About
This dynamic, interactive capacity-building session positions well-being, understood as individual, collective, and planetary flourishing, as a practical entry point for strengthening climate mitigation and adaptation action. Combining nature-connection exercises, live-guided drumming group work, climate-rap, and visual storytelling on Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness, it equips participants with experiential methods for fostering agency, inclusion, coherence and sustained engagement in climate action.
Capacity-building for climate action requires understanding of the deep interconnectedness between human and planetary well-being. The final goal of climate action is to sustain or improve the well-being of the planet through mitigation and to rebuild the well-being of individuals and communities affected by climate impacts through adaptation. The creative methods on which this session is built enhance the ability to learn, flourish and cooperate in order to find innovative solutions necessary for promoting climate action.
Target audience
Youth and other stakeholders interested in innovative hands-on methods to strengthen agency, cooperation, and collective engagement in climate action.
Organizations involved
United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).
Objectives
The session aims to achieve the following objectives:
- To strengthen participants’ understanding of the interdependence between human and planetary well-being and the relevance of well-being for fostering agency, motivation, and sustained engagement in climate mitigation and adaptation.
- To build practical capabilities to apply artistic and embodied methods, including nature-connection exercises, rhythm-based collaboration, and climate-rap, to foster group cohesion, creativity, and collective expression of climate concerns.
- To showcase lessons from the 1st UNU “Well-being Alliance” workshop in Bhutan through visual storytelling, illustrating how well-being-centered approaches can inform climate action, community engagement, and sustainable development practice.
Expected outcomes
As a result of participating in the workshop, participants are expected to gain:
- Enhanced understanding of well-being as an enabler of climate action.
- Strengthened practical capabilities for applying artistic and embodied methods in capacity-building activities.
- Practical insights from the 1st UNU “Well-being Alliance” workshop in Bhutan, including how well-being-centered policies can shape a sustainable future.
Agenda
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Time
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Segment and activities
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Speaker & Affiliation
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09:00–09:03
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Safe space and grounding
Welcoming participants and creating a shared space through breathing exercises accompanied by natural sounds.
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Moderators:
Dr. Yauheniya Shershunovich (UNU-EHS)
Prof. Xiaomeng Shen (UNU-EHS)
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09:03–09:08
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Welcome opening
Sharing lessons from the 1st UNU “Well-being Alliance” workshop in Bhutan and exploring the importance of well-being-centered approaches to sustainable development and climate action.
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Prof. Xiaomeng Shen
Vice-Rector in Europe & Director, UNU-EHS
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09:08–09:15
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Well-being tree exercise
Participants reflect on the factors most important to their well-being and what makes life meaningful, sharing their responses through a collective visual exercise.
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Moderators:
Dr. Yauheniya Shershunovich (UNU-EHS)
Prof. Xiaomeng Shen (UNU-EHS)
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09:15–09:25
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Reflection on well-being topics and connection to climate action
Identifying shared themes emerging from the exercise and connecting individual and collective well-being to planetary well-being and climate action.
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Moderators:
Dr. Yauheniya Shershunovich (UNU-EHS)
Prof. Xiaomeng Shen (UNU-EHS)
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09:25–09:35
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Guided drum circle: Building collective connection
Participants follow simple rhythmic patterns in a collaborative exercise demonstrating how different people and perspectives can work together towards collective climate action.
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Facilitator:
Dr. Yauheniya Shershunovich (UNU-EHS)
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09:35–09:45
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Climate rhythm and collective chant
Participants work in small groups to develop short rhythmic messages, wishes or commitments inspired by shared well-being themes and climate concerns.
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Moderators:
Dr. Yauheniya Shershunovich (UNU-EHS)
Prof. Xiaomeng Shen (UNU-EHS)
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09:45–09:52
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Putting it all together: Drum meets climate rhythm
Groups share their rhythmic messages while others maintain a collective beat, bringing individual values together into a shared expression of climate action.
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Moderators:
Dr. Yauheniya Shershunovich (UNU-EHS)
Prof. Xiaomeng Shen (UNU-EHS)
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09:52–10:00
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Reflection and closing
Participants reflect on how well-being, creativity and collective connection can strengthen their capacity for climate action.
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Moderators:
Dr. Yauheniya Shershunovich (UNU-EHS)
Prof. Xiaomeng Shen (UNU-EHS)
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Relevant links
This session is part of the Capacity-building Hub at COP31.