GEN Latin America

Jennifer Trujillo Obando from CASA, the GEN Network of Latin America, reports.

CASA Latina, legally established in October this year in Colombia, is emerging as a pioneer organization in Latin-America to implement Sociocracy as a dynamic form of governance within the context of conventional legal protocols. More than 100 sustainable settlements, grass roots communities and positive impact entrepreneurships came together in the CASA network to promote sustainable and regenerative styles of living connected in 4 consolidated national networks. These are Brazil, Chile, Colombia y México, while 2 thematic networks: Nomads and Youth, and 5 emergent networks: Argentina, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay are also highly active within the network.

CASA Latina set the pace of eco-social regeneration

Active collaborative alliances with international organizations and movements are at the core of our ability to scale-up the promotion and integration of practices in permaculture and dynamic governance relevant to urban and rural organizations, and communities. Some examples are the Latin-American Permacultural Network, World Conscious Pact, Transitional Towns Network, Pachamama Alliance, GAIA University, National Committees for Promotion of Family Farming, as well as global learning communities on Art of Hosting and Sociocracy.

During 2016, more than 5 trainings have taken place in schools: for Ecovillages Design, Sustainable Settlements Design Trainings and Permaculture Design Trainings. All are contributing to create and enhance intentional and community-based organizations in Chile, Colombia, Argentina and Brazil.

CASA Latina generates knowledge and sustainable solutions

In May, members of ECOCHILE (CASA in Chile), published “Weaving Dreams: Eight Histories of Ecovillages Taking Form in Chile”. It is a book that compiles experiences and advice for people building projects for collaborative living, and a toolkit for social transformation. In another instance, the alternative housing project ‘Mahia Permaculture Village’ received first price in the ‘Next Green Awards’ 2016 in Latin-America, under the category ‘Design, Innovation and Research’,joining the leading alternative housing projects in the region. Concurrently, CASA Latina offers on the ground and online Sociocracy trainings for groups of people, organizations and government in Colombia, Argentina and Mexico, supported by a strong and diverse team of facilitators.

CASA promotes and advocates for Earth’s regeneration

CASA Mexico led the 1st International Forum for Mother Earth Rights in Mexico and currently holds the legal representation of the Global Movement to have Earth rights acknowledged in each nation. Meanwhile, CASA Ecuador and CASA Colombia represented GEN in the UN-Habitat III conference held in Ecuador. As a result, GEN has been invited to give a conference in the Academic International Forum of Innovative Local Practices organized by CIFAL.

Increasingly, the gatherings organized by the national and thematic networks of CASA are positioning themselves as viable scenarios for civil organizations and laboratories for best practice in sustainable styles of living. During 2017, four of these events will take place: XIIV Council of Visions in Mexico; XI Call of the Mountain in Colombia; IV Gathering of ECOCHILE; and III General Assembly and Regional Gathering of CASA Latina in Brazil – ECCO2017.

More: casa.ecovillage.org