2020 has often offered a relentless focus on the negative. For our Annual Symposium in December we wish to focus enthusiastically upon the positive.

Over 5-10 December, the Landscape Research Group will host online a series of live and recorded events, inspired by the work of eminent human geographer Yi-Fu Tuan, on landscape and goodness.

To celebrate Tuan’s 90th birthday on 5 December, we’ll be speaking to him in conversation, which begins our programme of global events – submitted by you! – exploring how landscapes can contribute to well-being and social good.

Contribute to the events programme

We are currently inviting event contributions from our members and wider community network, pondering the challenge:

The word ‘landscape’ can denote two different ways of thinking about people’s place in the world. On the one hand, it places human beings at the centre of things, where virtue is to be found in crafting ‘scapes’ or ‘scenes’. On the other, it suggests that we are just one part of complex ecological ecosystems, part of the ‘land’, where virtue is to be found acting humbly as a member of that community.

Which of these virtues will it be in the 21st century? The goodness of vaunting creativity or the goodness of letting be?

We are seeking contributions from all over the world in any time zone at any time during 5-10 December. Contributions in any virtual format will be considered, for example:

… anything. We encourage events to be light in terms of the organisation required, and short in length. There is no minimum length, but a maximum of one hour.

The only requirements are that at least one participant in each contribution must be a Landscape Research Group member (join here) and that each must also address the theme of ‘landscape and goodness’ and/or address the challenge above.

Each selected contribution to the event programme will receive an honorarium of £200.

Deadline for submissions Thursday 12 November. Please note we may accept submissions prior to this date. Contribute using the simple form below; include sample media if appropriate.

Booking

The events will be open to the public to attend. Booking will open when the event programme is finalised in mid-November. All events will be recorded and subsequently added to our new online platform, the Landscape Exchange (LEX).

If you’d like to know when event registrations open to attend, click here to stay in touch.