The start of both days of CSI saw a poignant and mesmerising performance by the Shyam Troupe from Manipur titled Echos of Earth. The troupe used folk dance to show climate change’s impact on people - from creation to destruction to hope. The performance, which started with music, dance and visuals of harmony, transitioned to senses of smoke, fire and destruction, depicted also through the agitation and extreme discomfort and difficulty of snow lions was a powerful reinforcement of the need for us to connect, catalyse and solve. The start of the second day picked up the thread of destruction, but soon through the theme of “The Rekindling”, turned the tide, portraying a rekindling of hope with a call for action to work together towards common climate goals.

Ledem Mardi, a Santhali Language, Ol-chiki script, and Folklore expert performed a soulful song about loving and preserving one’s mother tongue, because without it, one is lost. Ledem Mardi is a member of the Tata Steel Foundation’s Tribal Identity - Tribal Languages Programme.