EDE Palestine 2016

In the north of the West Bank, a small traditional village named Farkha is set to become the first ecovillage in Palestine. With support of the German Foreign Ministry, in May 2016 GEN offered the second part of an Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) course for around 30 participants, aimed at further inspiring and supporting this village towards being fully self-sustainable, focusing its efforts increasingly on organic farming, renewable energy, composting, and welcoming further trainings for resilience. We worked closely with Baker Qambaz, the Mayor of the village, and other local stakeholders, as well as with young activists, farmers, and students from all over Palestine. During an Open Day, local partners and like-minded organizations were invited to introduce various initiatives, to participate in the seed exchange market, and further networking was strengthened through a follow up visit in November, with an Open Day in the capital, Ramallah, where emerging GEN Palestine gained visibility, and a partnership was developed with Dalia Association, a local community philanthropy association.