides learning from teachers, nature and community, the participants learn from each other through a rich learning interaction. The more we are able to bring together people with similar intentions and complementary worldviews, more powerful can be the change in their lives and in their work”, says Raquel Luna, the course learning coordinator.
How the program works
Over the days, participants will make part of an intensive set of trainings and experience sharing sessions with skilled practitioners, local communities, the forest and each other. Through a collective learning process, the group will build their experience together based on shared purpose, work and values.
The program is divided in six modules: the introduction, a first moment tapping into amazon reality; love for nature, to connect deeply to the natural environment and explore the ecological dynamics of the Amazon rainforest; care for people, to create bond with local communities, learn with them and gain a greater understanding of how to promote social engagement; know-how, which holds classes with sustainability practitioners and leaders from different sectors; bravery, where everything is put into practice and the participants can implement solutions and the know yourself module which consists in understanding one’s self, purpose, and conscious role in the world.
Beyond impacting participants life, the course intentionally brings positive movement to the local community that hosts the course. “To be part of this project is essential for our community’s self esteem. In addition to be able to travel without leaving home, we feel valued and perceive how much learning we can give ahead to the world. In this project, we are students and teachers”, states Roberto Mendonça, one of the local community leaders and teacher in the course.
For informations about application, investments and lodging, visit the website www.amazonsummerschool.com.
What: Amazon Summer School
Where: Tumbira Community, Amazonas State, North of Brazil
When: From July 13th to August 2nd
Applications: From December 1st to April 1st
About FAS
Leader in community led sustainable development, FAS – Sustainable Amazon Foundation – is a nonprofit, non-governmental and non-partisan Foundation. Its mission is to promote the sustainable involvement, environmental conservation and improvement of the quality of life of community residents and users of protected areas in the State of Amazonas. Know more at: http://fas-amazonia.org
About SDSN – Amazonia
Regional Network from SDSN – Sustainable Development Solutions Network. With the purpose to mobilize local universities, research centers, civil society organizations, business, and other knowledge centers around practical problem solving for sustain