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The Futures Workshop

Episode Five: Sarah Mecartney on Backcasting

Aug 15, 2024
In this engaging discussion, Sarah Mecartney, Regional Director of Melanesia for the Pacific Community, shares her insights on backcasting and its role in futures planning. An expert in international development, she emphasizes integrating Indigenous knowledge into modern futurism. Sarah highlights the resilience found in ancient practices and the potential of the Pacific Pathfinder toolkit for empowering communities. Their conversation reveals the importance of inclusivity, collaboration, and honoring traditional perspectives to shape equitable futures.
48:46

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Backcasting as a futures tool enables communities to visualize their desired future and outline actionable steps to achieve it.
  • Integrating Indigenous wisdom with modern methodologies fosters inclusive decision-making, enriching futures thinking and ensuring relevance in local contexts.

Deep dives

The Role of Indigenous Wisdom in Shaping Futures

Indigenous wisdom plays a crucial role in creating equitable futures by providing diverse perspectives that can inform decision-making processes. This wisdom encourages a blend of ancient knowledge and modern tools to rethink existing systems and methodologies shaping our world. Through a commitment to reciprocity and participation, communities are empowered to co-create futures that respect traditions while also adapting to current challenges. By elevating Indigenous voices, we not only enrich futures thinking but also foster a more inclusive environment for diverse populations.

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