Convergence Festival

dublin | environment | event notice Wednesday April 20, 2005 15:27 by Paul Baynes

Details of a festival in Dublin based around principles of sustainable living.

Convergence 7 - Building Healthy Community
Inspiring Culture, Redefining Progress
April 20 to 24 2005

At the Cultivate Centre
For Sustainable Living and Learning
15-19 Essex Street West, Old City Temple Bar,
Dublin 8. http://www.sustainable.ie/convergence/7



(1) What is Convergence?
(2) Highlights
(3) Full Programme
(4) Partners and Supporters
(5) Where?
(6) Festival Special Offers




(1) What is Convergence?
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At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Convergence is simply a cultural festival. Granted, it boasts a packed programme featuring art and photography exhibitions, a mini film festival and singing workshops. It also takes place in the heart of Dublin’s Cultural Quarter, Temple Bar. So far, so cultural. But Convergence is about much, much more.

Around the world, individuals, groups, communities, schools, towns and cities are joining in a rapidly growing movement which incorporates a sustainable way of living, working, playing, getting around and developing. ‘Sustainability’ might seem like the latest buzzword, tripping easily off the tongues of politicians and CEOs, but, because of its very nature, it’s an approach that’s here to stay. That’s because sustainable living is all about restoring the relationship between the economy, society and the environment; it’s about a way of life that doesn’t undermine people or planet; and, probably most importantly, it’s good for your health.

Celebrating this positive, forward-thinking movement, the Convergence Festival is now one of the best-known sustainable living festivals in the world. Since 2000, this festival has been bringing together an eclectic mix of people involved in sustainability under one roof in Temple Bar’s Essex Street West to explore how we can make the transition to a healthier and greener way of life.

Now a quarterly event, each Convergence focuses on a specific theme. This Spring, Convergence 7, which runs from April 20-24, takes the theme of ‘Building Healthy Community’. Think Slow Food, optimum nutrition, green building, renewable energy, recycling, fair trade towns, eco-tourism, urban renewal, kids’ creativity, art, photography, documentaries and Earth Day and you’re only beginning to touch on the exciting array of topics explored in the packed programme.

Convergence takes place entirely within Dublin’s cultural quarter - Temple Bar. Most of the events happen in the Cultivate Sustainable Living Centre on Essex Street West, which is home to the festival organisers Sustainable Ireland . Cultivate is open Monday to Saturday, year-round, so if you want to find out more information on any aspects of sustainability, pick up a festival brochure, volunteer or book tickets for any event, feel free to call in or phone on 01-6746415.

Click for full details and booking information click http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/


(2) Highlights
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Convergence 7 features over thirty five events, here are some of the highlights...

The Natural Step for Communities - The Keynote Address by Torbjorn Lahti
Rethinking the City Conference
Green Builders Conference
Optimum Nutrition with Patrick Holford
Earth Day and Street Fair
Slow Down Sunday
Cultivate Community Workshops
Junior Convergence


The Natural Step for Communities - The Keynote Address by Torbjorn Lahti
When: Wednesday April 20, 20.00-22.00
Where: Upstairs at Cultivate
Admission: €15

Torbjörn Lahti was the planner for Sweden's first eco-municipality and is directing a five-year sustainable community demonstration project. He was instrumental in forming the Swedish National Association of Eco-municipalities. In his lecture, 'The Natural Step for Communities,' Torbjorn Lahti will provide inspiring examples of communities that have made dramatic changes toward sustainability and how communities in Ireland can emulate their success. The lecture will appeal to both general audiences wishing to understand better what sustainability means and practitioners interested in introducing or expanding sustainable development in their communities.
http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/natural.htm

Rethinking the City Conference
When: Tursday April 21, 09.00 - 17.30
Where: Upstairs at Cultivate
Admission: €150 or €75 concession(Includes Lunch)

This years Re-thinking the City conference considers the WHO definition of "Health" in cities, what it has in common with a sustainable development approach and how this can inform and enhance how we tackle the many challenges of regenerating our cities and communities.
http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/rethink.htm

Green Builders Conference
When: Friday April 22, 09.00 – 17.30
Where: Upstairs at Cultivate
Admission: €150 or (€75 concession) Includes Lunch

This years Conference focuses on low energy development. Using case studies such as Bioregionals Zsquared, zero carbon, zero waste development in London, Cloughjordan's "Village" project and "Adamstown" (County Dublin) the conference will explore why designing for low energy can mean better returns for builders and developers and healthier, happier and more cohesive community over the long term.
http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/green.htm

Optimum Nutrition with Patrick Holford
When: Friday April 21, 19.30 – 21.30
Where: Upstairs at Cultivate
Admission: 20 Euro

