Latest News
2025
August
Circle of Hope - Sweden's contribution
Sweden’s contribution to CIRCLE OF HOPE will be an iron ore stone from Grängesberg – the same place where Dag Hammarskjöld
once chose the large iron ore block that that is at the center of the Meditation Room at the UN in New York: “A center of stillness surrounded by silence.”
CIRCLE OF HOPE is more than a stone circle – it is a living symbol of peace, cooperation, and optimism for the future.
Here, children, decisionmakers, and the world’s spacefarers meet in a shared vision: to care for and protect our planet for generations to come.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Lars Erik Andersson of Gränges Gräv och Schakt, who preserved iron ore blocks
when the Gränges mine closed in 1989 – with the hope that one day they might serve a purpose.
That day is now!
2025
May
Circle of Hope - USA
Astronaut Loren Acton has chosen the stone representing USA. One stone from all UN nations will make a circle we call CIRCLE OF HOPE that will embrace the Children’s Meeting Place at the United Nations, Nairobi. We invite astronauts and cosmonauts to select a stone from each of the five countries that are permanent members of the UN Security Council: France, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. At the Future Vessel Event, Stockholm Globe Arena 3000 children were invited from 50 nations. Many wanted astronauts to be their special guests. 10 space explorers came. Children were thrilled! The cooperation with the Association of Space Explorers/ASE continued. The 5 stones will convey the astronauts and cosmonauts’ unique perspective of our home planet Earth: A fragile, blue pearl in an infinite dark Universe. Their message: We must work together to protect life on our Planet.
2025
May
Children's Meeting Place, UN – Nairobi
Discussions were held on how 193 stones, from all UN nations, can make a circle surrounding the Children's Meeting Place at UN, Nairobi. Landscape architect Pamela Sjöstrand made an illustration plan - how all stones will fit within the dimensions of 50 cm x 50 cm and the height to be about 60 cm. The first 25 stones will be in place when we celebrate the Children's Meeting Place 25th anniversary 18 – 19 September 2026. All stones will have a QR code that "opens the stone" and you see the children's World Home - a world where all life lives well together. When all stones and the World Home are in place - we will see the CIRCLE OF HOPE.
2024
29 September – 6 October 2024
Reunion with astronauts and cosmonauts ASE Planetary Congress, Noordwijk, Netherlands
Kajsa participated as Special Guest in the ASE Congress (Association of Space Explorers) where astronauts and cosmonauts are members. It was the first meeting with the Swedish astronaut Marcus Wandt. Kajsa shared the plan for the Children's Meeting Place 25th anniversary in September 2026. The Anniversary Gifts of 25 stones from 25 nations and the Children’s visions of a World Home. Astronaut Loren Acton (USA), astronaut Helen Sharman (Great Britain) and cosmonaut Dorin Prunariu (Romania) have agreed to look for a stone. They participated in the Future Vessel Event at the Stockholm Globe Arena in 1998 together with 7 space colleagues.
Spring & summer 2024
The World Home is children's answer to the question they themselves asked
- How can a world look like where all life lives well together?
Children aged 4 – 12 lead the World Home and four have started;
Pupils from Finningeskolan in Strängnäs built nests for grass-eating ducks
on Myssjö Gård – a small island in Lake Mälaren.
Children in the Association for Hearing Impaired Children and Parents FHDBF, in Stockholm, painted the entire Earth on the floor.
On a kitchen table in Stockholm, Emma and Walter united shells,
glitter, leaves and stones that became new paths towards the future.
Habiteum is a place where children and adults in Helsingborg Municipality are invited for
quality workshops of life and living. Trolls were created there - to change the world to be good.
At Pysslingen Gold Coast, a preschool in the Östersund Municipality,
the World Home is part of the everyday activities – developing indoor and
outdoor
with the children's ideas, reflections and activities.
26 juni – 3 juli 2024
Childrens Meeting Place 25-årsjubileum
presenteras för ledningen på FN i Nairobi
The planning for the Children's Meeting Place 25th anniversary, 18 – 19 September 2026, was presented to the UN Director-General in Nairobi, Ms. Zainab Hawa Bangura. The Anniversary gifts will be 25 stones from 25 UN countries. All stones will have a QR code which will “open the stone” and show children's visions of a "World Home". The anniversary planning was received with big smiles. The official photo at the UN banner confirms the collaboration between the Globetree and the UNON/United Nations in Nairobi.
20 February – 9 March 2024
Environment Ministers Meeting at the UN – UNEA5
Children in Kenya and Sweden present
the first ideas of the World Home
Children in Kenya and Sweden participated in The World Home activity during the UN Environment Assembly /UNEA5. Many delegates came to the exhibition and new World Home seeds were sown.
THANK YOU to the Swedish School in Nairobi and Mr. John Gitunga in Kiambu who helped with the organization!
