Globalization is affecting the life of Bhutan. About eighty percent of food is imported from India even though the country has the capability of growing all its own food. The people are being adversely affected by TV and materialistic values. Mr. Lhundup Dukpa, program director of the School Education Division of Royal Education Council (REC), had been searching for an alternative education system and a more sustainable way of life in keeping with the intrinsic values of natural resources and … Read more
traditional communities
AuERA Living in India Health and Harmony during the Golden Years
AuERA Living is a joint initiative to create a visionary path to retired life in a community that provides one with dignity, harmony and health in a sustainable manner. The goal is to create communities that inspire people to make the very most of life, without many of the concerns that come with getting older. Pullat Devadas Menon reports. … Read more
Valhalla Montreal Spring News This Season for Valhalla is Huge!
Hey Valhallians!!! As traditional calls for every year Valhalla Montreal's season on the land is kicking off with another bang! We have so much in the works - from our secret plans to our Sustainability Learning Centre we will be announcing this spring to a full outdoor kitchen set up. Things are shaking and moving up here in Canada where the snow is finally melting away. I couldn't be more excited!!! With it comes a whole new realm of possibilities and this season like last we are opening … Read more
Gambia Sandele Eco-Retreat / The Gambia - Responsible Tourism
Sandele Eco-Retreat in Kartong is an example of responsible tourism. The lodges are built with compressed, stabilized earth blocks which use a minimum of cement and are frequently stabilized with lime. Electricity, hot water and water pumping are provided using solar and wind power. The Lodges and the Guest Rooms have compost toilets and a constructed wetlands system that minimizes the use of, and purifies, the water flowing from the toilets, showers, hand basins and rainwater. Every step that … Read more
Cameroon Cameroon: Bafut Ecovillage Sparks Entrepreneurship Revolution
About 20 km north of Bemenda, Cameroon, is the village of Bafut, where the traditional "fondom" (kingdom) community living structure remains intact. The goals for the future are ambitious, and inspiring. With the help of matching Permaculture principles with volunteer placements, Better World Cameroon (BWC) http://www.betterworld-cameroon.com is building an African green revolution based on youth, agriculture and environmental conservation. In just two years of linking up with the Global … Read more
GEN and Gaia Education GEN and Gaia Education – a Story of Love and Collaboration
A crucial part of the GEN history was the wish to create a global education for resilience and sustainability based on the experience of ecovillage. Kosha Joubert, President of GEN International, shares the story of Gaia Education. What a joy it was for me to be invited to the 2nd founding meeting of Gaia Education, taking place in Findhorn in 2004! I was one of 24 ecovillage educators to integrate, synthesize and write the core curriculum of the EDE (Ecovillage Design Education). I even … Read more
GEN History The History of the Global Ecovillage Network: 1991-2015
Ross and Hildur Jackson from Denmark were the driving forces in creating the GEN network twenty years ago. For the first time they share the full story from their perspective. All there experience and information is a great gift especially to the young people who now take over the responsibility for the network. The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) has now existed for 20 years and Gaia Education, which began as a GEN project, is celebrating its 10th year in teaching the principles of living … Read more
Book about GEN GEN book published in July 2015: "Ecovillages Worldwide - Local Solutions on Global Problems"
The GEN 20+Summit in Findhorn is the occasion that Kosha Joubert, Leila Dregger and Clio Pauly took to write a book about ecovillages worldwide – with the help of many longterm ecovillage members who contributed thoughts, experiences, adventures, failures, learnings and success stories. The book will be published in German and English at the same time and be launched at the summit. Thanks to all those who helped so generously. Leila Dregger recalls the process of writing. When Kosha Joubert … Read more
Editorial Newsletter March 2015 Editorial Newsletter March 2015: Celebrating 20 Years of the Global Ecovillage Network
We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. To move forward we must recognise that, in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms, we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. Established in Findhorn in 1995, the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) today connects more than 10,000 villages, urban neighbourhoods and intentional communities in more than 100 countries worldwide. Spanning all continents, GEN … Read more
Editorial Newsletter March 2015: Celebrating 20 Years of the Global Ecovillage Network
We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. To move forward we must recognise that, in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms, we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. Established in Findhorn in 1995, the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) today connects more than 10,000 villages, urban neighbourhoods and intentional communities in more than 100 countries worldwide. Spanning all continents, GEN … Read more