Patrick has spent the last 25 years promoting the role that nutrition plays in enhancing health, covering a wide range of issues from arthritis to schizophrenia. This lecture provides an overview of his key findings with specific tips on what to eat and what to avoid to optimise your health. Patrick will also touch on the importance of designing-in optimum nutrition when designing and building healthy community. Author of over twenty books, selling more than a million copies worldwide, his best known books include The Optimum Nutrition Bible, Optimum Nutrition for the Mind and The Optimum Nutrition Cookbook, all of which will be available for purchase after his presentation.
http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/optimum.htm

Earth Day and Street Fair
In honour of International Earth Day, Friday April 22, Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment and Friends of the Earth will join Cultivate Centre will host a free programme of events in Meeting House Square. The following day the annual Convergence Earth Fair will expand to include a flower festival and a multicultural fair, along with the growing community of stalls from providers of sustainable goods and services, NGOs and community groups.

The Earth Fair - Cultivate Abundance
When: Saturday April 23, 10.00 – 17.30
Where: Along Essex Street connecting the organic market with Cows Lane.

In honour of International Earth Day (April 22), the annual Convergence Earth Fair will expand to include a flower festival and a multicultural fair, along with the growing community of stalls from providers of sustainable goods and services, NGOs and community groups. Themed "Cultivate Abundance," the street festival will provide a wide array of offerings from flowers and plants, to multicultural presentations, artisan foods, street theatre and music, community organisations, and eco-goods designed to support a better, more abundant and healthier Ireland.
http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/earthf.htm

Slow Down Sunday
Sunday, April 24

Sunday is a day of rest, relaxation and gentle inspiration at Convergence. A time to reflect on the issues raised, the solutions suggested and the next steps toward sustainability. The focal point is the beautiful surrounds of Ss Michaels and John's hall, upstairs at Cultivate where we'll start the day with some gentle yoga before sampling the delights of some of Ireland's best artisan food producers. Films, workshops and the Sunday papers and an entirely unique event entitled "Being Human" completes the picture ending Convergence 7 on a very positive note.


Wake Up, Slow Down
Venue: Upstairs at Cultivate
Time: 10.00 - 12.00
Admission: 8 Euro
A morning of gentle Yoga and meditation in the spectacular surrounds of Ss Michaels and John's hall, upstairs at Cultivate.

The Slow Food Sunday Brunch
Venue: Upstairs at Cultivate
Time: 13.00 - 17.00
Admission: 2 Euro
Artisan food, films, the Buddha lounge, fair trade tea and coffee, the Sunday Papers and all afternoon to reflect on the issues discussed at this years festival are just some of the delights that await you in the beautiful surroundings of Ss Michaels and John's hall at the Slow food Sunday brunch. Short, laid back and informal presentations will also discuss and explore different 'slow' issues such as tourism and food and slow cities.

Being Human
A healing party – ‘The Spiral Assent’
Venue: Upstairs at Cultivate
Time: 19.30-22.00
Admission: 10 Euro
Being Human is new type of alcohol free event that combines elements of yoga, tai chi, breath work, and meditation with the kind of consciousness-altering music, visuals and dance atmosphere that you’d normally associate with a nightclub. This multi-sensory, participatory event will carry participants on a transformational journey through human evolution and consciousness, via thematically linked dance music, sound samples, and visuals inspired by a contemporary cultural theory known as ‘Spiral Dynamics’.
No knowledge of spiral dynamics or yoga experience is required. Attendees should wear comfortable clothes, soft or no shoes and be prepared to take an integral journey to health.

http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/slowdown.htm


Cultivate Community Workshops
Over the weekend of April 23 and 24 a series of informal workshops focusing on areas key to Building Healthy Community will take place.
http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/workshops.htm

Junior Convergence
Throughout the festival children's workshops and events will take place including.
Click for details http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/junior.htm

Spiral Dynamics Seminar
Leap Into The Future with Dr. Don Beck
When : Saturday April 16, 10.00-17.00
Where: Upstairs at Cultivate:
Admission: €100
We couldn’t have Dr Don Beck in Dublin a few days before the scheduled start of Convergence and not include him in the programme. So here he is, for one day only, kicking off proceedings a few days early with a set of powerful tools that help each of us take responsibility for changing the course of our collective future. For more information and booking contact click http://www.visionaries.ie


(3) Full Programme
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Saturday 16 - Leap into the Future - A full day seminar on Spiral Dynamics with Dr. Don Beck
Upstairs at Cultivate: Time: 10.00-17.00 Admission – €100

Wednesday 20 - Vital Viewing: The End of Suburbia
Downstairs at Cultivate - Time: 18.00-19.30 Admission - €6

Wednesday 20 - Defastenist Cabaretta and Opening
Downstairs at Cultivate - Time: 20.00-22.00 Admission: Free

