Raising awareness through art
Climate change is everywhere – in the news and in our daily lives.
With this, awareness of the climate crisis is spreading, bit by bit. But what if we could do more?
What if art could help move us to take action?
This was my aim when I, Annika Bromberg, a Climate Pact Ambassador from Sweden, joined THE HERDS – an artistic movement to raise awareness of climate change and its impact on both humans and animals.
When I was asked if I wanted to be part of this exciting journey as line producer, I immediately said yes, knowing it had the potential to spread a truly powerful message.
An epic journey across continents
Over the course of four unforgettable months in 2025, we organised artistic events using life-sized puppets to embody the flight of animals from environments devastated by climate change.
The goal was to mirror the real-world upheaval of species as parts of the Earth become increasingly uninhabitable for animals ranging from the great elephants of Africa to the tiny hedgehogs of northern Europe.
Our puppets embarked on an extraordinary 20,000 km journey – from the heart of the Congo Basin all the way to the Arctic Circle, passing through many different cities including Kinshasa, Lagos, Casablanca, Paris, London and Stockholm before reaching their final destination in Nordkapp, Norway.
THE HERDS captivated audiences with unique performances, invited communities to take part in workshops, and collaborated with dance companies, theatre makers and renowned artists, all while encouraging participants to learn about the climate crisis and what we can do about it.
My role spanned from overseeing the creation of the puppets to coordinating performances and organising the logistics as we moved across continents and cities.
Bringing all these creative and practical elements together required constant coordination and trust between artists, producers and local partners along the route.
“Our puppets embarked on an extraordinary 20,000 km journey – from the heart of the Congo Basin all the way to the Arctic Circle.”
Animals take centre stage
I think this project touches people’s hearts and minds because animals remind us that we are not separate from nature, we are part of it. And when the natural world is under threat, we feel the impact too.
In many of the places we visited, the effects of climate change were already clear – more frequent heatwaves or more violent floods or storms, for example.
We hope that this project inspires people to work together to slow down climate change and make our cities, towns and villages better prepared.
As the animals move, so must we. Not away from the problem, but instead, towards each other and towards building a more climate-resilient, vibrant and biodiverse planet.
A continuing legacy
THE HERDS was art in motion, bringing people together through creativity and shared purpose. It showed that art can open conversations about climate change in a way that facts alone cannot.
Today, the project lives on through a global network of over 1,200 trained puppeteers across 11 countries, continuing to spread awareness and inspire action.
As a Climate Pact Ambassador, I see this same spirit in the Pact, connecting people and projects across Europe who want to protect our planet in their own ways.
“Climate change affects every being – and we believe everyone can do something to help, too.”
The Pact helps us share our stories, learn from others who are driving change in their communities, and turn creative awareness into concrete climate action across Europe.
Climate change affects every being – and we believe everyone can do something to help, too.