Now that this year’s conference is complete, here’s what panelists and participants are saying:
“Quite possibly the world’s first transdisciplinary conference linking mental health and climate change. People were engaged and engaging.”
- Dr. Glenn Albrecht, Professor of Sustainability, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia, established first solid links between climate change and mental health in groundbreaking Australia-based research
“Hard-hitting and thought-provoking — finally a conference about climate change that is saying something new…staring down the barrel at the real social challenges that we face ahead.”
- Corrina Grace, Founder and Executive Director, Project Seres, a not-for-profit that educates Indigenous Guatemalans on climate change impacts; formerly mechanical engineer and investment banker based in Australia
“I was pleased for my company to be an event sponsor, and also to personally participate in the dialogue. Far from being a removed conference of academics, Resilient People + Climate Change was a constellation of incredible connections and insight. The multidisciplinary nature of the speakers created a rich and deep experience for all that were there. A must attend for next year!”
- Phillip Djwa, Principal, Agentic – Humans Online, a leading communications agency that serves socially responsible businesses and NGOs
“Thanks for having Luisa [Dr. Luisa Maffi, Terralingua] and I participate in your 1st Annual Resilient People + Climate Change Conference. It was a very stimulating event and we thoroughly enjoyed being in the company of so many passionate and thoughtful people.”
- Dr. David Rapport, President of EcoHealth Consulting, one of the first scientists to have linked ecological health to human health, Saltspring Island, BC
- Dr. Luisa Maffi, Executive Director, Terralingua, one of the originators of the concept of “biocultural diversity,” Saltspring Island, BC
“Thank you for your efforts to pull together what I believe was a very successful gathering. There was a great deal of interest, expertise, and energy among the participants.”
- Dr. Carl M. Hild, Associate Professor, Public Health Administration, Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, Alaska
“Thanks so much for inviting my participation. It was amazing.”
- Hadas Levy, Videographer, Toronto, Canada
“An auspicious beginning for the ‘resilience movement.’”
- Rick Ingrasci, MD (Cornell), MPH (Harvard), co-founder, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Whidbey Island, Washington
“Thank you again for convening such an inspiring and catalyzing gathering!”
Jeet-Kei Leung, Community Manager, BC Compassion Club, Vancouver, BC, Canada
“I do genuinely appreciate your ability to facilitate exchanges amongst a diverse group and I commend you greatly for your efforts these past few days.”
- Fred Bushor, Political Studies Student, Langara College, Vancouver, BC, Canada
“Thanks for organizing a great conference. The discussions were thoughtful and thought provoking and the connections priceless. Look forward to continuing this dialogue and being part of something great!”
- Dr. Negar Elmieh, Ph.D. (UBC), MPH (Tufts), Vancouver, BC, Canada
“Thought-provoking and inspirational workshop… really like the framework of constructing a narrative to help guide me in thinking about how to weave some of these ideas into my work…. And I was interested to see this week that the editorial in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons highlighted the importance of climate change impacts on health….”
- Erin Burrell, MD, Psychiatry Residence Program, Year 3, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
