Hakoritna Farm, one of the winners of the GEN Excellency Award 2014, co-hosted a meeting of GEN and Global Campus Palestine with the Palestine Technical University-Kadoorie, in order to meet the many challenges for peace and sustainability in an occupied country and to prepare the creation of GEN Palestine. Frederick Weihe reports. From the 19th - 24th of November, a historic event happened in support of peace, cooperation, and sustainable solutions to climate change in occupied Palestine. … Read more
Cross the Bridge! My Friend, My Brother! The Salaayel Ecovillage Approach in Mauretania
Severe droughts in recent years have had negative consequences, including impacts on the socio-economic life of our people. One of the most serious consequences was the exodus, which forced village communities to lose some of their socio-cultural values: in hospitality, pride, solidarity, and the cultural space of the village. The initiative, Salaayel, rebuilds original values to establish regional sustainability, in order to re-establish the bonds and bridges between villages, cultures and … Read more
Refugee Aid by Ecovillages – The Journey of a Refugee from Syria
Wars, climate change, economic and social injustices, have made millions of people refugees, with thousands dying, stranded on the borders of Europe, or the United States. At the recent GEN Summit in Dakar, Africa it was re-iterated that ecovillages are an effective alternative to migration, especially for young people. However, ecovillages of the Global North can also assist directly, by providing new opportunities for refugees. This is the story of Fayez Karimeh, from Syria - however, similar … Read more
Ecovillages and Climate: COP20, Climate Injustice and the GEN World Summit
By Robert Hall, Managing Director of Global Ecovillage Network – Europe During the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP20) in Lima, Peru, the governments of the world gathered in December, 2014 to discuss their contributions to the reduction of carbon emissions. The aim of the meeting in Lima was to prepare a much-need, far-reaching agreement in Paris in 2015. But the negotiations were stuck in the old paradigm, unable to think outside our present system to find solutions to the … Read more
Maia Earth Village, Phillippines: Creating a Wholeness Center
Maia Earth Village, in the Philippines, is giving birth to the Wholeness Center, a whole-systems model in the 'Asia of Transformation Medicine' programs, that have global applications in supporting inner work-oriented healing centers, hospitals and energy processes around the world. Pi Villaraza shares. Transformation Medicine began as an intuitive journey undertaken by two unlikely partners, a successful integrative doctor from Cebu City, named Dr. Romy Paredes, and myself, Pi Villaraza, as … Read more
CASA Latin America: Good News from Mexico
“Why spend time chopping down a tree that is rotting from the inside out when instead you could be focusing on making sure the young trees grow safely?” These wise words seem quite pertinent to the current sustainability movement across Mexico—and the globe. Fernando Ausin Gomes reports from Mexico. Mexico is facing turbulent, systemic collapse. During the last few months, struggles have arisen throughout the country to protest the disappearance of hundreds of people, and of government … Read more
Ecovillage Transition Scaling Up Community Led Change Processes
In order to support societal transition, and the scaling up of 'grassroots' solutions to climate change, we need to couple 'bottom-up' with 'top-down' processes, says Kosha Joubert, President of GEN International. In April 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published the third part of a trilogy of reports, compiled by thousands of the world’s most eminent scientists, giving the most accurate and up to date account of climate change. The first report, released in … Read more
Japan’s AS-ONE Community: The Story of a 14-Year Community Creation Process
In 2001, some volunteers gathered in Suzuka, Japan, aiming to realize a happy society free from fighting and opposition, in harmony with nature. A borderless community named “AS-ONE COMMUNITY” has been created in an ordinary neighborhood of Suzuka, a typical middle-size city and also well known as a city of the Honda company. Hiroko Katayama, GEN ambassador reports. The name ‘AS-ONE’ was taken from a line of John Lennon’s masterpiece Imagine, ‘and the world will be as one'. Nowadays, 38 core … Read more
Permaculture Design Course
- Date: 1 – 16 August 2015
- Language:
- English
- Location: Czech Republic
August 1st - 16th, 2015. Where? Slunakov – centre for ecological activities near Olomouc, well accessible by train, www.slunakov.cz What does the PDC cover? An introduction to permaculture, permaculture ethics and principles An ecology primer, including observation skills, ecological principles, trees, soil, water A wide range of applications of permaculture, including agroforestry, forest gardening, wild food, fungi in permaculture, composting toilets, urban permaculture, people care, … Read more
Piracanga: The Power of Youth Brasil: Piracanga – The Power of Youth
Nara Nalinii Pais recently visited Piracanga, an ecovillage, community and human development centre in Bahia, Brazil, where she spoke with co-founder, Angelina Ataide. It started as a spontaneous conversation in which Nalinii shared her experience of Findhorn, and Angelina shared her story of Piracanga. Nalinii was so inspired by this exchange, that she felt compelled to write this article about their amazing meeting. “Four years ago there was nothing here but sand and a few sickly palm … Read more
