ATMEN- Impact Programma

How can we contemplate a future in times of climate crisis and global catastrophes? Can we be hopeful without falling into naive optimism?

For ATMEN, our choreographer and artistic director Nicole Beutler drew inspiration from, among other sources, the book "The World Without Us" by Alan Weisman. In it, he outlines what would happen to the world if humans were to suddenly disappear. While we can envision a world without humans, can we also imagine a world where humans continue to exist, but relate to the world in a different way? Can we - from our current perspective - envision a world where humans no longer place themselves above nature?

Together with various theaters in the Netherlands, we present an impact program featuring lectures, discussions, and meetings where we delve deeper into our relationship and position with respect to the planet. Together, we also explore the possibility of looking into the distant future from a perspective beyond human. Imagine planting a tree in the square in front of the theater, and suppose that without human interference, it is allowed to live for 400 years. How will that tree see its environment change? In what kind of world are we planting it?

The evening begins with "OVER HOOP" by Collectief Walden; a short 30-minute lecture performance in which philosopher and dramaturge Thomas Lamers disarmingly explores the balance between hope and despair regarding the climate crisis.

In the foyer, you will also find a clothing swap market where you can refresh your wardrobe without harming the environment, silent disco headphones that allow you to listen to the introductory podcast about the performance and learn all about Nicole Beutler's working methods, a reading table, and an activist exhibition by the artist collective Sunflower Soup.

Midway through the evening, there will be a special panel discussion in the setting of Collectief Walden's decor. Participants in this discussion will adopt a plant and envision its future. Where does this organism like to live, how will it develop in the coming years, and what adventures and dramas will they and their offspring witness in the wilderness of time? After the discussion, it's time for action. Everyone is invited to take their plant home or place it in the neighborhood as a 'guerrilla gardener', thus caring for the big future in the small.

The program, design, and times may vary per theater. Keep an eye on the theater's website for activities and times of the impact program in your city, arrive an hour before the start, bring your old clothes, and 'let's IMPACT together!'

Panelists and speakers of our Impact Program

Panelists June 21 and 22, 2024 O. FESTIVAL FOR OPERA. MUSIC. Theater Rotterdam

Groenemorgen - Raymond Landegent

Raymond Landegent (1986) is a green-driven program maker, event organizer, and initiator. With his agency Groenemorgen, he operates at the intersection of nature, creativity, and connection. He is a co-founder of the socially sustainable hub OASE Rotterdam and has initiated various inspiring events and campaigns, including Vegan festivals, 1000 Geveltuinen, NK Tegelwippen, and the launch of the Nationaal Park Rotterdam campaign in 2023. His mission is to reconnect people (including himself) with the magic of all life on earth.

Stadskwekerij - Eva Bes

Eva is one of the initiators of Stadskwekerij De Kas, a foundation run by volunteers and established since 2018. De Kas contributes to biodiversity in the city. City dwellers can find lovingly grown plants for their garden or balcony here, without the use of pesticides and fertilizers. They also provide advice, inspiration, and information on natural greenery and rainwater usage. Only greenery that adds value to animals, including birds, butterflies, bumblebees, and bees, is offered. Everything within the foundation is done as circularly as possible, with ecological responsibility, sustainability, and indigenous considerations. The location has proven to be a pleasant place for other organizations to use for meetings, gatherings, and workshops, leading to cross-pollination between people and initiatives.

Dakakker - Emile van Rinsum

Emile is a pioneer in urban sustainability. As co-founder of the DakAkker, a rooftop farm atop Het Schieblock in Rotterdam, he has set the tone worldwide for urban rooftop farming. His vision and actions have had a lasting impact on how we approach urban development and sustainable food production. Emile emphasizes that city roofs offer enormous opportunities for greenery, food production, and recreation, playing a crucial role in shaping more sustainable cities of the future. Born and raised in Rotterdam, Emile has a diverse background as a theater director, theater maker, neighborhood development worker, and creator of the "opzoomeren" movement. His involvement with Radio Rijnmond as a co-founder and board member testifies to his broad societal impact.

Studio Inscape - Willie Vogel

Founded by Charlotte von Meijenveldt, Willie Vogel, and Eileen Stornebrink, Studio Inscape sees architecture as an extension of the environment. As architects, they approach their work at the intersection of research, spatial strategies, experiences, installations, and architecture. They aim for a balance between mental, social, and environmental aspects in their designs. With experience in designing spatial strategies, installations, and experiences that focus on human-non-human interactions, they enjoy collaborating with various disciplines to translate ecological-philosophical theories into practice within the built environment.

