Flourish

The Centre for Human Ecology presents Flourish – stories and songs of diverse heritage as a living commons, shared through food cultures and the arts.

We’ll explore these heritages as a living commons for economic activity that sustains wealth and power within local communities. The resulting discussion will feed into the wider conversations of the Dear Green Commons event series on how to nurture and protect the commons across the city in just and equitable ways.

Contributors:
Pinar Aksu, Diana Quintana Cataño, Zarina Ahmad, Fergus Walker, Moogety Garden and Svenja Meyerricks

Dr Pinar Aksu (keynote) is a Research Associate on multilingualism and learning for sustainability and a Research Affiliate with the UNESCO Chair RIELA at the University of Glasgow. Pinar recently completed her PhD on art practices for social change and access to justice in migration. Pinar is also a campaigner and activist on asylum, immigration, law, and politics. She is interested in finding connections between solidarity, art, justice, and the law with migration, with a focus on creating welcoming communities through critical dialogue and understanding of one another.

Zarina Ahmad (panel) is a feminist climate change and race equality activist. She is also a doctoral researcher at the University of Manchester on food and environmental sustainability in immigrant households.

Diana Quintana Cataño (panel & busker in residence) is a community educator, artist and organiser shaped by feminist and popular education traditions from Latin America. She has participated in grassroots organising in Argentina, Colombia and Scotland around collective memory, land struggles and social justice.

Fergus Walker (panel) is The Orchard Project’s Project Manager for Glasgow and Strathclyde. Fergus grew up on his family croft in the Isle of Skye and this formative education sowed the seeds of an ongoing interest in sustainable food production. He is a founder and chair of practical projects to support small scale and cooperative food growing in Scotland.

Moogety Community Garden (stall) is a ‘practically existing commons’ space in Govan where the community contributes and learns gardening skills and gets involved in the community.

Dr Svenja Meyerricks (host, Centre for Human Ecology) is a human ecologist who works in regional climate networks. Her main interests are grassroots commoning processes, regenerative food production and degrowth and wellbeing economics. She is also a former Govan resident and co-founded Moogety Garden.

Flourish is part of the Centre for Human Ecology’s event series Dear Green Commons, which explores how to share a city by nurturing and protecting our commons.

Entry is free/donation-based, but booking is required. All are welcome.

Supported by the Glasgow 2026 Festival.