The lives of millions of the world's most vulnerable people are increasingly jeopardised by a devastating nexus of climate change, environmental degradation, conflict and lack of food. When livelihoods are ruined, people take desperate measures - and turn to violence, crime and migration.

Yet there are solutions.

At the heart of the challenge is the need to change attitudes and to forge heightened levels of co-operation between individuals, communities, international agencies and nations. Nothing less than the future of our biosphere depends on it.

In response to this challenge, the IofC programme of 'Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace' (ILLP), in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), is planning a pioneering residential course as part of the 2019 Caux Forum. The course is entitled the 'Summer Academy on Land, Security and Climate'. It will bring together 20 professionals - government officials, international peace and development workers and researchers - from the fields of environmental management and human security.

Through an exploration of the issues with top global experts, training in trust-building and inter-disciplinary teamwork, and an examination of case-studies from around the world, the course will equip participants with an understanding both of the challenges and the methodologies to deal with them.

The Summer Academy is being directed by Dr Alan Channer of ILLP and Anna Brach, Head of Human Security at GCSP.

For full details of the course see:

https://www.gcsp.ch/gcsp-experience?open_nid=314

We are actively raising funds to set up this inaugural course, which we hope will run in Caux over several years. We need to raise GB£4,000 by May 7th. From thereon, sponsorship of participants will cover the costs.

Closes on 07/05/2019

Charity Registration No: 226334

Cover image: Pastoralists in Chad rest under a tree near the border with Darfur. Photo by Theodor Fruendt.