In conversation with... Don Lamison, The Urban Green Education Project.
This week we have been chatting with Don Lamison from The Urban Green Education Project. Don has been telling us more about the links between education and sustainability, as well as his experience as a conference speaker at GESS Indonesia.
THE URBAN GREEN EDUCATION PROJECT
http://www.greenschooljakarta.com
Sustainable cities begin with education
Tell us about your company and how are you involved in Education?
We are a small group of American and Indonesian friends who are on a mission to do something special. Our vision is simple. Sustainable cities begin with education. Sustainability is about people. Sustainability is about imagination. Sustainability is about love. Sustainability is about action. Education involves all of these. Urban sustainability begins with education.
Access is the key. Our argument is that educational opportunity can lead to radical change in the life of a child, a family, a community, a city and our world. Our goal is to reach those children who have little opportunity - and nurture the scientists, engineers, doctors, journalists, teachers and leaders of tomorrow.
We hope to generate a student population that is academically empowered to pursue higher education in the United States, Europe or Australia. They will return home with the ability to create enormous projects of positive change in their communities. Childhood should have choices. Childhood should be celebrated. More than anything, our world needs leaders - leaders who are educated, compassionate, bold, dynamic and have the ability to inspire others.
How was your experience at GESS Indonesia?
In a word – ‘Inspiring” We were provided with the opportunity to present our ideas to a targeted group. This was a group that was interested in what we were doing. We also had the chance to spend three full days listening to others who shared our passion. The networking we were able to do and the new relationships we were able to build were priceless. These unique moments are only possible when you can be a part of such a one-of-a-kind collection of like-minded people.
Tell us about your sessions, what did the audience learn?
We were able to connect with future partners face to face. We were able to communicate our ideas and ideals to them directly. Our project is complex. It is dependent on the expression of complicated designs and objectives that do not lend themselves to distant, written communication. In-person presentation is priceless. The immediate translation services were absolutely amazing. You need a team. The people at GESS Indonesia became part of our team. This unusual situation – a dedicated group going all out for us – enabled us to tell our story.
What would you say is an important factor for learning?
Children simply need a chance. As a world right now, we are simply not very good at this. We ignore so many children. No money – no chance. How many of these very children could solve many of our problems? How many of these children could end suffering and bring joy to our communities? Our plan is to make a difference here. Our mission is access. We want to provide children with simple opportunity.
How does education vary across the world?
We like to concentrate on how it is the same. At the base level, education is about love. It is also often about sacrifice. There is no such thing as a school with too much spare time and too much money. Deals and partnerships must be won – won and based on truth and trust. It often gets down to personal relationships. This opportunity to initiate these relationships is what GESS provides.
What do you see happening in Education in Indonesia in the future?
We pray for greater access. In this age of technology, we now have the ability remove many of the rules that govern which children can and cannot be educated. It is time to make new rules. A democracy depends on the ability of our best and brightest to not simply have the technical abilities to solve our problems. They also need the ability to draw upon history, the humanities, and the lessons and truth from our great literature to know how best to apply this scientific wonder to truly benefit us all. Again, the argument here is that new advances in technology can reawaken a thirst for learning in today’s best students – every one of them, including the poor.
If you was deserted on a desert island, what would you take with you and why?
A friend. “Things are never quite as scary when you've got a best friend.” – Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes)