econnection Global Ecovillage Network Europe Magazine Autumn 2010

Transcription

1 Autumn 2010 econnection Global Ecovillage Network Europe Magazine What happened in Damanhur Emergence of GEN Africa Summer happenings all over Europe Tamera: next years host for GEN GA Projects and interesting initiatives

2 econnection Global Ecovillage Network Europe Magazine Introduction page Dear GEN family 3 Overview about Damanhur What happened in Damanhur 4 General Assembly of GEN Europe 2010 and Ecovillages and Sustainable Living Conference 5 Quick news 7 Initiatives that started in Damanhur: 9 Interview with the Excellence Award winner 13 Tamera: GEN host Kosha s column 16 Developments in GEN GEN: Family, opening flower or both? 18 Intro of GEN council 20 Emergence of GEN Africa 22 Network news and articles Recognizing traditional & indigenous villages as Ecovillages 26 Tamera s true essence 29 Grace Pilgrimage 2010 Colombia 34 V IPage: Ecovillage Brabant in the Netherlands 37 Macaco on the Italian ecovillage network meeting 38 FöldKelte (EarthRise) summer camp in Hungary 39 8th Life 43 A Model for the Future 45 Econnection Team 46 2

3 Dear GEN family There is so much information available in the world and even in the ecological movement of the world, it s easy to get lost in it. We re all quite used to quick and easy solutions and packaged information. Sometimes we tend to forget the people behind it, and yet we all need a personal touch and a personal connection to people. In this e-magazine we wish to revive the human approach to writing. Our wish is to move towards an e-magazine that illuminates the people behind the European GEN movement and all the richness they carry in them, to really stop and take time for appreciating the people around us and within GEN. So, here, in addition to news, we d really like to focus on more in-depth articles and personal experiences to really take time for writing, saying what we mean and learn on our way. We really see that in our vision. The first issue concentrates quite a lot on results of this year s GEN Europe general assembly and the conference in Damanhur, and it is quite news-like with an aim to give a comprehensive overview of what happened at this year s GA, but what we d really like to do is to move towards deep writing, that you ll also discover from here. We d like to try and avoid articles from websites as much as possible because we have so much of that already! We all know how to find information, but how to find genuine connections between people within GEN Europe, with people who are physically distant from each other, that is a challenge! And we re here to discover the reconnection with writing from our hearts! So let s make this work! You re all welcome to our team! Thank you so much, who has made such a heartful contribution to our first isuse. Thank you, who cooperated in this project to get launched: Thank you all of GEN Europe s council members, Ulrike, Capra and Mate Borda from Hungary and Ralf (who helped us with a lot technical aspects) Enjoy reading the first issue! Your Econnection editorial team, Kadri, Dani, Liesbeth, Shannah, Quaglia, Leila and Stella If one person dreams alone, it remains a dream. If many start dreaming together it is the beginning of a new reality. (Dom Helder Pessoa Camara) 3

4 Overview of Damanhur What Happened in Damanhur By Quaglia, Damanhur Damanhur was honored to host the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) Europe General Assembly, July 4 6, and the Ecovillages and Sustainable Living Conference, July 6 11, Over 150 participants from 29 countries and 6 continents of the world came together in an inspiring celebration of ecological living, world connections, local communities and creative joy. This GEN encounter was a living testimony to the strength and beauty of diversity. Families from France shared their lunch table with eclectic Californians, German youngsters and clowns planned a theatre show while Estonians led Heart Chakra Dance Meditations. We honored community projects from Senegal and South Africa with Excellence Awards, and friends came to share their eco-experiences from beyond Europe in Turkey, Thailand and India. Projects with indigenous villages were planned as organic vegetarian meals were catered en masse. Discussions on new web technologies happened while healers shared from the heart, poolside. Process and constellation work occurred as workshops on fixing broken tools took place and so much more. Laughter yoga. Songs in 7 languages at least. So many hugs and circle dances and new perspectives. We shared glimpses of Damanhur with our special guests, holding interactive workshops on our social and educational structures, guiding visits and meditations in the Temples of Humankind, offering a concert of Damanhurian music and Sacred Dance in the amphitheater and an open air dance party with live rock music and fire dance. New alliances and collaborations were born, as well as new friendships and bonds. All the stimulation and inspiration continues to brew as we keep in touch from our corners of the world. 4

5 Overview of Damanhur General Assembly of GEN Europe 2010 and Ecovillages and Sustainable Living Conference By Capra Carruba and Ulrike Schimmel GEN Europe This year s General Assembly of GEN Europe took place in the Federation of Damanhur, Italy (July 4-6) followed by the Ecovillages and Sustainable Living Conference (July 6-11). It was the largest and most international event GEN Europe has ever hosted with 200 participants from 29 countries, representing all continents. Various collaborating organizations were present, along with many new faces interested in the European network of Ecovillages. General Assembly Important themes from the General Assembly were: the future development of GEN, council elections and the Secretariat report, presenting the financial report, as well as all projects that have taken place within our network in the last year. Other themes that were explored: the emerging network in Africa, the development of guidelines for the transition of traditional villages to ecovillages, the legal recognition of communities, ecovillages in politics, Next GEN, children incommunities, a new website and newsletter, fundraising, healing, exchange amongst ecovillages, as well as many workshops on social and practical tools. During a World Café, a conversational process for large groups, the members discussed a necessary paradigm shift for GEN Europe, acknowledging that it is no longer enough to be an umbrella organization, and that we have become a stimulus of change in society with a global perspective. GEN Europe Council elections were held, confirming four out of five members, with Troels from the Danish network leaving the council, receiving gratitude for all of his contributions, especially at COP15. The new council consists of Kosha (President, Siebenlinden and soon Findhorn), Macaco (Vice President, Damanhur), Deniz (Turkish national network) and Toomas (Estonian national network) and Robert from the Swedish ecovillage Suderbyn. 5

6 Ecovillages and Sustainable Living Conference The conference featured several workshops on various social and practical tools, presentations of ecovillages and participants projects as well as Open Space for exchange on various issues relevant to the wider sustainability movement. The most prominent theme throughout the entire event was the emerging network in Africa, presented by Lua Bashala-Kekana from Congo and Adama Ly from Senegal, and supported by Kosha Anja Joubert. Lua Bashala -Kekana has been designated to hold the role of General Secretary in GEN-Africa for this period of transition, until the official launch of the network in Adama Ly is the General Director of the National Ecovillage Agency (ANEV) and GEN Africa councilor. Supporting the emerging GEN-Africa Network is one of the most important objectives, and the work in Africa has also received solid recognition by GEN members: For the first time in the history of GEN Europe (including Africa and the Middle East), the Excellency Award for the most groundbreaking achievement of the past year went to an African project, GEN Senegal. Part of the prize money (3000 Euro) will be used to install a well for potable water in one of the 45 villages of this network. The remaining money will be used as a start-up fund for an Ecovillage Design Education training to take place in Senegal in A special award was spontaneously created by the GEN members present at the conference and given to Khula Dhamma Ecovillage in South Africa, honoring the engagement of African ecovillage projects.many initiatives were discussed and developed during the meetings, and will have followups, and many members volunteered to bring forth different areas: NextGen, a newsletter to improve our internal communications, a new website that is on its way, and an list that was created on children in community. The legal recognition of communities shall be further discussed on a European level...also because of these aspects, this year s meeting has been very special. Capra Carruba and Ulrike Schimmel Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) - Europe e.v. Twin offices: Ecovillage Sieben Linden /Germany - DAMANHUR Community /Italy info@gen-europe.org

7 Quick News Initiatives that started in Damanhur There were many initiatives that got started in Damanhur. We picked 3 of them to introduce to you. If your initiative is not on the list yet, please do contact us. The host of next year s GA is Tamera A solar village, a spiritual centre, an international peace research centre, Tamera will host us next year in July All GEN members and nonmembers wishing to attend the conference are asked to book the first 2 weeks of July in order to be able to attend. See more about Tamera at Robert Hall starts as a new member of the board Robert Hall, a representative of the Swedish ecovillage Network (and a member of Sunderbyn ecovillage in Sweden) took place as a member of the board of GEN Europe. The previous member Troels stepped down. EDE in Sieben Linden and many more coming up during the wintertime! Many EDE-s have happened during the Many EDE s have happened during the Ahole year. Again people are skilled with beautiful knowledge about how to build ecovillages. About all EDE (ecovillage design courses that are coming up during years 2010 and 2011 please see: index.php?option=com_content&view=article &id=83&itemid=84 There are many coming up throughout the whole world! EDE in India Kosha Anja Joubert, Robin Alfred and Aili Pyhälä will travel a long way to India at the beginning of next year to give an EDE course for the state of Orissa. In the beautiful natural setting of India there are many traditional villages that use ecovillage technologies! This EDE will focus on participatory ecovillage design in indigenous settings. For more info please contact: kosha@siebenlinden.de 7

8 Khula Dhamma in South Africa to win People s prize at GEN GA In addition to the Excellency award a new award was created spontaneously when the group realised that non-members were not clearly honoured for outstanding work. In around 15 minutes people donated more than 700 Euros and during the night time more and more offerings appeared to honour the work of Yan Golding and his ecovillage Khula Dhamma in South Africa. The other candidate was Nara Petrovic with Ocistimo Slovenijo v enem dnevnu - a garbage clean-up campaign that brought together people to clean garbage from forests, beaches and hills on one day. This group was still honoured lately by the Slovenian president Danilo Türk with orders of merits. Together with other European countries they aim at cleaning the whole world at See more about further actions: Senegal started an ecovillage ministry: hence the ecovillage Excellency Award goes to Senegal This year s Exellency award went to Senegal in Damanhur. An award, started by Gaia Trust and the founders of the worldwide ecovillage movement Ross and Hildur Jackson. The 3000 euros award went to Senegal to acknowledge the huge work of GEN-Senegal and of Adama Ly and his colleagues in the ecovillage ministry there. The other candidate was Danish Ecovillage network with organising a two-week long conference in Christiania called Windows of hope that brought together environmentalists and spiritual leaders throughout the whole world during the Copenhagen climate coference in autumn of Yan from Khula Dhamma will use the People s prize as an investment for building up their learning centre. New website almost ready The project of GEN Europe s new website is in progress at the moment. The new website will have many modern features, such as a news and articles section that GEN Europe s members can edit. Ulrike and Ralf from the webteam write: Work on the new GEN-Europe website is progessing slowly but surely. Andreas Lathan (Sieben Linden) is stepping in for collecting newsstories that will feed into the new website, as well as Ecovillage News in Permaculture Magazine and econnection magazine. Please help us create a lively and beautiful new site. How? If you have a news story or an impressive picture please sent it to news@gen-europe.org and if you have deeper experiences with certain aspects of ecovillage life like communication, green technologies, education, ecological housebuilding, permaculture, etc. Share and become a kolumnist for the new GEN-website. Please send a mail to ulrike@gen-europe.org 8

9 What got started in Damanhur There were many initiatives that got started in Damanhur. Out of them we picked two (childrens initiative and econnection magazine project) to introduce to you. If your initiative is not here, please do contact us. And if you ve started an interesting initiative within GEN Europe outside Damanhur, please do write to us too!!! Children in Community initiative By Capra Carruba, Damanhur On education: During the last GA, several meetings evolved around children in communities. The intention was to exchange experiences of the best practices around education and living with children, also to make our experiences visible and accessible to the mainstream as an important area of excellence. Besides the sharing of personal experience, the following ideas were voiced: Create an Ecovillage Education Association where we share curriculums, techniques, resources Conference of teachers for curriculums or other into mainstream, conventional schools and teachers Pedagogical center for education: International communications beyond limitations of culture Educate teachers, also through training possibilities in communities like Damanhur with internships. Create a schoolsystem in Estonia like the one in Damanhur. Programs that can be replicable Sharing and learning parenting and home schooling - what we like and don t like, understand first where we are coming from. International kids camp Connect people who are working in this field, use the strength of being united. Create an annual meeting (with children) to educate ourselves through educating children. Next GA with children. Sustainable education: visits and exchange. Use terminology of mainstream like environmental literacy, write articles, also in academic journals. The work is continuing via a discussion list, You are welcome to sign up at mailman/listinfo/children-in-community_gen-europe.org. The idea is to exchange strong points of every ecovillage or community, in order to help each other, also using also tools on our future new website. In parallel, we are working on more structured meetings, hopefully funded by the EU. If you are passionate or interested about children in communities, please join our discussion with your comments, ideas, suggestions and experience! 9

