Relearning Our Connection with Nature with Veljko Armano Linta
From the Short Course Series
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
The concept of biophilia suggests that human beings are inherently programmed to be drawn towards other forms of life. But have we gotten accustomed to live our daily, urban lives without (the awareness of) this connection? Building on this idea, this course attempts to unravel how forging a deeper connection with nature in our everyday — usually urban — life helps you creatively, emotionally and physically. In this course, you will:
- Open your eyes and mind to the non-human life forms within a 5-km radius of your house through cartography
- Examine the effect of “natural” and “artificial” everyday objects on our wellbeing
- Find things to eat in unexpected environments and break myths about what is edible
- Invent creative ways to introduce the connection with nature in your online and offline “habitats”
- Develop self-directed, participatory and peer-learning skills in a supportive group
WHEN & WHERE WILL YOU LEARN?
The course sessions will be online on Zoom or Google Meet. They can also be held in person. Contact us to commission a date and timeline.
Recommended age group of cohort: Between 16 and 65 years of age
- No. of sessions: 06
- Session duration: 60 minutes
- Course capacity: 20
- Time commitment (session hours): 7 hours (min)
HOW WILL YOU LEARN?
Designed over 6 sessions, we will begin by talking about biophilia and the global consequences of a lack of biophilic design intentions in this world. We will then delve into a series of practical exercises (solo and in pairs) and meet every week to share insights and experiences. The course will conclude with a session that will help us formulate future intentions, so that we may establish a deeper connection with the spaces we inhabit.
Prior Requirements: Willingness to learn and expand your perspective
WHO WILL YOU LEARN WITH?
Veljko Armano Linta is an educator and architect. He is a Gaia Education certified trainer, trained in design for sustainability, ecovillage design, SDG multiplication and participatory facilitation. He has created and facilitated participatory workshops, lectures and webinars on sustainability/regeneration, design and teamwork for local communities, primary and high-school students, university students, teachers, NGOs and professionals, including the Cultural Backpack workshops for the Ministry of Education in Croatia. He facilitated a United World College Short Course “Re-Thinking Identities” in Finland and is a UWC alumnus. He is co-creating teaching scenarios for sustainable development for primary and high schools and believes in reforming the educational system towards empathy and integrative perception. Veljko is the director of the design & architecture Studio Armano Linta and practices a participatory design process aimed at personal and ecosocial wellbeing, so that we can use our (built) environment to regenerate our worldviews and practices in order to regenerate our planet.
CRITERIA FOR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
To receive the certificate of completion, you need to attend 75% of the sessions.
OUR SLIDING SCALE
We offer a sliding scale of contributions as we are open to members from both the Global South and the Global North, or somewhere in transition. While we ask you to look inward, please don’t stress about it. Pay what feels right. We offer three levels of pricing (per person):
- $99 for Global North and some Global South
- $59 for Global South and some Global North
- FREE for those who need it to be free
Let’s get started. Contact us to commission a date and timeline.
