Climate workshop uses theatre to build resilience in communities

Communities can build resilience to growing climate threats through creativity, leadership and collective action, says New Zealand climate activist and theatre practitioner Sophie Jerram, who is leading a workshop in Suva.

The workshop, titled Roots and Rising Seas, explores how communities can prepare for rapid environmental changes caused by climate change, including cyclones, flooding, power outages and food shortages.

Hosted at the invitation of Fiji Museum director Andy Lowe, the programme encourages participants to think beyond human impacts and consider how disasters affect other species, including bats, fish, turtles, trees and other wildlife.

Ms Jerram, from Wellington, New Zealand, said the workshop aimed to help people anticipate climate-related challenges and become leaders within their communities.

“I would like to think that the moment of change, when we are realising that so many parts of climate change are affecting us, can also be a pivotal moment for us to stand up and become more leaders for our communities,” she said.

The initiative builds on a workshop first conducted in a Wellington community two years ago, where residents explored how to respond when storms disrupted essential services such as electricity, internet access and food supplies.

The model was later adapted for theatre-makers in Borneo, Malaysia, before being brought to Fiji.

Drawing inspiration from Brazilian theatre practitioner Augusto Boal, the workshop uses participatory theatre techniques to transform participants from passive observers into active problem-solvers.

Boal’s approach encourages people to see themselves as actors capable of creating change in everyday life.

Ms Jerram said community-driven leadership would become increasingly important as climate impacts intensified across the Pacific.

The interactive workshop combines movement, discussion and creative exercises to encourage participants to think critically about disaster preparedness while fostering a sense of collective responsibility and hope.

Roots and Rising Seas focuses on how theatre can support climate resilience by helping communities imagine, rehearse and strengthen their responses to future environmental challenges.