This is Our Age Festival Carmarthen
A Free 4 Day Festival celebrating and promoting
Peace, Education, Culture and Sustainability
From 27th to 30th November 2024
Cothi Suite at The Halliwell Conference Centre,
University Trinity St Davids, Carmarthen SA31 3EP
Seeds of Hope and Action Exhibition - showcasing the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, and learn how we can all contribute to a just and sustainable world.Participate in school workshops and educators forums that delve into the SDGs, offering practical insights for daily life and education. These sessions aim to inspire a lifelong commitment to sustainable living and knowledge sharing.Engage in dialogues and panel talks on pressing topics like "Peace on Earth" and "Land, Sea & Sky," featuring experts and activists.Celebrate with live music performances from local artists.Join us at the festival to learn, empower, and share knowledge as we build a brighter future together.Why come to the festival?This free festival shines a light on the urgent challenges humanity faces and the potential for positive change. It aims to inspire collective action for a sustainable global society, emphasising respect for nature, human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Join us in envisioning and building a brighter future together.The Seeds of Hope and Action Exhibition, co-created by the lay Buddhist organisation
Soka Gakkai International and Earth Charter International, highlights the urgent need for sustainable practices and offers a positive vision for sustainable living, contributing to the realisation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aiming for a just, equitable and sustainable world by 2030.Featuring 25 panels, the exhibition uses the “Learn, Reflect, Empower, Lead” formula outlined in Daisaku Ikeda’s proposal on education for sustainable development and It's a powerful reminder that collective efforts, no matter how small, can lead to a more sustainable and equitable future.
Event Programme
All experiences are free of charge.
School workshops require advance booking and are not open to the general public.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the Seed of Hope and Action exhibition opens at 14:00 Saturday opens at 10:00
Wednesday 27th:
13:30 Doors open to the public
14:00 - 14:30 Opening ceremony with Justine Marchant, SGI UK General Director
15:00 - 16:00 "Non-Violence - the Cornerstone of Human Revolution", panel discussion with:
Hayley Morgan, Chief Executive Welsh Centre for International Affairs
Jill Evans, Vice Chair CND Cymru
Dr Luci Attalla, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wales, Director of UNESCO-MOST Brigdes
Kyoko Gibson, SGI-UK
19:00 - 20:00 "Peace on Earth", multi faith panel discussion with representives from different religions, including SGI-UK, Church of Wales, Skanda Vale Monastery and others.
20:15 Wrap up for the day
Thursday 28th:
9:30 Primary Schools Workshops*
12:30 Secondary Schools Workshops*
14:00 Exhibition opens to the general public
16:00 - 18:00 "Education for Transforming our Future", Educators Forum
(Speakers at 16.30)
20:15 Wrap up for the day
Friday 29th:
9:30 Primary Schools Workshops*
12:30 Secondary Schools Workshops*
14:00 Exhibition opens to the general public
18:30 Wrap up for the day to allow visitors and supporting staff to attend
“Oh What a Lovely War” in the theatre downstairs (starting at 19:00).
It's a University of Wales Trinity Saint David student performance
with an anti-war message, which we totally support.
For more info, tickets and alternative dates please visit the following link: www.ticketsource.co.uk/tsd
Saturday 30th:
10:00 Opening
‘This is Our Age’ Festival Day
There will be various stalls and various brief talks about different projects
relating to Earth, Sea and Sky, inviting dialogues in a World Cafe style.
TALKS & PERFORMANCE:
11:00 Abel Pearson from Glasbren
11:45 Pam Evans O.B.E from Peace Mala
12:30 Cian Llewelyn from Coetiranian / Cambrian Wildwood
14:00 Sweet Harmonies and Preseli Voices - Choir performance
15:00 Jill Sutton from FairTrade
17:00 Festival ends
What are the 17 SDGs?
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to transform our world. They are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. It is critical that no one is left behind.
No Poverty: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
Zero Hunger: Achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Quality Education: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Decent Work and Economic Growth: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
Reduced Inequality: Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Responsible Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources.
Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests sustainably, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who organised the festival?The festival is organised by a group of volunteers, all local members of the lay Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai UK.How to get there?All the info related to travel is available at this link.However we'd like to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible and invite you
to use public transport if the option is available to you.We’re offering a free transport service between Carmarthen train station and the venue. Advance booking is highly recommended and can be obtained by sending an email with the required time and number of travellers to the following email address:[email protected]The transport team will also be reachable at the following number:07443645968How much does parking cost?Parking fees:
Up to 30 minutes free
Up to 4 hours: £1.50
Up to 8 hours: £2.50
Up to 24 hours: £5.00Payable at paybyphone.co.uk or via their app. Location: 807588All the info related to parking on site for a fee is available at this link.However there's a free carpark a few minutes walk from the campus. It's at the junction with the traffic light just up from the university. The access to the free part is from Ffordd Pendre. (There is another access from a different road which is clearly marked as being for staff only.)Here is a link to Google map.Is this event family-friendly?Absolutely, people of all ages are welcome.Is there somewhere on-site where I can purchase food?Merlin Restaurant at the Halliwell Centre is open for light lunches between 12:00 and 14:00. The other cafe in the old university building is open for light refreshments on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 to 15:30.Is the venue accessible for wheelchair users?Yes, Wheelchair access is available throughout the venue.Are pets allowed?No, sorry only guide dogs are allowed (we’re just adhering to the venue’s rules).Will photos or videos be taken during the event?Yes, photographs and video recordings will be taken during the event and are likely to appear on official SGI/Soka Gakkai’s (Japan and overseas) and SGI-UK's websites, publications and social channels. If you would prefer not to be photographed, please let the photographer(s) know. They will be wearing distinctive lanyards. Please refer to privacy policy for SGI-UK
(sgi-uk.org/Privacy-Policy-1) as it contains important information on who they are and how and why they collect, store, use and share your personal information as well as your rights.Can I take photos or videos at the event?Yes but please be respectful and double check with other visitors if they might be included in your pictures. We want this to be a safe and enjoyable space for everyone, so please be mindful of what you’re sharing on social media. We would encourage you to not to post any clearly identifiable images of a person on social media platforms but, if you do post photos of identifiable faces and personal features, please make sure you have consent from them first. Please don’t include people under 18 in your social posts.How much does the event cost?All the events taking place during the 4 days festival are free. School workshops require advance booking by sending an email to:[email protected]Do I need to register for the event?No need to register, please just turn up. Unless you’d like a lift from Carmarthen train station, please see above.