Art connects human experience with climate crisis realities through The Earth Turns, a feature play from Adam Marple, assistant professor of directing, to be performed at COP27 and Falaki Theater at AUC Tahrir Square. Crafted from 12 stories about families experiencing different climate crises, including desertification, flooding and deforestation, Marple uses Egypt’s tradition of storytelling to bridge the gap between hard data and human emotions in his 40-minute production. The play will be followed by a discussion with the cast and crew, audience and scientists about the data behind the story.

“Facts and figures are fantastic and scientists are doing a really good job,” Marple said. “But at the end of the day, we need to humanize this. We want to connect emotion to these stories and to what’s happening to us.”  

Using props, costumes, and sets all made by the cast and crew, Marple hopes to make this production as sustainable as possible. Instead of using large lighting rigs, the cast will use battery-powered lamps, phones and flashlights. The actors, members of the AUC community, are involved in both the development of the story and the construction of the sets and props.  The play has been adapted from We Still Have a Chance: 12 Stories for 12 Days of COP27, an anthology of micro-stories produced by a UK-Egyptian collaboration including the University of Exeter, the Met Office and AUC and is funded by the British Council's Creative Commission Egypt for COP27. 

“This production has been unlike any other play I have taken part in because it is a collaborative process where we are creating something collectively,” explains actor Noah Abdel Razek ‘21. “I believe art is the best way to address any difficult topic. In theater, we engage with the audience’s emotions, which is perhaps the best way to get people to actually listen and care.”

Both the design of the props and set pieces and the content of the play itself stress the importance of individual autonomy. Abdel Razek sees an opportunity to encourage people in the community to make more eco-friendly choices. “I feel that in Egypt the majority of people aren’t conscientious of their use of water, electricity and plastic. As someone who has the privilege to afford these more sustainable alternatives, I believe it is my duty to do as much as I can to reduce waste,” they explain.

The Earth Turns will be performed live and streamed online at the Falaki Theater in AUC Tahrir Square next week on Wednesday, November 2, and Thursday, November 3. It will be performed again at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh at the Amphitheater in the Peace Park on Friday, November 11. 

Protests have erupted in Iran after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police last month. Women have taken to the streets, removing their hijabs and even burning the fabric to protest Iran’s modesty laws. Maye Kassem '89, associate professor in the Department of Political Science, and Rawan Adel Maged ‘17 share their collective insight on the situation as the protests stretch into their fifth week. 

What does it mean for the hijab to be the focus of the protests? 

It's not a coincidence that the veil is at the center of current protests. The Islamic Republic has been antagonistic to women as a totalitarian state since its founding, and requiring them to wear the hijab is one of its most obvious attempts to restrict and marginalize them. 

What are the goals of the protestors? 

Prior to the recent protests, prominent opponents of the dictatorship were unwilling to make rejecting the "compulsory veil" a political demand, frequently neglecting the push from female activists to criticize the particular kinds of oppression experienced by half of society. Therefore, the current protests fight for women’s rights as a whole and call against marginalization and restrictions set on Iranian citizens.

How are these protests different from past protests, such as Bloody November? 

Unlike the previous protests, these are not driven by economic or political discontent. Rather, current protests call for “women, life and freedom.” This indicates a more generalized opposition to the entirety of the Islamic Republic and makes women’s rights and freedoms at the core of these protests. Another major aspect that makes current demonstrations different is that there is no single leader.

Who is supporting the movement? 

A unique feature of the current movement is that it is receiving support from women around the world. This is one of the few occasions when Iranians within Iran and abroad have joined together to express their aspirations.

One interesting point is that clergy do not have any connection to the movement. This is not to argue that it is a campaign against religion; in fact, protesters have purposefully avoided using any religious imagery or language. 

What role does the clergy in Iran have in this situation? 

Clerics have historically played a significant role in all major political revolutions in Iran, from the Constitutional Revolution of the early 20th century through the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Clerics are unable to embrace this movement's core beliefs or goals because, in the views of the clergy, the demand for equal rights for women poses a threat to sharia and their position as its protectors.

You mentioned that these protests are unique because there is no single leader. Do you think Iranian women can achieve their goals without a clear figurehead?

Generally, while the current demonstrations have no single clear leadership, participants are united by a common goal and aim. Demonstrators appear to be breaking away from established political opposition groups and individuals, whether they be domestic reformists or dissidents abroad. 

Who are the members of this movement?

The majority of the movement's members are young Iranians under the age of 25 who declare themselves to be opponents of both the Iranian regime’s ideology and the mindset of the older generation, including anti-regime politicians.

Where are the protests happening?

These protests are not constrained to a single city. This geographic dispersion makes it harder for the government to stop them, but also makes it harder for each group of demonstrators to become one coherent movement. 

Do you think the Iranian government will offer reforms?

The most obvious reason that the Iranian government may refuse to reform, or compromise is fear of encouraging further demands and protests that may have a negative impact on their legitimacy and may even trigger their downfall