10 econnection Global Ecovillage Network Europe Magazine A team of 6 women who met for the first time in Damanhur created Econnection! (Shannah Mulder and Liesbeth van Deemter from Ecodorp Brabant, The Netherlands), Quaglia and Nina Thalen from Damanhur, Danielle Byrne from UK, Braziers Park, and Kadri Allikmäe (from the Estonian ecovillage movement). Econnection is less of a newsletter and more of an e-magazine intending to help GEN Europe become more visible to it s members and also engage the general public with more in-depth and personal articles about ecovillage experiences around Europe and Africa. Many people have joined the team and taken an interest since our first meeting. Macaco (Damanhur), Ulrike (Sieben Linden), our IT-special-support Ralf (Germany) as well as Stella (Canary Islands) and Leila (Tamera) have also joined us as well as many other great people! :-) Capra has written so many pieces for this Econnection that she probably wouldn t believe it herself. Thank you all for your sharing! Thank you all for your internest and love! We hope to inspire our friends, ecovillagers and those outside of ecovillage living to take part in our activities and start their own ecovillages if they don t live in one yet!:) Econnection will be published every 3 months to begin with, but perhaps with time more often :) It s all up to us! We invite and encourage everyone to contribute! Please feel free to inform us about anything that is going on in your network or GEN at the moment and join our team s list at: And write to us: magazine@gen-europe.org Autumn 2010 econnection Global Ecovillage Network of Europe Magazine What happened in Damanhur Emergence of GEN Africa Summerhappenings all over Europe Tamera: next years host for GEN GA Projects and interesting initiatives 10

11 11

12 Photos of the conference Photos from the conference by various sources can be found at the following URL-s * GEN Europe (various authors): * Dani (UK): * Tanja (Finland) =mf * Liesbeth (The Netherlands, Ecodorp Brabant) * Matawan (Denmark, Dyssekilde): FpAE&feat= # * Merike (Estonia, Lilleoru) * Paavo (Estonia): 12

13 Senegal won the GEN Europe s Exellency Award Every year GEN Europe s Exellency award is given to an initiative that has had a major impact on the develompent of the ecovillage field. This year, for the first time, the prize went to a project in Africa! it was given to GEN-Senegal and the newly installed Senegalese Ministry of Ecovillages to acknowledge their inspiring work and vision! Below you can read the article by Adama Ly who is the president of the Ecovillage Network of Senegal. Dear the Econnection team, Adama s letter: First of all, thank you very much for the congratulations we received for the GEN-Europe Excellency Award 2010 won recently by Senegal during the GEN-Europe Assembly and Conference in Damanhur (Italy). The prize went to Senegal because of a number of reasons; 1) The Senegal Ecovillages Programme presentation given at the conference showed both green house gas mitigation and adaptation to adverse impacts of climate change on sustainable human development by developing participatory ecosystem conservation whilst also maintaining the villages cultural identities; 2.) GEN-Senegal early initiatives on participatory Ecovillages grass-roots movement; and 3.) The strong Senegal political support with the creation of Senegal Ecovillages National Agency and with creation of the very first Ministry in charge of Ecovillages worldwide! As well as creating strong partnership between them. Because of all these positive and inspiring actions, the GEN-Europe Excellency Award was to honor Senegal through GEN-Senegal National Agency. The prize money (3000 Euros), as I declared at the conference, will be used to contribute towards installing potable water in one of the 45 villages of GEN-Senegal and to start-up a fund to help organise a French language EDE in Senegal in 2011 scheduled for October. My tip for other eco-organisations to win this prize next year is to focus on sustainable human development in Ecovillages and participatory global environment conservation. Also to focus on building strong partnerships, which allow for government support, boosting public-private partnership within the GEN movement. Best regards, Adama. Adama LY Directeur Général de l Agence Nationale des Ecovillages 9, Route des Pères Maristes, Hann, Dakar, Sénégal. 13