2023
16 November – 3 December 2023
I Made Sija 1933 – 2023
Kajsa travelled to Bali to participate in the farewell ceremony of I Made Sija together with
more than 1000 mourners coming together for five days.
Globetree have profound and special memories of the 41 years together with Sija – a dalang (traditional shadow player), mask maker and performer, dancer, musician and master of ceremonies. The 5 days farewell ceremony was filled with artistic presentations and traditional funeral ceremonies.
I Made Sija, a unique artist who has influenced many in Bali and other countries.
Many in Globetree will miss I Made Sija, a unique inspirator, who participated at the inauguration of the Globetree in 1982 and created Dasa Namu Kartu - the 10 Symbols of Life for the first Future Meeting at the Stockholm Concert Hall 1986 and numerous other occasions.
THANK YOU FOR
THE TRAVEL TO THE SEA
WHICH BECAME THE TRAVEL TO THE ANIMALS
NOV. 2023
The Travel to the Sea – became the Travel to the Animals.
When I was about to turn 75 last year (in June) I was asked:
What do you want for your birthday?
I want everyone in Dandora, who has been on tour with My Life,
their sisters/brothers,
and mothers/grandmothers to experience the SEA.
The Aga Khan school in Mombasa offered accommodation and help to prepare the food.
Some children in Dandora asked: – Can we see animals there?
The program is changing.
It will be a trip to Nakuru National Park instead.
We are 55 people who travel by bus and minibus to Nakuru.
On the way we stop at Lake Naivasha
where 8 boats are waiting and take us out to an island in the lake.
SIGNBOARDS IN PLACE
STONE CIRCLE
2 MAY 2023
Two signboards are now in place telling about the Stone Circle ONLY ONE EARTH.
One by Folke Bernadotte’s bridge, the other below the Museum of Ethnography.
A VERY SPECIAL DAY
International Children’s Day
21 November 2022
THE CHILDRENS MEETING PLACE
UNITED NATIONS, NAIROBI
Guests of Honor
UNON Director General Ms.Zainab Hana Bangura
H.E. Ambassador of Iceland Ms. Thordis Sigurdardottir
Deputy High Commissioner of India Mr. Rohit Vadwana
Special Thanksl
President of Iceland H.E. Mr. Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson
100, young and old, came together to plant the Child of the Mother Tree,
Inaugurate the 7 Stones Fireplace and listen to the first storytelling
It all started with children’s OUR UNITING WATER CEREMONY
We bring water from a place we care for…
Water is life. We shall care for it – together.
Children showed the way to the Child Tree. Children’s Uniting Water was poured over the young roots.
UNON Director General Zainab Hawa Bangura, UNEP Director Governing Bodies Radhika Ochalik and Mama Kajsa planted the Child Tree together with children.
Handful of soil from the Child Tree to the Mother Tree
After planting the Child Tree handful of soil was brought to the Mother Tree. A symbol of unity between the Child Tree and Mother Tree.
By the Mother Tree we are Mamas and Papas.
Mama Zainab, Mama Radhika and Mama Kajsa thanked the children and reflected on the ceremony.
7 Stones Fireplace
the space for storytelling
The 7 Stones were placed around the stone from Backåkra, the home of Dag Hammarskjöld, the second UN Secretary General.
The stone was donated to the Children’s Meeting Place.
4 STONES FROM THE 4 DIRECTIONS OF THE WORLD/
by Ambassador of Iceland Thordis Siguardardottir.
by Deputy Ambassador of India, Rohit Vadwana.
Special thanks
to Islands President
The Stone of the North, was personally presented, by the >br>President of Iceland Mr. Guðni Jóhannesson
before travelling to its destination at the 7 Stones Fireplace
THE FIRST FIRE
Maasai Elders Sisian Resian and Simon Maritet made the First Fire in their traditional way.
THE FIRST STORY TELLING
The first Storyteller at the 7 Stones Fireplace was Mama Zainab.
She spoke of her upbringing in a small village in Sierra Leone
where storytelling is an important part of life.
GLOBE-DAY
STONE CIRCLE ONLY ONE EARTH
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE 50 YEARS?
THE STONES TELL
A SIGNBOARD
ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM OCTOBER 23 2022
This year’s Globe Day is at Sten Cirkeln ONLY ONE EARTH and continues at the Ethnographic Museum.
We had four questions for the day:
How did Sweden’s government and the City of Stockholm plan for the first UN conference on the environment – which became an iconic conference?
What have the stones in the Stone Circle been through during their millions – billions of years?
How do stones tell?
How do we inform about Stone Circle? A signboard and QR code.
40 people participated. 35 at the Ethnographic Museum and 5 digitally.
Mats Rehnman from Fabula Narrative Stage. How do you cook soup on a stone? Everyone contributes – everyone gives what they can and are capable of. A nice metaphor for how the stones in the Stone Circle can grow further. Mat’s told three stone stories.
