For me, co-founding l’Université dans la Nature was an act of justice, of environmental justice. It is a cry from the heart that says "in the 21st century the benefits of nature on health, and more particularly on the cognitive development of children, can no longer be reserved for some and remain inaccessible to others."
I grew up in the eastern suburbs of Paris, in the infamous "93" known for its incivility, its riots, or the high crime rate that rages there. I grew up surrounded by cracked concrete towers as far as my eyes could see, the smells of urine in the halls, a cold and unsanitary environment.
My refuge was “nature”: the two small squares of grass and the two fir trees in front of our apartment. Access to this refuge came at the cost of a fight: Accessing the lawn was forbidden, as it often is in France – except for dog owners who could walk there. Playing in it, climbing the trees and spending hours dreaming in their branches, sheltered from syringes and the climate of despair, became an “act of civil disobedience”. So I disobeyed, all my childhood, and yet a rage about injustice started to rise in me.
I went on to study law at the Sorbonne, created a business in the suburbs of London, emigrated to Canada and met Hubert, my husband, there. I have realized myself professionally and am happy to have offered my son a healthy, comfortable space to grow up, as well as a real connection to nature.
The child of 93 managed to change environment: what if she owed it to the fir tree and its branches that supported her? What if it was this refuge that had really helped bring her a little balance, give her the wings to fly away? This is what I deeply believe, given the scientific discoveries that we have accumulated and the memories and sensations that I still feel so strongly attached to this still and serene friend.
However, changing environments did not extinguish my feeling of injustice.
The more I read about the benefits of nature that science was discovering and the more I discussed with passionate researchers, the more I felt compelled to revisit my past in the housing estates: the childhood act of disobedience transformed into a commitment to eradicate the unacceptable environmental injustice that still keeps far too many children away from nature, when it is essential to their balance.
It is predicted that by 2050, more than 70% of the world's population will live in urban areas. What living environment awaits these children, these women and men, these low-income families, these people with disabilities? I am determined to contribute, within L’Université dans la Nature and with all its allies, so that their living environment will not be deprived of the one who proves to be the greatest partner in their physical and mental health and the development of their potential. Without exception.
Emilia Tamko Mansion,
Co-founder