DocuScience

The last two DocuSciences of this academic year are planned! On 10 and 24 June, Omnia again welcomes you to watch an inspiring documentary for free, followed by an interesting discussion on the topic.

On the 10th of June ‘Green Musketeer’ made by Wageningen alumnus Melchert Meijer zu Schlochtern. Pieter Hoff is an inventor and optimist. He wants to reforest 2 billion hectares to solve the problems for earth and humanity. His invention makes it possible to plant trees in dry degraded areas with little money and little water. But a good invention alone is not enough....! We are introduced to his optimism and perseverance from Mexico to high in the mountains of Tibet. Time is running out for the earth. And for Pieter as well. After the film, we will delve deeper into this theme with contributions from Erwin Bulte, Madelon Lohbeck, Dirk Sijbersma, and Pieter's son Wout Hoff. The discussion is led by Maarten Voors, and revolves around questions such as, where are the opportunities? Do we all have to dig and plant now? And/or is this another technofix where people bet hard on a technical solution and completely overlook the context? Interested and want to read more? Visit the webpage. (https://www.wur.nl/en/activity/docuscience-green-musketeer-lets-reforest-the-world-together.htm)

On the 24th of June ‘Yakukamak’, a short documentary made in close collaboration with two indigenous communities. It is part of the 'BIOdiversity and Ecosystem Protection driven by Environmental JUSTice (BIO-JUST)' project. Through this documentary, there is aimed to amplify and democratize research findings to diverse audiences. As well as telling a moving and timely story, it is an invitation from its protagonists to fly into the breathtaking mountains of the Ecuadorian Andes. We will get insights into the Rumipata and Llangahua indigenous communities who live in a unique water ecosystem: the páramo. For centuries, indigenous peoples have lived and coexisted with this magical, fragile, and biodiverse waterscape high in the Ecuadorian Andes. Both communities coexist with the páramo. This has not been an idyllic path, but one with power struggles, controversial nature-human relationships, and socio-environmental and colonial injustices that have persisted over time. Together with the expertise of Jaime Hoogesteger, Jean Carlo Rodriguez, Juan Pablo Hidalgo-Bastidas and Gerben Gerbrandy, this promises to be an evening of interesting discussion. Interested and want to read more? Visit the webpage. (https://www.wur.nl/en/activity/docuscience-yakukamak-the-struggle-to-protect-water.htm)

The DocuSciences start at 17:00 with a short introduction, the documentary and is followed by a discussion about the topic. It is possible to talk further while enjoying a DocuDinner. You will be served a main course and drink for €24,50.