March News from the Youth Section at the Goetheanum

"A Verse for Our Time

We must eradicate from the soul

All fear and terror of what comes towards man out of the future.

We must acquire serenity

In all feelings and sensations about the future.

We must look forward with absolute equanimity

To everything that may come.

And we must think only that whatever comes

Is given to us by a world-directive full of wisdom.

It is part of what we must learn in this age,

namely, to live out of pure trust,

Without any security in existence.

Trust in the ever present help

Of the spiritual world.

Truly, nothing else will do

If our courage is not to fail us.

And let us seek the awakening from within ourselves

Every morning and every evening."

- Rudolf Steiner

To encounter in a moment of isolation

Dear friends of the Youth Section Worldwide,

In this newsletter you will find a message from us regarding the current Corona situation. There will be a report from the Ferbuary Days 2020 and information about upcoming events. But first:

"Hello", "Hi there". "Can I give you a hug, or a hand?", "well, uhm, I don’t know", "yes let’s do it, we are not scared right?". "I don’t know, maybe better not?". "Ok, but I don’t feel comfortable with this whole situation. But you know what, it’s all new right, Corona?"

Lockdown
Within a few weeks we have experienced a global lock and shut down. Not only of travel restrictions, national and regional border closure, but also an isolation of interpersonal contact and even touching one’s own face. Some of us are already ‘quarantined’ in our own house but others still can’t take it seriously and laugh about it. How to find a healthy attitude in this enormous confusing situation?

I am online
Meanwhile numerous aspects of daily work and life that were still offline, are online now. Uploaded to the cloud in order to continue life. Preferably going on as usual. Only the so called ‘vital’ professions are still rooted in the offline world with their hands in a seemingly former reality. How to encounter each other in a moment of physical isolation and digital intensification? Shall we share all meetings, teaching, breakfast and dinners online? Or what does this situation ask of us?

Suffering
Some voices are doubting the reality and impact of the Coronavirus. They call it a normal flu which is there anyway, anyhow, every year again. Other messages that reach us report from ‘the front’ of Italian hospitals where doctors have to decide who will live and who won’t. And then the impact on the economical, cultural, psychological and spiritual layer of the whole, which seems to be still behind veils. All of this is hard to witness knowing how impactful it is for one, and how far away it still feels for another. In this context we could ask ourselves why this ‘threat’ is taken so urgently, when thousands of people are dying each day due to the lack of clean drinking water, lack of food and conflict? Is that not enough to act globally? Or the question, why the whole so called climate crises were not enough to act? Or.. and so on. It might seem cliche to phrase this, but it needs to be asked. What is going on?

Silence
A year ago — during the climate strike Fridays for Future — several people around us were calling for silence and listening instead of instant acting out of panic and fear. The silence and listening was hard to reach and now, it’s here right in front of us. What to do with the emptiness that this silence brings? How will this vacuum be filled? Do we all jump in fear and suspicion? Do we all go fully online and chat-on? Or is this situation a huge chance to reflect as a whole global society on what we are actually doing to each other, oneself and the earth? When this will be over, do we still keep on going as usual? Will all factories gain back their normal speed? Will interpersonal contact become ‘normal’ again? Will I be able to touch my face?

Youth Section
In our worldwide network of Youth Sections we are lucky to find mirrors and help in each other. Let us find ways of supporting each other and help beyond our own circles in this historical moment. We would like to invite you to share your story and also questions and offers for help through our common work.

Warm greetings and stay well,

Johannes Kronenberg, Andrea de la Cruz, Ioana Viscrianu and
Rocio Ferrera with Constanza Kaliks.

The Youth Section at the Goetheanum Team

"This conference provided me on the one hand with an overview of anthroposophical thoughts. On the other, it was a wonderful journey towards a deeper knowledge of my own power, towards feeling my own ability to act." (Conference Participant, 18, Romania)

Under the theme of a variety of practical approaches to the climate question based on the foundations of Anthroposophy, this year's "February Days" – the winter youth conference at the Goetheanum - was devoted to the theme "Bound to the Earth - Freedom, Responsibility and Destiny in Times of Climate Crises". Over 200 participants from 28 countries met in the Schreinerei building at the Goetheanum and searched for approaches to a deeper understanding of the current question of the climate crisis, as well as for ways to define individual contributions to shape a future that is healthy for people and nature.

