New innovative festival will discuss how Newry can play its part in the Climate Change crisis.
Newry City’s Climate Action Festival is taking place the weekend 22 – 24 April 2022. The event is planned to coincide with Earth Day and events are being held in Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor.
Special guest and keynote speaker at the event will be environmentalist and architect Duncan Stewart best known as the host of Eco Eye on RTE. Stewart will focus on the development of the Albert Basin Park and the recently greenlighted Narrow Water Bridge.
Michele Bryans from Belfast’s Eastside Partnership will also give a presentation on how they delivered Belfast’s world class Connswater Greenway and why joined up thinking needs to be paramount when delivering parks, greenways and bridges.
The Climate Action Festival aims to raise awareness and celebrate existing green projects in and around Newry, Mourne and Down, while empowering stakeholders to get involved in these local projects and take Climate Action. It also plans to be the beginning of the formation of a Climate Action Network for the local area.
Highlights of the weekend include:
Climate Action Evening with Keynote Speaker Duncan Stewart (RTE Eco Eye)
The Climate Action Hub with a mix of
Earth Day Singing Workshop from Fil Campbell
Community Garden visits to The Cabbage Patchers in Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Community Garden
Regenerating Newry City Walk with Architect David Magennis (Bonus Event on 30 April)
Maurice McConville one of the organisers of the event is looking forward to the event “Newry2020 are delighted to be running the first ever Climate Action Festival in Newry. There is nothing more important than our environment. It is, after all our life support system and we need to look after it.
“The festival will be an opportunity to showcase what ordinary people and agencies are doing to protect and enhance our environment. Everyone who cares about the environment is welcome.”
It’s the third event produced by community campaigning group Newry 2020 and joins the Festival of Windows and the well established Iúr Cinn Fleadh feast of music and arts, which this year takes place on the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Events
Friday 22 April 7.30-10pm: A Climate Action Evening with RTE Eco Eye’s Duncan Stewart at Climate Action Hub, Newry Conference and Banqueting Centre, The Mall, Newry
• Duncan Stewart – Keynote Speaker
• Eastside Partnership – How the Connswater Greenway Transformed Belfast
• Narrow Water Bridge Community Network – Build the Narrow Water Bridge and Get a Free Cycle Expressway
- Newry 2020 – Why Newry Needs a Park
Saturday 23 April 10.15am: Fil Campbell Earth Day Singing Workshop at An Cuan, Shore Road, Rostrevor. £10 per person (booking essential) (+44) 07803 226279
Saturday 23 April 1-5pm: Climate Action Talks & Events at Climate Action Hub, Newry Conference and Banqueting Centre
• The Woodland Trust The Big Climate Fight- back
• Anna Kernahan Youth Climate Activist
• Colum Sands RARE The Invisible Tree
• Stephanie McEvoy Farming Carbon
• Kathy Black Eden Project Communities & the Big Lunch
• Frank Johnson Barcroft Community Garden
• Mollie Cummins Reusing Skips
• James McConville Accelerating Local Climate Action with Digital Tools
• Miriam Turley Social Farms
• Catherine Donnelly U3A Community Garden
• Sticky Fingers Canal Critters Children Climate Art Workshop
Sunday 24 April 10am: Open Community Garden Visits
The Cabbage Patchers at 16 Mound Rd, Warrenpoint
Rostrevor Community Garden at Kilbroney Integrated School, Rostrevor
Bonus Event
Saturday 30 April 12pm: Regenerating Newry City walk with Architect David Magennis. Meet outside Newry Town Hall
Additional events may be added.
Any enquiries please contact info@newry2020.com