The Sydney Opera House has announced a free Talks & Ideas event to spearhead urgent discussion on the bushfire crisis.
The Opera House’s head of Talks & Ideas, Dr Edwina Throsby, says the community panel will examine practical and policy-led responses to Australia’s unprecedented bushfire season.
“When we consider the scale and devastation of the bushfire crisis, it’s easy to fall into despair. But, the response of ordinary Australians has been phenomenal, and a sense of community has never been more important,” she stressed.
“This event will provide a public space to come together and talk with community members and experts about what we need to do now, and how, together, we can build resilience and ensure that tragedy on this scale never happens again.”
The Bushfire Catastrophe: What Now? will comprise of two 90 minute sessions of panel discussions on the 16th February, led by community advocates, policy experts and academics.
The first panel will deal with immediate relief and response for the victims, and the second will examine the systematic policy change necessary to prevent future disasters of this scale.
Over 30 lives have been lost across Australia this bushfire season, and thousands of homes have been destroyed. Wildlife experts estimate more than 1 billion animals have perished in the fires in New South Wales alone.
Registration for each event is free, and donation buckets will be placed at entry points to raise money for bushfire relief efforts.
The Bushfire Catastrophe: What Now?
Where: Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
When: 1:30pm and 3:45 pm, Sunday 16th February
Tickets: Free, register here
Image: Sydney Opera House/The Bushfire Catastrophe: What Now?
