Festival to enlighten and inspire

Spend a weekend with like-minded people who believe in promoting a greener future

SINGAPORE (Oct 28): Powered by Holland & Barrett, The Conscious Festival organised by Green Is The New Black is returning for its fifth edition on Nov 2 and 3 at South Beach. In its journey to become a zero-waste and vegan event, the festival’s aim is to show that fun and sustainability can go hand in hand.

The message of sustainability is imparted to the public in the form of fun activities such as a marketplace that will feature 100 mindful brands, delicious and healthy eats, organic alcohol, interactive art, and games with a purpose.

There will also be transformational talks (ticketed), where local and international conscious brand experts, entrepreneurs and business owners will speak about their journey towards making meaningful changes in their industries. The four sessions are:

• Live — Collaboration Not Conflict (Nov 2, 10.50am to 1.30pm);

• Business — Ethical Opportunities in the Climate Crisis (Nov 2, 2.20pm to 5pm);

• Consume — Rising Seas, Rising Youths (Nov 3, 10.50am to 1.30pm); and

• Fashion — Dressing with Sense and Sustainability (Nov 3, 2.20pm to 5pm).

Inspired by an expedition to the Arctic Circle earlier this year, where Green Is The New Black co-founders Stephanie Dickson and Paula Miquelis witnessed the effects of global warming firsthand, The Conscious Festival 2019 is themed Climate Change is Real.

“This year has been a huge one for the planet,” says Dickson. “We’ve seen eco-anxiety grip the world and fires obliterate the Amazon, and climate deniers are in power. But we’ve also seen more people fighting the good fight, and movements such as #FridaysForFuture and Extinction Rebellion instil some hope in humanity. It’s during times like these that I feel both disempowered, yet full of hope. However, I’m still optimistic that our actions can turn this around. Anyone feeling lost or needing a little extra help navigating this paradigm will find themselves not alone at the festival, but instead among a community where we can take action and grow together as a collective.”

Miquelis says: “The biggest threat to mankind is not climate change but our ability to collaborate to fight it. Solutions already exist in the form of, for instance, solar panels, carbon sequestration and slowing down the crazy rate in which we consume… Now is the time to put ego aside and empower companies and individuals to take action. This is our focus at Green Is The New Black.”

The Conscious Festival - Powered by Holland & Barrett and organised by Green Is The New Black

Venue: South Beach, 26 Beach Road

Date: Nov 2 and 3 (Saturday and Sunday)

Time: 11am to 7pm

Admission: Free for the marketplace; tickets required for the talks (www.facebook.com/ events/855138511524643; thetalkscfsg19.eventbrite.sg)

Website: greenisthenewblack.com