We will only protect what we love….

Most children have a fascination for wildlife.  And children seem to have an innate love for the beautiful world of bees. Sadly, the natural world is often absent in the daily lives of children.  How can we help them to foster a relationship with bees that will last a them a lifetime? In this session we will discuss innovative and inspiring projects within and outside schools. It will give you many ideas to take home and implement in your own community.

Johannes Wirz and Albert Muller will present personal accounts on what they have learnt, or better what they are still learning from their colonies. Their message is twofold: “Bees are telling us how to become better beekeepers and they tell us ways of how to improve and deepen social and societal interactions”

The session will consist in 2-3 rounds of World Café, i.e. groups of five people sharing their answers to questions put to them beforehand. In this way everyone will have dialogue with 12 friends they have not met before.

In conclusion, pertinent lessons will be collected, discussed and scrutinised for their possibility and potential for social actions as well as beekeeping practice.

Indigenous cultures around the world maintain a close relationship with the earth and her mysteries; embodying a deep knowledge of the landscape, its plant life and the animals that inhabit it. Biodynamic farmers are also working closely with the life forces in nature and we see more and more people in our culture striving for this kind of co-creative collaboration.

In ancient times it was common to speak of the local spirit, the Genius Loci, the spirit of the land or about the nymph that was connected to the local water source. What are these names referring to? And how are bees connected to these invisible forces?

This session will explore the important role insects play in inspiring and enlivening the landscape and ask the question whether it is possible to regain awareness of the subtle interconnection between ourselves, the bees and the landscape in which we live.