June has been a little hectic to say the least. From Belfast to Bialystok, via Berlin, there has been a lot of time spent on trains and on staring out of train carriage windows as unfamiliar landscapes appear and disappear at speed. The Sybir Memorial Museum in Bialystok, Poland, was the setting for the third iteration of the Art of Remembrance Project and to me, it was the most atmospheric and dramatic setting so far. The sombre lighting and scenography throughout the ground section of the museum was a deliberate reflection of its role as a site of memory and memorial for all those who were deported from the region to Siberia and elsewhere during the Second World War. The few days I spent in Bialystok were governed by wind, rain and cold. When I reached Berlin for an overnight stay, I was glad of a bit of warmth and sun. By the time I reached Frankfurt the next day, there were heat warnings in place as the temperature in parts of Europe soared to unbearable levels. I will be glad to reach the more tolerable temperatures in Northern Ireland. We might complain about our weather but it is neither too hot or too cold compared say, to Siberia, or Southern Spain. It makes me question the future and wonder who will be able to live and work comfortably within their environment and who will have to struggle through unbearable heat? What are we prepared to share or give up so that we can all - people and creatures - live and breathe comfortably together? Is it more important to provide water to cool data centres, or to leave a bowl of water outside in the shade so a wasp can have a drink, or a bird a refreshing bath? I know what I believe. Change comes with small things.
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