RCE Saskatchewan-2014
Duration of project:
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 to Tuesday, September 13, 2016
1. Describe coordination and management of the project. Please also reflect how the RCE as a network organisation has contributed to the project. (Character count 400 words):
The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is spearheading this project as part of an ongoing sustainability research program, in partnership other provincial organizations, including the Museums Association of Saskatchewan, SaskCulture, Heritage Saskatchewan, and Heritage Canada. Dr. Glenn Sutter, the SEI Steering Committee Chair is also the Coordinator of the RCE Saskatchewan "Adapting Cultures for Sustainability" Theme Area Working Group. RCE-Saskatchewan has also helped to raise the profile of the project and build momentum at demonstration sites including hosting an event on Living Laboratories and Eco-Museums held in Regina, Saskatchwan, on May 8, 2014, where 3 prospective eco-museums were profiled.
2. What are the current results of the project in terms of output (e.g. publications, developed practices, course materials)? (Character count 300 words):
Outputs to date include a provincial planning framework, two peer-reviewed papers (in review), half a dozen magazine and newspaper articles, community surveys and exhibit projects at ecomuseum sites, and curriculum for a new 200-level university course called Ecomuseums: Exploring Place.
3. What are the expected/confirmed outcomes (e.g. impact of the project, such as changed practices, improved capacity, institutional changes, etc.)? Please provide evidence where applicable. (Character count 400 words):
Through the SEI, there is now renewed interest in ecomuseums at the provincial and national level, and several Saskatchewan communities are studying or applying the model as pilot sites. Ecomuseums are now operating in Val Marie, Nipawin, and the Calling Lakes/Katepwa region, and others may soon take root in North Central Regina, Moose Jaw, and Wolesely.
Are there any unexpected/ unplanned results achieved by your project? If yes, briefly describe or list them. (Character count 200 words):
The planning framework has been especially popular and useful, since it provides clarity about the model, the realities of trying to develop an ecomuseum, key steps, and the resources required.
4. What are the remaining challenges and/ or limitations for further development? (Character count 300 words):
Challenges include supporting actions by individual demonstration sites, bringing their efforts to the attention of provincial, national and international stakeholders, providing opportunities for networking, and carrying out research that illuminates and spreads the word about best practices.
What is the project’s contribution to innovative and transformative educational processes for sustainable development (especially regarding formal/ non-formal learning/ research)? (Character count 500 words):
Ecomuseums are valuable sites for non-formal learning and ESD research. They operate by encouraging holistic forms of community engagement around current cultures, traditions, and other assets, helping people adapt to change and promote unique features of their regions. Their activities are based on empowering and innovative processes that involve critical thinking, understanding complex systems, imagining future scenarios, and making decisions in a participatory and collaborative way.
How can you scale up and mainstream ESD and SD practices of the project and enable it to contribute to the implementation of the Global Action Programme (GAP) as proposed by UNESCO? (Character count 300 words) :
Results of the SEI can be replicated through other RCEs and the global ecomuseum network, which includes hundreds of sites around the world. Ecomuseums are all about community engagement, so this will provide an effective way to “search for sustainable development solutions at the local level” (GAP commitment #5).
How does you project contribute institutional and policy reforms as part of sustainability change? (Character count 500 words):
This project is encouraging the Royal Saskatchewan Museum and other provincial organizations to move in new directions, confirming and building on their institutional commitments to ESD. The work is also extending and contributing to aspects of the Government of Saskatchewan’s "2010 Cultural Policy", by encouraging collaborative, community-based activities that protect and enhance a range of local heritage assets, including local traditions, stories, and other aspects of intangible heritage.
5. How does your project further improve capacities of various partners and stakeholders on the theme? (Character count 500 words):
Through this project, a number of communities and provincial organizations have started to develop a deeper understanding of sustainability and the contributions they can make to ESD. From a museum perspective, this involves going beyond standard museum operations (exhibits, programs, and outreach) to pursue collaborative projects aimed at local sustainability issues, and developing the capacity to assess and build on the outcomes of this community engagement activity.
6. How does your project link to the SDGs or other global frameworks (e.g. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030)? (Character count 300 words):
This project is highlighting the role that ecomuseums and other parts of the heritage sector can play in ESD. Many global linkages could result, as RCEs work with nearby ecomuseums and share insights about their potential as ‘living laboratories.’ RCEs in the Americas recently confirmed a strategic direction to network between eco-museums/living laboratories at the 3rd RCE Conference of the Americas hosted by RCE Western Jalisco in July, 2014.
What is novel about the project within the RCE network and what could other RCEs learn from this experience? (Answer only if relevant) (Character count 250 words):
This project shows how important heritage can be as a foundation or catalyst for ESD. Other RCEs are likely to gain insights about the potential that the heritage sector offers as part of the non-formal education system.
What is the significance of this project for the region? How important are its results for its particular project category? (Character count 250 words):
This project is responsible for renewed interest in ecomuseums at the provincial and national levels. It has also fostered a number of active demonstration sites and is starting to explore their potential as catalysts for community-based ESD.