Wednesday 20 - The Natural Step for Communities – Opening of the seventh Convergence festival and the keynote lecture by Sweden planner Torbjorn Lahti, Upstairs at Cultivate -Time: 20.00-22.00 Admission: €15

Thursday 21 - Youth Forum - Making Poverty History
Downstairs at Cultivate - Time: 10.00-16.00 Admission: €5 (includes lunch)

Thursday 21 - Singing For Community and Justice A workshop with Maya and Amnesty
Downstairs at Cultivate - Time: 19.30-22.00 Admission: €10

Thursday 21 - Re-thinking the City Conference
Upstairs at Cultivate - Time: 09.00 – 17.30 Admission: €150 / €75 (Includes Lunch)

Thursday 21 - Inspiring Culture for a Better World - A Symposium
Upstairs at Cultivate - Time: 20.00-22.00 Admission: Booking Required (limited spaces)

Friday 22 - The Green Builders Conference
Upstairs at Cultivate - Time: 09.00 – 17.30 Admission: €150 / €75 (Includes Lunch)

Friday 22 - Creative Recycling Workshop The Pirate Puppet Company for 8 – 12 year olds.
Downstairs at Cultivate - Time: 10.30 – 13.30 Admission: €5

Friday 22 - Keep Ireland GM Free – A media launch
Downstairs at Cultivate - Time: 14.00-16.00 Admission: Free http://www.gmfreeireland.org/network

Friday 22 - Earth Day Celebration
Meeting House Square - 13.30 -14.30 and 18.30 - 20.00 Admission: Free

Friday 22 - The Health Lecture - Optimum Nutrition with Patrick Holford
Upstairs at Cultivate Time: 19.30 – 21.30 Admission: €20

Friday 22 - Vital Viewing: ‘MANA – Beyond Belief’
Meeting House Square Time: 20.30 – 22.00 Admission: free

Saturday 23 - Earth Fair - A street festival with the theme ‘Cultivate Abundance’
Essex Street, connecting Meeting House Square with Cows Lane Time: 10.00 – 17.30

Saturday 23 - Sustaining Local Livelihoods Workshop
Upstairs at Cultivate - Time: 10.30 – 12.30 Admission: €10

Saturday 23 - Community Enterprise and Recycling Workshop
Upstairs at Cultivate Time: 13.00 – 15.00 Admission: Free

Saturday 23 - Community Energy Supply: Doing without the Grid
Enfo –17 St. Andrew Street, Time: 14.00 – 16.00 Admission: Free

Saturday 23 - Community Leadership Workshop
Upstairs at Cultivate 15.30 – 17.30 €10.00

Saturday 23 - Art in the Community - A parent and child workshop
Downstairs at Cultivate Time: 10.00 – 12.00 Admission: €10 per family €4 Individual

Saturday 23 - Play in the Community Workshop
Downstairs at Cultivate Time: 15.00 – 17.00 Admission: €10

Saturday 23 - The Best of the VideoActive – ‘Documentaries from the Edge’
Film Base, Curved Street, Temple Bar Time: 10.00 – 12.00, 12.30-14.30, 15.00-17.00 Admission: 5 Euro per screening

Saturday 23 - Earth Day Children’s Art Exhibition
Project, East Essex Street, Time: 10.30 -14.30 Admission: free

Saturday 23 - Dragons and Giants - Unlocking Creativity Workshop
The Ark 11a Eustace Street, Time: 14.00-16.30 Admission: 8 Euro

Saturday 23 - Junior Vital Viewing 'The Man who Planted Trees'
Cultivate Downstairs - Time: 12.30 – 13.00 Admission: 3 Euro

Saturday 23 - Cooperative Games for Children
Cultivate Courtyard - Time: 16.00 - 17.00 Admission: Free

Saturday 23 - Junior Eco-Treasure Hunt
Starting at the Ark, Time: 16.30 – 17.30 Admission: Free

Saturday 23 - Kids Cultivate Cabaret
Downstairs at Cultivate Time: 17.30 – 18.30 Admission: free

Saturday 23 - The COMHAR Debate – Climate, Community and Energy
Upstairs at Cultivate, Time: 19.30 – 21.30 Admission: Free

Sunday 24 - Wake Up Slow Down - Gentle Yoga and Meditation Class
Upstairs at Cultivate, Time: 10.00 - 11.30 Admission: €8

Sunday 24 - Slow Food Sunday Brunch
Upstairs at Cultivate, Time: 13.00 - 17.00 Admission: €2

Sunday 24 - Community Mapping Workshop
Anthology Books, Meeting House Square, Time: 14.00 – 15.30 Admission: Free

Sunday 24 - Media for the Community
Downstairs at Cultivate Time:14.00-17.00 Admission: Free

Sunday 24 - Being Human ‘The Spiral Assent’
Upstairs at Cultivate Time: 19.30-22.00 Admission: €10

Also throughout the festival…
The Sustainable Living Exhibit
Cultivate and ENFO’s Sustainability Begins at Home Exhibit
The Defastenists Gallery
Elements Photography Exhibit

(4) Supporters and Partners
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Convergence is run on a very limited budget and depends on the good will of our members, volunteers and interns. The following content partners have supported the festival by providing continued assistance or have helped us to design and deliver an event. The supporters have assisted the festival financially or by giving their services free of charge.