Moderator: Angelika Geronymaki

Angelika Geronymaki (Heraklion, 1986) creates and writes, working as a theater programmer and educator, poet, and presenter. She studied Cultural Studies in Rotterdam and holds a degree in Theater Education. In her programs, she advocates for accessibility as a quality. In poetry, she explores the human condition: seeking to understand it, magnify it, or propose a new reality. Her work often addresses global wounds caused by the ecological crisis. She serves as fiction editor at Hard//Hoofd and develops programs for young people, target groups, and education at Theater aan de Schie.

Panelists May 1, 2024 Schouwburg Hengelo

CCS Energieadvies - Ruurd van Schaik

Ruurd van Schaik, with a background in Higher Agricultural Education, specializing in Tropical Agriculture, worked for several years in Bénin, West Africa. After 20 years at the local waste processor De VAR in Apeldoorn, where he was responsible for the Engineering department and involved in composting and fermenting organic waste, Ruurd has been working at CCS-Energieadvies for seven years. There, he focuses on developing biogas hubs, allowing farms to ferment their own manure. In his free time, he volunteers at the Deventer Energie Coöperatie and serves as a language buddy. Ruurd enjoys his vegetable garden in the summer and loves running and swimming in the IJssel.

Heerenboeren - Michiel Schipper

Michiel Schipper, board member of Herenboeren Oale Esch in Hengelo-Borne, advocates for collaboration in sustainable food production. He emphasizes the loss of connection with food due to mass purchases in supermarkets. As a Herenboer, you are the owner, entrepreneur, producer, and consumer of your own farm, where fresh seasonal products are grown without chemicals. With experienced farmers on staff, they aim for a healthy soil and biodiversity. Cooperative members can participate in various activities and work on the land. On January 1, 2025, the farm outside Borne, near Hengelo, will open as part of the growing network of Herenboerderijen in the Netherlands. For more information and participation, visit the website: hengelo-borne.herenboeren.nl

Moderator: Dan Hartenberg

Dan Hartenberg, an Enschede resident with 10 years of experience in the construction sustainability sector, has been leading Green Hub Twente at the University of Twente since 2023. He oversees a team of 30 students working on sustainable transitions in education, research, and business operations. His motivation mainly comes from his 3 children. Dan says, "The realization that they will be on this earth for another 70-80 years scared me. Since having children, I have become even more radical in making our lives as sustainable as possible. Fortunately, I can now do this daily in my work; collaborating and being inspired by a new generation. Together, we strive to make the sustainable choice always the most logical choice within the UT.

Panelists April 6, 2024, Stadsschouwburg Utrecht:

Jasmijn Vrooland

Jasmijn feels the impact of the climate crisis deeply. She is dedicated to the environment in various ways, from her work to her food choices, purchases, and even in her home and neighborhood. Her dream of a flower meadow inspired her to plant a vacant piece of land in her neighborhood in 2021. Despite challenges such as poor soil and a limited budget, flowers are now growing, albeit not as abundantly as hoped. More importantly, this greenery attracts insects and birds, making her efforts worthwhile. Although the land will eventually be developed, she and her neighborhood currently enjoy this green spot in their otherwise not-so-green environment.

Puk

Puk (46 years old, she/her), from the forested area of Amerongen, is a passionate rebel at Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Christian Climate Action (CCA), who has been concerned about the environment since the 1980s. Puk played the lead role in the environmental end-of-year musical in 8th grade and has never let go of the topic since then. It became "real" for her with the birth of her daughter. There must be a livable planet left for her, and if nothing happens now, what legacy are we leaving her? In her daily life, Puk works in ICT and tries to make an impact there. Since late 2022, Puk has been fully immersed in activism. In addition to participating in demonstrations with XR and CCA, she provides action training, speaks at events, and acts as a spokesperson during actions and demonstrations.

Moderator Lien Knuyt

Lien Knuyt, 37 years old, originally from Zeeland but residing in Utrecht for 18 years, is a passionate sustainability advisor with a deep-rooted passion for climate psychology. In 2012, she obtained her degree in Social Psychology from Utrecht University, and since then, it has been her calling to dedicate herself to the climate and nature sector. For her, technical solutions to climate change are available, but the crucial challenge lies in mobilizing people for behavioral change, an essential step towards a livable future. As a trainer at Extinction Rebellion, she shares her expertise in climate conversations, using the methodology of the Climate Conversations Foundation. She firmly believes that maintaining connection, even in cases of conflicting views on climate change, is vital. Her conviction is that a deep understanding of psychology is essential to inspire and encourage people to adopt more sustainable behavior. With her work, she hopes to plant seeds of change, knowing that even a small conversation has the potential to make a big impact.

