As always, the last post in any series of posts on a GA Conference is the details of the next one, which is at the University of Surrey in Guildford.This is going to be curated by Gill Miller, who has chosen the theme of 'Geography really matters'
Here's what she has to say:
As a community of geographers we know that geography matters – to us as individuals, to local communities, to national governments setting policies and priorities, to global players responding to international challenges and issues. However, many people don’t realise how central geography is to the way we live.
There are so many ways in which geography is fundamental to our lives, from physical landscapes, natural disasters, the characteristics of where we live, the energy we use, services we enjoy, the travel we undertake and the networks in which we engage. Geography gives young people a voice to speak up about their changing and interconnected world. It engages their curiosity and helps to equip them with the skills to investigate and engage with their local, national and global environments. Geography is a cornerstone in the continuing education of everyone, both young and old, helping to make us more effective local and global citizens.
We need to shout about the value of geography and its role in the development of our young people. It is time to remind pupils and parents, headteachers and school governors, politicians, businesses and media of geography’s essential value; to reinforce the power and contribution of geographical knowledge and understanding within ourselves as citizens and within our communities.
Consequently, I am setting our geographical community a challenge: undertake one activity in 2019-20 to show that geography really matters! It may be a letter to an MP or a government minister; a presentation to a school governing body; a group response to a local/national/global issue; a social media blog or vlog extolling the virtues of geography; a school-based activity …
Now is the time to take practical action to tell the world how important geography is and how much it really does matter.
Gill Miller, GA President 2019-2020
Join us in Guildford in April 2020.The best way of getting really involved in the conference is to offer a session, and then present it.
It adds an extra frisson to your time, and you have a few months to get your proposal in...
Image: Paula Owens and I at a previous Guildford conference
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