Content Partners
Sustainable Northern Ireland http://www.sustainableni.org
FEASTA: The Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability http://www.feasta.org
Sustainable Projects Ireland Ltd. http://www.thevillage.ie
Visionaries http://www.visionaries.ie
Dublin Healthy Cities Network http://www.dublinhealthycities.ie
Temple Bar Properties http://www.temple-bar.ie
TASCQ http://www.tascq.ie/
Defastenists http://www.defastenism.4t.com
Dochas http://www.dochas.ie
ECO UNESCO http://www.ecounesco.ie
Solearth Ecological Architecture http://www.solearth.com/
Common Purpose Ltd. http://www.commonpurpose.ie
Institutions of Engineers of Ireland http://www.iei.ie
Indymedia Ireland http://www.indymedia.ie
Sunflower Recycling http://www.sunflowerrecycling.ie
Dialogue for Sustainability Ireland ../mailto:dialogue4sustainability@dublin.ie
Pirate Puppet Company ../mailto:dorchakelly@hotmail.com
DCDB http://www.dublin.ie
EASCA http://www.easca.ie
Construct Ireland Magazine http://www.constructireland.ie
Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment http://www.voice.buz.org
Friends of the Earth http://www.foe.co.uk
GM Free Ireland http://www.gmfreeireland.org
Global Vision Consultants http://www.global-vision-consulting.com
Amnesty http://www.amnesty.ie
Latin America Solidarity Centre http://www.lasc.ie
Slow Food Dublin http://www.slowfoodireland.com
Dublin Food Co-op http://www.dublinfoodcoop.com
Project http://www.project.ie
The Ark http://www.ark.ie
Film Base http://www.filmbase.ie
Anthology Books http://www.anthologystore.com
Downey Yule Associates http://www.dya.ie
Richard Webb and Associates ../mailto:webb@indigo.ie
Fair Trade Mark Ireland http://www.fairtrade.ie
Satyananda Yoga Centre Dublin ../mailto:yoga@dublin.ie
Lou Yoga http://www.louyoga.com
Prana http://www.prana.ie
Tai Chi Ireland http://www.taichi-ireland.com
Davis Associates http://www.davis.ie
Community Media Network http://www.cmn.ie

Supported By
Dept of Environment, Heritage and Local Government http://www.environ.ie
Sunflower Recycling http://www.sunflowerrecycling.ie
Dublin City Council http://www.dublincity.ie/
WWF http://www.wwf.org
COMHAR http://www.comhar-nsdp.ie
ENFO http://www.enfo.ie
NUDE http://www.nude.ie
MicroMedia http://www.micromedia.ie
Oliver Freaney and Company http://www.ofcweb.com/
Bewley’s Fairtrade http://www.bewleys.com
Morgan Hotel http://www.themorgan.com
Trocaire http://www.trocaire.org
DCI http://www.dci.gov.ie/


(5) Where?
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All events for the Convergence festival take place in the heart of Dublin city within Cultivate the Sustainable Living Centre (unless otherwise stated) or in the Temple Bar area.

Telephone:
Call Cultivate on 01-674-5773 if you have any questions about the festival.

E-mail:
You can also e-mail questions or suggestions to ../mailto:convergence@sustainable.ie

Cultivate's normal opening hours are:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday (12.00 - 18.30)
Thursday (12.00 - 19.30)
Saturday (11.00 - 17.00)

Feel free to drop in, browse the store, or become a member of Cultivate by contacting us at:

Cultivate Centre - For Sustainable Living and Learning
15-19 Essex Street West
Old City Temple Bar
Dublin 8
Phone: 01 674 6415
Email: ../mailto:info@sustainable.ie
Web: http://www:sustainable.ie



6. Festival Special Offers
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Festival Pass for all Convergence events:
(except Re-thinking the City, The Green Builders Conference and Leap into the future with Don Beck)
Cost: €100 or €80 concession call 01-674-5773

Conference Pass Re-thinking the City plus Green builders conferences plus Torbjorn Lahti Lecture:
Cost: €250 (you save €65), €130 concession, (you save €35)

Cultivate Membership:
Cultivate members pay half price or get a friend in for free when they show their cultivate membership cards!
(Discounts apply to full prices and are not combinable with other special offers. 50% off also applies to Festival pass.)
Cost: 50 Euro per annum

Concessions:
20% off full price

http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/register.htm
http://sustainable.ie/convergence/7/