Picturing Regeneration at LDE

On Tuesday 7 October at The Field in Leiden, researchers from Leiden University, Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam, together with practitioners and policymakers, gathered to discuss the living field of Regeneration. 

After inspiring keynotes from Sjoerd van Kempen (Route Circulair) and Pim Menkveld (wij.land), we shared our personal ecosystems and explored what skills and value everyone brings to this regenerative network. During a Pollination Café, we exchanged perspectives, discovered how they relate and complement one another and imagined what we could grow together in the future.   

Highlights of the day included: 

• Creative name tags from the Rooting In  activity — reflecting skills, mood, and “seed ideas” ready to germinate.

• A collective tree we built together — symbolizing both our diverse backgrounds and the values we share as a community: 
  - Creating space to play, experiment, and connect — with care and understanding 
  - Rethinking our ways, our purpose, and embracing new rituals 
  - Looking beyond our research to shape, from the bottom up, a post-growth vision of society 

• The valuable connections made throughout the event. 

• The outcomes of the day will serve as fertile ground for a joint publication that will grow in the coming months. 

A big thank you to the speakers and experts who joined, shared ideas, and brought their energy. Together, we planted seeds for projects and collaborations that can grow in the months ahead.