The Globe-Day started vy the Stone Circle and ended with group discussions in two groups. A group discussed the SIGN – what should it look like and what should be on the sign? A group talked about the Stories of the Stones – how do we do it?
Stone Circlel - Only One Earth
Inauguration 5 June 2022
Guests of Honor
Author/Diplomat – Mr. Jan Mårtensson
H.E. Ambassador of India – Mr.Tanmaya Lal
Park Manager Royal Djurgården – Mr. Gunnar Björkman
Director General at National Museums of World Culture – Ms. Ann Follin
Geologist The Swedish Museum of Natural History – Mr. Åke Johansson
Special Thanks – Astronaut Mr. Loren Acton
A block of stone from all 21 regions in Sweden forms the Stone Circle ONLY ONE EARTH by the Folke Bernadotte Bridge – next to the Ethnographic Museum.
The Stone i is a place of remembrance for an important event in Sweden and the world 50 years ago: The first UN conference on the environment ONLY ONE EARTH, which the Swedish government took the initiative for in 1972.
On the same day, a Children’s Meeting Place was inaugurated on the Strömparterren by the Riksdag House. Afterwards, a parade started that went from the Strömparterren to the Ethnographic Museum.
A very special day
Inauguration Childrens Meeting Place Helsingborg 1 June 2022
The inauguration in June 2022 consisted of three parts. A ceremonial part, musical entertainment and climate dialogues. The ceremonial part was held by the founder of the Globetree, Kajsa Dahlström and children from different parts of the city who brought water and stones Important decision-makers in the city were guests of honor. After that, two climate dialogues took place. One with power figures from Helsingborg and one with international power figures from, among others, the UN and the Sweden Resilience Center.
Inauguration of the Children’s Meeting Place in Helsingborg (Swedish) – YouTube
Celebrating UNEP 50 Years - Children’s Meeting Place, UN, Nairobi
PEACE STONE CEREMONY
3rd March 2022
The Dag Hammarskjold Family donated a stone from the Peace Stone Circle of Backakra, the home of the second UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold who dedicated his life for Peace on Earth.
The Swedish Minister of Environment Annika Strandhall placed the Peace Stone on the roots of the Mother Tree at the Children’s Meeting Place together with Saga from Sweden and Zulu from Kenya.
A Silent Minute for Peace brought all hearts to Ukraine.
UNEP Deputy Director of the Governing Bodies Ulf Bjornholm gave a
personal presentation of UNEP 50 Years 1972 – 2022.
Children living on and next to the Dandora Dumpsite presented an exhibition sharing their every day life with the message: REMOVE DANDORA DUMPSITE!
Dandora Dumpsite is situated 8 km from UNEP. It’s one of the biggest dumpsites of Africa. Children suffer from poisonous smoke and dumped chemicals moving into the nearby waters.
Students from Aga Khan International School of Nairobi presented arts all around the Children’s Meeting Place with messages of killed wildlife and suffering animals.
Saga presented the Children’s Meeting Place of Strangnas municipality of Sweden. How leaders ask children’s advice before they make major decisions.
Visitor Centre of United Nations, Nairobi guided the Minister and all other guests and told how the Children’s Meeting Place is planned to expand. My Promise for the Future were presented by children in small banners.
The 7 Stones Fireplace will be the place for Story Telling at the Children’s Meeting Place. The 3 Centre Stones from Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro and Mount Elgon and the Stone of the West from Bolivia in the Andes were put in place.
DEVELOPING THE CHILDREN’S MEETING PLACE
The development of the Childrens Meeting Place will get it’s official start the 3rd of March at 2:30pm EAT.
A stone from the Peace Circle at the home of the Second UN Secretary General Dag Hammaskjold will be placed next to The Mother Tree. Here at the big, beautiful acacia tree children and leaders of the world meet and listen to children’s ideas, worries, and hopes for the future. The stone will be a reminder of the message of Dag Hammarskjöld: – Peace on Earth starts with Peace within each one of us.
The Swedish Minister of Environment Ms Annika Strandhäll will place the Peace Stone next to the Mother Tree together with children.
Remove the Dandora Dumpsite!
an exhibition made by children living on and next to one of the biggest dumpsites in Africa. See also messages and art made by children in Nairobi and Sweden. You find the exhibition at the Children’s Meeting Place;
UN AND CHILDREN’S MEETING PLACE FEBRUARY 2020
The plan for the expansion of the area around the Children’s Meeting Place received positive response from the UN!
Architects and landscapers from Sweden and Kenya worked together and presented a site plan inspired by children and youth from 30 nations. THANKS A LOT to Architects without Borders in Kenya and Disorder Company and the Municipality of Helsingborg in Sweden! We are now certain the inauguration will take place on the World Environment Day, 5th of June 2022 – when United Nations Environment (UNEP) celebrate 50 Years.