Contributions ranged from the question of human consciousness, the relevance of the way in which we shape our relationship to the world and to ourselves, to the connection of these aspects with the current social, economic and political situation in the world. We discussed the climate question as an inner crisis of mankind and learnt about practical projects and approaches in response to the climate challenges, such as the work in the Amazon rainforests and the Nature and Environment Festival worldwide.

Upcoming events & Coronavirus

Due the present situation we had to postpone all upcoming events held at the Goetheanum until further notice. This includes the activities in our house, our weekly choir, the 3rd Class Lesson Gathering Worldwide for young members (26 - 29 March) and our presence at the General Assembly of the Anthroposophical Society (2 - 5 April).  

Note! Our International Youth Summer Conference - You and I in our Age held in Georgia (13 - 17 July 2020) will expected to take place. You can register here without upfront payment to make it more convenient to do so. We dearly hope that if the situation will allow so, you feel free and inspired to attend this wonderful gathering hosted by the Georgia Youth Section.   

The signs reaching humanity from Earth are touching the foundations of our very existence. The climate crisis with the destruction of the earth’s living forces, the social disruptions, loss of cultural and spiritual grounding are speaking to our global civilisation. It seems that it is not the human being himself who evokes this call of awakening, but the very environment around us. How can we breath, listen and see beyond this moment of crisis? How to act out of understanding in order to heal the lands, our common life and find a morality based on establishing our individuality in relationship to others and the world?

This call demands new stories and views to overcome fear and polarisation. In this endeavour the Agricultural Section and the Youth Section at the Goetheanum - School of Spiritual Science will work together to see how youth-striving, the wisdom of the lands and an understanding of our health can contribute to the grand paradigm shift of the time we live in. Practical experiences, natural science and spiritual science will be the guiding principles in this encounter.

More information will follow soon!

With best greetings on behalf of the
Section for Agricultural and the Youth Section at the Goetheanum,

Ueli Hurter and Constanza Kaliks

ProAmazonia Constance

A local initiative for the rainforest:
The Amazon rainforest is of great importance for the global climate and biodiversity. At the same time it is an important habitat for its indigenous people. In Brazil alone there are about 350 different indigenous populations and the ProAmazonia Konstanz initiative has a close relationship with one of these peoples, the Borari in the Brazilian state of Para near the city of Santarem and the well-known town of Alter-do-Chao.

The founding of this initiative was motivated in spring 2019 by a lecture given by Vandria of the Borari people in the Palm House Paradise about the problems for the rainforest and its indigenous population, which have become much more acute this year since the new Brazilian government took office, including:

- Massive increase in illegal logging and arson in the Amazon.
- Illegal land seizure by agricultural corporations, soya farmers, cattle breeders and
gold prospectors.
- Introduction of agrochemicals and other toxic substances harmful to the
environment and human health into soil and water.
- Use of private and state armed force against forest conservationists
Vandria is the first female lawyer of her people and educates internationally about
their problems. She is officially authorized by the Borari tribal chief as a
representative for international cooperation.

ProAmazonia Konstanz has set itself the goal of supporting the Borari people in protecting the rainforest and their culture. To this end, the young initiative organizes lectures and exchanges, provides information about the problem in the media and wants to support local projects, e.g. firefighting, reforestation, but also the protection of the demarcated areas and for the preservation of the culture, e.g. by building a community centre.

Climate partnership between the city of Constance and Borari:
On the initiative of ProAmazonia, the City Council of Constance decided on an official climate partnership with the Borari at the end of 2019 and made municipal funds available from the climate budget for an initial period of three years.
The climate partnership between the City of Constance and the Borari people is a sign of international solidarity on the one hand, but on the other hand the city is also to support concrete measures to improve the situation for the Borari themselves and their Amazon region. The climate partnership was deliberately not entered into with institutions of the Brazilian government, as the latter denies climate change and has practically put an end to state environmental and climate protection.
The climate partnership should also serve as a model for other cities and municipalities to connect with indigenous people as well. With Constance as a pioneer, a network of international solidarity is to be created. Institutions like the Goetheanum could enter into partnerships with institutions on the side of the indigenous peoples, in order to create an ever-denser protection network of communities and organizations.

Contact us:
ProAmazonia Constance
c/o Monika Sarkadi and Marco Walter
konstanz@proamazonia.de
Facebook group: ProAmazonia Constance