ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

The School of Art History–led  research project, recently recognised with the inaugural International Council of Museums (ICOM) Award for Sustainable Development Practice in Museums, co-hosted a Youth and Climate Symposium in collaboration with the Barbados Museum & Historical Society (BMHS). The event brought together young people, researchers, community practitioners, and environmental experts to explore the role of heritage in addressing the climate emergency. 

The ICOM Award, presented at the 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai, recognised the project’s transnational youth exchange between Barbados and the Outer Hebrides. Selected from 130 submissions across 60 countries, Shared Island Stories was commended for its innovative, community-driven approach to addressing interconnected challenges facing island communities, including climate change, coastal erosion, heritage loss, and economic precarity. The initiative was particularly noted for its youth empowerment model, transnational collaboration, and sustainability-centred approach to museum practice.

Building on this recognition, the Youth and Climate Symposium, led by Art History Research Fellow Jamie Allan Brown and Kaye Hall, Education and Community Outreach Officer at BMHS, provided a dynamic platform for reflection and exchange. Held at BMHS, the symposium foregrounded the voices of young people as change-makers shaping sustainable futures across island communities, reinforcing the role of museums as civic spaces for climate action, intergenerational learning, and community resilience.

The symposium programme combined keynote contributions, youth-led discussions, and expert insights on traditional ecological knowledge and climate resilience. Young participants shared their experiences of heritage, climate action, and community change, highlighting the importance of inclusive and participatory approaches to global environmental challenges.

The event also featured contributions from researchers and practitioners working across heritage and environmental fields, including sessions on Caribbean botany and marine conservation. These discussions were complemented by field visits to Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary and Walkers Reserve, enabling participants to engage directly with Barbados’ environmental landscapes and reflect on the interconnections between natural and cultural heritage.

Supported by funding from the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Centre for Critical Sustainabilities (StACCS), the symposium also welcomed contributions from Andrew Whitehead, a former  youth participant from the Isle of Skye. Now working at the   and serving as the youngest Board Member of , he shared reflections alongside young participants from the BMHS Junior Curators programme, illustrating the long-term impact of youth engagement in heritage and sustainability.

The symposium is funded through a collaboration between the UKRI-funded Shared Island Stories Between Scotland and the Caribbean: Past, Present, Future research project and the StACCS-funded Growing Climate Resilience and Regeneration through Intergenerational and Transnational Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Skills Exchange project. Together, these initiatives reflect a shared commitment to advancing climate resilience, heritage knowledge exchange, and intergenerational learning across island contexts.

Led by Professor Karen Brown at the University of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø, Shared Island Stories brings together interdisciplinary research across history, heritage studies, and sustainable development to examine the relationships between Scotland and the Caribbean. The project places particular emphasis on youth engagement, co-production, and the role of museums in addressing contemporary global challenges.

The Youth and Climate Symposium further strengthens the partnership between the University of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and BMHS, building on ongoing collaboration through the project’s transnational youth exchange programme.

Shared Island Stories research was selected by the European Research Council (ERC) and is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under grant reference EP/X023036/1. This and the StACCS-funded Growing Climate Resilience and Regeneration through Intergenerational and Transnational Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Skills Exchange project are coordinated by the School of Art History at the University of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

Image caption:

(Left to right) Kaye Hall, Education and Community Outreach Officer [BMHS]; Jamie Allan Brown, School of Art History Research Fellow; Shared Island Stories Youth Participants; and Alissandra Cummins, Museum Director [BMHS], with the ICOM Award. Photo: Jamie Allan Brown.