Panelists February 28th and 29th, 2024 Leidse Schouwburg:

Marieke Halenbeek

Marieke Halenbeek, a social and organizational psychologist, has over 25 years of experience supporting organizations in the field of leadership. She is a program manager at Nyenrode and is known for her ability to broaden perspectives and challenge people. Marieke is also involved in writing stories about sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Merijn Tinga

Merijn Tinga, also known as the Plastic Soup Surfer, is a Dutch biologist, surfer, and environmental activist. Since 2014, he has been working to stop plastic pollution, with successful campaigns such as the introduction of a deposit on small plastic bottles. His expeditions and activism have gained worldwide attention and have led to concrete changes in policy and consumer behavior.

Maxime Boersma

Nature teacher at the Hortus botanicus Leiden, where she combines her passion for nature and teaching. She takes children on playful adventures through the garden and greenhouses, introducing them to plants and animals from around the world in an interactive and creative way. Her focus is on wonder and inquiry-based learning, aiming to inspire children to cherish and protect nature. She organizes dance and yoga for preschoolers and nature clubs, as well as school projects for primary school students. Additionally, she has developed an illustrated book and game about sidewalk plants, called the City Nature Games Map and the City Nature Scavenger Hunt, to make urban flora accessible to everyone.

Floor Pino

Floor is the program manager for the Climate Adaptive City at The Green Village, a place where various parties collaborate on sustainable solutions for cities and built environments. Her work focuses on developing initiatives to make cities resilient to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme rainfall, drought, and heat. With her background in social sciences, including cognitive psychology, and her experience in policy fields of various ministries, she views climate adaptation from different perspectives. Floor believes that involving social and policy aspects alongside technical challenges is essential to achieve innovation that has an impact on a sustainable future.

Moderator: Liselotte Rambonnet

Liselotte Rambonnet is a moderator biologist and co-founder of De Grachtwacht. She is known as an expert moderator in the field of sustainability and is actively involved in research on citizen science at Leiden University. Additionally, she volunteers at the animal ambulance and is listed in the Top 50 of Leiden women.

Panelists January 19th & 20th, 2024 Het Nationale Theater- Koninklijke Schouwburg

Bernard Ter Haar

Bernard ter Haar (1955) is a physicist and economist with a long career in the Dutch government. He has held various positions, including Director-General of the Environment and Director-General of Social Security and Integration. Currently, he guides complex policy programs and holds a freelance role. He was chairman of the Expert Team Energy System 2050, which recently presented an Outlook on the transition to a climate-neutral energy system. He is also a member of the think tank DenkWerk, which released a report on the agenda for the Netherlands towards 2040: "Netherlands in motion." Bernard has been advocating for more attention to long-term visions both within and outside the government for some time. He believes that an attractive vision of the future motivates people to pursue common goals.

Annechien Meier

Her work focuses on communication in both urban and landscape environments. With her art projects, she explores how people live and dwell in various habitats. By interacting with visitors, she creates awareness of the environment. Her multidisciplinary approach includes collaborations with other artists and professionals. Recently, she focused on the overarching theme of microclimates, in collaboration with filmmaker Gert-Jan Gerlach. This has led to the establishment of the Laboratory for Microclimates, focused on awareness, participation, and a positive impact on the environment and nature.

Since 1998, (community) gardens and urban agriculture have been central to her work. She explores the social changes that can arise from urban agriculture and develops art projects that serve as examples for urban green policies. One of her projects, the Panderplein project, transformed a historic square in The Hague into a sustainable urban community garden, increasing the interactive function of public space.

Sara Vrugt

Artist Sara Vrugt (1981) uses textiles as a medium to express her vision of society and to take action. She creates monumental embroidery installations, where collaboration is essential. Her work focuses on sustainability, awareness, and collaboration, with nature and the human relationship with it as central themes. Sara creates temporary biotopes to reflect the world and make an impact. Her project "One Hundred Thousand Trees and a Forest of Thread" reflects her despair about attitudes towards nature and the climate crisis, embroidering a forest and planting 100,000 trees. Her work falls under craftivism, using art as a gentle form of activism, advocating for better observation and action.

