Inspiring Change: 18 - 20 Nov, CTICC

Running concurrently with the Green Expo this weekend (18th - 20th Nov), the Cape Town Climate Change Coalition is hosting a gathering called Inspiring Change.

Held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 18 – 20 November 2011, this series of talks and demonstrations aims to stimulate fresh thinking and to share ideas about our city.

The gathering includes several cool aspects including the Siemens electric mobility roadshow, Pecha Kucha sessions, inspiring panellists deliberating on Cape Town's role in climate change solutions, site visits and a Carotmob.

The travelling exhibition by Siemens has already been in many parts of the world and makes its African debut in Cape Town. It aims to discuss technologies and solutions for topics such as energy supply and power grid infrastructure, clean drinking water, green transportation and traffic solutions.

A highlight of the tour stop in Cape Town will be the Siemens electric mobility exhibition, which features the eRuf Roadster, a Porsche that has been converted into an electric car. It also includes the Siemens eChopper, a custom made American chopper built by Orange County Choppers from the hit reality TV show, American Chopper.

eRuf Roadster

‘Inspiring Change' will comprise of two panel themes:

Great Expectations: Cities taking on climate change.

Can Cape Town be at the forefront of climate change solutions?

Speakers and panelists include Cormac Cullinan (Cullinan & Associates), Mark New (Pro Vice Chancellor, UCT), Tau Tavengwa (African Centre for Cities, UCT), Leonie Joubert (journalist), Robert Zipplies (environmental consultant), Sarah Ward (Energy and Climate Change: City of Cape Town) and others.

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning, Alderman Belinda Walker, says that this jam-packed programme will enable Capetonians to engage with some of the issues to be discussed at COP 17 in Durban.

The gathering will also include 10 Pecha Kucha sessions. This Japanese–style of presentation consists of 20 slides x 20 seconds per slide. Each presentation will highlight an existing, real-world project pertaining to climate change solutions in leading cities, presented by a project leader.

Presentations include:

Can design inspire climate change solutions? Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana, Cape Town Partnership, Chairperson: World Design Capital 2014 bid team

Arts for Climate Change. Virgina Mackenny, Michaelis School of Art, UCT

Is micro farming the key to the future? Rob Small, Abalemi Bezekhaya.