Kajsa listening to Mr. Stephen Stannah, UNON, suggesting a place for the Amphitheater – closer to the Mother Tree
Architects and landscape designers in discussion before the presentation for UNON and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
Many at the UN became inspired and came up with additional ideas after the presentation.
Children and young people from Dandora participated in the planning of the Children’s Meeting Place.
THE PARTY ON FEBRUARY 23, 2020
For children in Dandora, the highlight of the year is THE BIG PARTY! This year the party took place at the Children’s Garden of the National Museums of Kenya. The night before someone called out: – The balloon blower is gone!!! No problem – all 23 Swedes participating in the Study-tour joined and had fun!
The book about Dandora Dumpsite
The photographer Thord Nilsson brought the book “Dandora” – blessing or curse? ” to the dump. Great joy when the persons in the book were presented to their contributions. Thord visited all his Dandora friends – many of them have passed away.
2019
Next Study Tour
The Four Elements at UN
Nairobi December 2019
The theme for the next Study Tour to Kenya will be The Four Elements in cooperation with National Museums of Kenya (NMK). We have long time cooperation with NMK – a strong and firm hand to hold on to! We will gather the two last weeks of February 2020. We invite architects, stone masons, artists/sculptures (who work in materials like glass, metal, clay, mosaics and all kind of recycled things), engineers and others who feel the call to join the planning process.
THE LAST PERFORMANCE – AFTER 49 YEARS …
The Book about Dandora
Blessing or Curse?
After the last performance – after the applause – the photographer Thord Nilsson presented his book Dandora – blessing or curse? It’s a photo book – the short texts are in Swedish. For pictures, please look into thordnilssonfoto.
It’s about the everyday life in Dandora on top of and next to the huge dumpsite. Thord has joined several of Globetree’s study tours to Kenya and was been deeply touched meeting children and adults in Dandora. He also experienced how music, dance, drama and art inspire people to carry on – not give up. The book will later be translated into English. If you want the book – the photos speak for themselves
Contact: Thord Nilsson info@thordnilsson.se
http://thordnilssonfoto.se/utstallningar
Final Tour in Sweden with My Life
18 September - 18 October 2019
Globetheatre/Globetree final theatre production was with the play My Life performed by children and youth from Dandora, a place outside Nairobi where you find the biggest dumpsite of Africa. My Life is the children’s own story – their struggle for survival and how they keep the spirit up and move on despite unimaginable challenges. My Life has been on tour in Sweden with different actors since 2010. The final tour was four weeks from the very south of Sweden to the very north. – Don’t stop touring My Life – the performance touches the heart of everyone! Well, we are getting old. Beyond 70 years and we have a big assignment at the UN in Nairobi. We simply have to stop!
INAUGURATION OF THE CHILDREN’S MEETING PLACE IN MOTALA
23 SEPTEMBER 2019
FOUR ELEMENTS OF LIFE AT NÄMDÖ
JUNE-AUGUST 2019
Lund - Invigning Children's Meeting Place
11 april 2019
Closing Ceremony
Miljöminstermötet (UNEA 4)
15 Mars 2019
UN-Video from the Future Meeting
Future Vessel
Environmental Ministerial Meeting (UNEA 4)
12-14 March 2019
Miljö och Klimatminister
Isabella Lövin besökte Framtidsskeppet
13 Mars 2019
PREPARATIONS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTERIAL MEETING
10-14 MARCH 2019
Yesterday and today at least 100 Dandora children made 300 beautiful letters to Mama and Papa Ministers and Mama and Papa United Nations. They will be given away on Tuesday at the Assembly meeting. Jack Obura’s association Mtoto wa Dandora was in charge for these two days in Dandora.
THE SWEDISH MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
VISIT TO THE CHILDREN´S MEETING PLACE
5 MARCH 2019 UN NAIROBI
The Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Margot Wallström visited the Children’s Meeting Place at the UN and in specific the Mother Tree, talking to children and youth from Kenya, Sweden, Uganda, Tanzania, China and in specific the children from Dandora.
Building the Future Vessel
National Museums of Kenya
26-27 February 2019
While adults presented the partnership and programs between cities/municipalities in the Lake Victoria Region and Sweden, the children created the Future Vessel – a visual/artistic presentation of their personal views and collective ideas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. Two full days and one night at the National Museum of Kenya.
Seminars at the National Museums of Kenya
26-27 February 2019
Many Swedish and East African municipalities and county councils gave lectures about their exchange experiences during the 26-27 February. This initiative was supported from the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy.
Opening Ceremony at the
National Museums of Kenya
26 February 2019
Even representatives from indigenous groups joined the opening ceremony at the National Museums of Nairobi.
Party at the National Museums of Kenya
24 February 2019
100 children from Dandora joined us for the party.
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