Cultural Resilience Network

Vision

Though many may argue that technology can save humanity, we believe that only CULTURE can do so.

Technology, when in service of Cultures that truly value Life in Diversity, can help us culture the Cultures we need for survival.

As it stands

Erroneous use of technology has put us on a constantly accelerating race towards the extinction of our species, along with millions of other species. To change course, we must draw from ancestral wisdom as we utilize technology to grow global cultural synapses that reconnect us to our fellow earthlings. Immense diversity of cultural expression has been developed by our common ancestors over hundreds of millennia to foster collaboration and compassion. Living, shared practices that connect us and give us a sense of meaning, while reminding us of our total inseparability from the global ecosystem. We are not “on this planet” we are an expression of the Life that this planet, as part of a much greater system, is capable of sustaining. By doing so can we regain the possibility of survival, not just from biological extinction, but also of all that which is unique and sublime in our common humanity. We must act now to tame the strong and potentially devastating powers that misdirected curiosity has let loose, and that greed has been quick to make its ally.

Background

While visiting many parts of this wondrous planet to work with groups of young musicians and dancers, lead by wise elders, it grew clear to Meandra founding member John Harding that when we are secure in our cultural heritage, we feel supported, and gain a healthy confidence in our personal power, which in turn makes us capable of compassion, collaboration, and respectful dialogue. Being grounded in shared cultural practices appears to be quite as important for the survival of our species as are the life supporting ecosystems that give us air, water and nutrition, since it builds motivation to work with inclusive values, towards shared goals.

This led to the idea to build a network of cultural activists who wish to learn from one another by sharing experiences and best practices, as well as music that moves, touches and inspires. As of now, we focus on music, but our intention is to expand to other artforms as well.

Invitation

Are you participating in an empowering cultural expression that involves the creation of new music?

Do you feel that your project could gain momentum and resilience through mutually supportive collaboration with others on the same path?

Please tell us all about it! Your experience is so valuable!

To become part of the Cultural Resilience Network, please fill out the form below. Participation is free of cost and applications will be moderated for relevance.

We look forward to growing this network together, learning how we can support each other to keep our endeavours effective and resilient, for as it has been said in the poetic Hopi prophecy: “We are the ones we have been waiting for”

Where we start

The first phase it consists of building a digital infrastructure for an open international network of music projects that all have in common that they create new music while also striving to contribute to inclusion, human rights, gender equality, sustainable development, and promote the right of children and young people to free creative expression and cultural diversity. The network will be a resource open to the public and also lays the foundation for a larger collaborative project that Meandra Association is currently applying for funds for through the Creative Europe, in collaboration with several other organisations. In the Network Section of the Meandra Association website, an open, searchable database of project presentations will gradually grow, as applications form for those wishing to join the network are added by the project moderators. The Cultural Resilience Network aims to increase the accessibility of socially and/or artistically innovative cultural projects of a type rarely seen in mainstream media, bringing many of these together in one place, and making it easier for them to find each other. The project is expected to contribute to stronger networks among socially engaged music creators, strengthened and facilitated by interaction with the other digital and physical projects that the Meandra Association runs.