Panel discussion sparks collaboration at Forest Midwife screening
On 08 November 2024, TU Dublin, held a screening of the celebrated ‘The Forest Midwife’ documentary with over 120 people in attendance and was followed by an engaging panel discussion at a special event at TU Dublin's Aungier Street campus.
The event was part of a series of Global Donut Days events and was hosted in partnership with Dublin South City Partnership, See the Light production company and Pocket Forests.
Panel discussion sparks collaboration
Following the screening, an engaging panel discussion brought together an inspiring group of diverse voices: Beta Bajgart (filmmaker), Catherine Cleary (Pocket Forests), Michelle Licciardi (Enterprise & Social Enterprise Manager, Dublin South City Partnership), Craig Douglas (nature educator and host of Feet on the Soil podcast) and André Almo (scientist, educator, and sustainability-focused game developer).
The evening proved to be an exemplar of the quintuple innovation helix framework at play with representatives in the audience and on the panel from;
- (1) education system,
- (2) economic system,
- (3) natural environment,
- (4) media-based and culture-based public (civil society),
- and (5) the political system.
Bringing together diverse voices and experiences meant that many seeds of collaboration were planted on the night which we hope leads to meaningful local action. During the event Michelle Licciardi reminded the audience of Simon Sinek's quote: "negative news paralyse us, positive action ignites us'.
If you would like to find out more about collaborations with communities or how to use Doughnut Economics tools, please contact Dr Lucia Walsh or Dr Olivia Freeman from TU Dublin's Sustainability Education team to discuss.
About the Forest Midwife documentary
A documentary film, The Forest Midwife follows writer and social entrepreneur Catherine Cleary and her work over the last year to transform a piece of land in Roscommon into a forest and nature reserve. The farm, in Corry, near Hillstreet, was bought by Catherine and her family and she has now planted a native woodland of more than 27,000 trees on the land. Produced and directed by filmmaker Beta Bajgart, the film includes a specially commissioned piece of writing by award-winning poet and author Kerri Ni Dochartaigh. It also features the voice of renowned Irish actor Mary McEvoy.
"The story of the documentary centres on Catherine’s work on the farm in Roscommon, but it’s more than a documentary promoting planting trees. Ultimately, it is a story about a woman who listens to her midlife calling, and about a relationship between humans and trees. It touches on a sensitive topic of farming and land ownership in Ireland and honours the hardship of working the land."