ANNOUCED: COUNCIL OF THE RAVEN, HANDS-ON EXHIBITION FOR CLIMATE HEROES

Mohammed Babazadeh, theatre director at Wereldmuseum Amsterdam’s Junior department, is looking forward to the newest exhibition for children and youth: “Since 1975, Wereldmuseum Amsterdam Junior (formerly Tropenmuseum Junior) has welcomed many generations as a successful children’s museum. After Ziezo Morocco and Sabi Suriname, the focus now shifts to the Earth. As a member of the Council of the Raven, you’ll learn about the environments of people across the globe, discover how everyone is connected to one another and to nature, and be inspired to contribute to a livable and just world. The exhibition offers an immersive and wonder-filled experience for families with children and school groups.” 

Council of the Raven immerses children in a world that engages all their senses and invites their active participation. They gain valuable knowledge and ideas for a sustainable relationship with the Earth. The exhibition also encourages them to share their ideas about the planet’s future. With contributions from scientists, filmmakers, and artists from the Netherlands and abroad, the Council of the Raven offers a profound and inspiring journey towards a fairer world. 

The children get to know Raymi from the Netherlands and Ivalu from Greenland, both members of the Council of the Raven. Ivalu guides young visitors through her homeland, Kalaallit Nunaat, “Land of the Greenlanders”. There, they witness the picturesque yet rugged Greenlandic landscape with its steep cliffs, arctic flowers, ice floes, and wild hills. They hop onto Malik’s dog sledge, test their balance test in hunter Lars’ kayak, and listen to the sounds of the melting glacier. They also engage with the stories of Greenlandic filmmaker Aká Hansen.  

At the Greenland Headquarters, Raymi guides the children to get in contact with indigenous communities in Peru, Morocco, and Bangladesh. These communities share how they coexist with their environment and cope with the effects of climate change. Through compelling, personal video portraits by documentary filmmakers Nicole Franken and Yvonne Dudok, a central theme emerges: water - or its absence - and the adaptation and resilience of these people. From alpacas and melting glaciers in Peru to desertification in Morocco and salinisation in Bangladesh.  

The creation of Council of the Raven has been in the works for over three years, with collaboration from numerous institutions and communities. Consultations were held with the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University (IMAU), and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI), along with various social scientists both in the Netherlands and abroad. Various primary schools, museums, artists, and community partners from Greenland and Denmark were also involved.  

Contemporary art plays a key role in the exhibition. For instance, Greenlandic artist Bolatta Silis Høegh has created a special artwork for this exhibition. Objects from Greenland’s material culture have been acquired to give the exhibition a contemporary and relevant feel. Films by Greenlandic filmmaker Aká Hansen, photographer Nicole Franken, and journalist Yvonne Dudock from Indigenous People Today tell deeply personal stories. 

Council of the Raven can be visited and experienced at Wereldmuseum Amsterdam from 13 December 2024. Educational programmes for primary and secondary schools will be available from March 2025. The exhibition runs until December 2028.  

The Council of the Raven is made possible with the support of Mondriaan Fonds, Zadelhoff Cultuurfonds en Fonds NME.

Wereldmuseum Junior  

Wereldmuseum Junior (formerly Tropenmuseum Junior) builds on nearly 50 years of experience using multidisciplinary approaches to convey stories about contemporary cultures. It is one of the oldest children’s museums in Europe.