Liane Lankreijer

Global issues emphasize our interconnectedness: our food and health depend on nature, and our actions have global consequences. Liane Lankreijer positively contributes to awareness of these connections by stimulating activation and connection.

From the beginning, she has been involved in Lekkernassûh, where organic vegetables are obtained directly from local farmers at fair prices. As the founder of Ons Eten Den Haag, she established an association where residents and food initiatives can join to share knowledge and inspire people through bike rides and podcasts. This initiative led to the creation of the Hague Food Council, which advocates for an integrated food policy and encourages new collaborations for a sustainable food system.

Sam Swencke

After studying at The Hague University of Applied Sciences and Utrecht University, she was elected to the municipal council of Rijswijk with preferential votes. As a policy advisor for the Municipality of The Hague, she worked on climate adaptation and organized educational lectures on climate and sustainability.

During her work and political activities, she was involved in civil disobedience actions with Extinction Rebellion. After being identified during an action in February 2023, she resigned on principle to become a full-time climate activist. She now coordinates, among other things, the A12 blockades and provides action training.

Panelists 18 & 19 October 2023 International Theater Amsterdam

Bonnie Chopard

Bonnie Chopard utilizes her dual background to make regeneration tangible in architecture and landscape projects. Stichting Bodemzicht is an inspiration for her work with and for regenerative farmers. Nature-inclusive designing and building is a means and an opportunity to (re)connect with all non-human life sharing the Earth's biosphere with us. As Speaker for the Living in 'Zoöperations', she wants to embody a new attitude in organizations that feel the same calling. From anthropocentric to symbiotic, listening, observing, and acting. hands-on, learning by doing.

Speaker for the Living | The Zoöperative Model

Zoöp is an organizational model for collaboration between human and non-human life that serves the interests of all zoë (Greek for 'life'). In a world where the climate is going haywire and ecosystems are under pressure, humanity is seeking a balanced and sustainable relationship with nature. This alternative organizational model offers a radical reform where the voice of non-human life is heard.

Neal Powless

Neal Powless is an ombudsman at Syracuse University and, along with his wife Michelle Schenandoah-Powless, has founded Indigenous Concepts Consulting, bridging the ideals and culture of Native Americans with people from around the world. Neal is a co-producer of the feature film Crooked Arrows and the documentary Game of Life; Heart and Soul of the Onondaga. As a member of the Onondaga, Neal is part of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy of six united Native American nations (the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, and Tuscarora). The Haudenosaunee have had a global cultural influence on democracy, women's suffrage, and agriculture. The Haudenosaunee continue to practice their traditional ceremonies, way of life, and language despite centuries of genocidal aggression by the Canadian and American governments.

Stijn Nollen

Stijn Nollen is the city ecologist of the Municipality of Amsterdam and part of the monitoring collective 020Wildlife. As a city ecologist, he advocates for the greening of the city and the preservation of its flora and fauna. With the monitoring collective 020wildlife, he tries to increase awareness of the presence of nature in the city by capturing the lifestyle of animals in videos.

Marjan Slob

Marjan Slob (Giessenburg, 1964) has been working as an independent philosopher, speaker, and essayist for over twenty years. She sees it as her mission to increase insight and understanding without losing contact with reality. This mentality is evident in her columns and essays for the Volkskrant, Filosofie Magazine, and numerous other media outlets, and fuels the work she has been doing behind the scenes for years. Since April 1, 2023, she has been the 'Philosopher of the Netherlands' for two years.

Lisa Doeland

Lisa Doeland (1982) is a philosopher. She is affiliated with Erasmus University Rotterdam and the University of Amsterdam, where she teaches courses on contemporary issues such as the climate crisis, green ideology, and the Apocalypse. Her recent book, Apocalypsofie. About recycling, green growth, and other dangerous fantasies (2023), has been published.

Rosanne van Wijk and Ronald Boer of De Onkruideniers

The artist collective De Onkruideniers was founded in 2013. The collective (consisting of Jonmar van Vlijmen, Rosanne van Wijk, and Ronald Boer) explores historical, cultural, and potential transformations of nature and its possibilities to evolve humans. As ecosystem futurists, they speculate on aquatic culture to arrive at new interpretations of the relationship between humans and (urban) nature, both above and below sea level.

Questioning systems that are often taken for granted plays a significant role in their work. In the development of their work, interactions with the public and experts such as farmers, residents, and scientists lead to new stories.