14 GEN host 2011 Tamera is honoured to host the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) Europe in 2011 Tamera, Portugal, August 3rd 2010 We want to give thanks for the possibility to host the GEN in 2011 after having a very abundant and creatively effective General Assembly and the Ecovillages and Sustainable Living Conference in Damanhur. The community received this message with great joy and excitement. What is Tamera? Tamera is a training site and meeting point for peaceworkers from all parts of the Earth, a future-lab for the answers to the global challenges of our time. It is located in the Baixo Alentejo, on an area of 134 hectares, and was founded in Today, about two hundred people live, study and work there. Tamera, with its SolarVillage research centre for decentralised energy technology, its permaculture water landscape in the middle of the dry Alentejo and its internationally networked Global Campus peace education, is a site for experimentation and training for the creation of peace villages worldwide. Building this first model for the future will make the founding of further models in other regions ever easier. In the last year, Tamera inaugurated the Test Field for a SolarVillage: a model for testing decentralized solar technology that is selfsufficient in energy and food production in everyday life, inspired mainly by the physicist and inventor Jürgen Kleinwächter. It is our aim to create a model that can be adopted and duplicated especially in regions which are rich in sunlight such as the Middle East and Africa. The basic political work of Tamera: to create models for peace which will function like acupuncture points on the globe and contribute to the healing of our planet. As fascinating and indispensable as the new technological achievements are, they equally require new social structures. We know the problems of hunger and war, crime and violence, environmental destruction and natural catastrophes. At the same time, a central area of the crisis of our times is the relationship between human beings. A key for healing the world lies in dissolving the collective wound which is stored 14

15 in the cells of humanity, in the cells of all of us. Right here, new foundations of trust and love must replace the old system of fear and war. Groups of people who are able to communicate in full trust will combine a sustainable ecological way of life, political action, spiritual anchoring and persistent inner work. Such a committed group will make sure that social structures and living conditions are created which are able to uncover and transform latent warlike processes amongst humans. They will recognize that a life model that has solved their interpersonal wars will have the effect of changing the whole. In these small but highly complex pilot models lies a new possibility for saving our planet. Tamera wishes to be a greenhouse of trust, an education center for peace, a test field for a new culture. We welcome you in Tamera! 15

16 Kosha s column Dear friends, The most underutilised resource we have today is the good intentions and creativity of citizens, and their willingness to make a difference. GEN is deeply rooted in these good intentions. GEN has created a platform that shows how it is possible for people like you and me to take back our power and start living our visions now. We know it cannot be done alone we can only do this together! And we know that we can t wait for those in power to make the changes necessary at the pace necessary. But we can reach out to their minds, hearts and their wish to support solutions instead of more of the same problems in different guises. In turn, more and more of those in power are reaching out to GEN and similar movements. Studies have shown that the vast majority of the world s citizens long for a life that serves the wellbeing of the whole. We long to leave this planet a better place for our children and their children. We wish to create beauty within our communities. We want to be of service to our wider societies. Growing up and living in a system which has relegated all this to a back seat in the name of economic progress and egoistic gains has done nothing to quench our thirst. The problems this system is running into now are serving to intensify the longing for a more meaningful life in many. GEN has an important role to play in showcasing pathways and possibilities for this longing to be fulfilled, both in the North and in the global South! The visibility of people s projects that deeply care for local community while embracing global community is a vibrant tool for empowerment. Together with a myriad of other NGOs, GEN spreads hope and unleashes potential at grassroots levels. As we experiment in re-knitting trustful relationships and honouring low impact life styles, the authenticity of walking our talk becomes a source of inspiration. Our strength lies in co-developing and co-designing economic, social, cultural and ecologic solutions that support local ownership of sustainable futures. Honestly sharing the questions we face in this process may be as important as sharing any answers we may find. My sense is that within GEN, we are no longer focussing on replicating the ecovillage model and creating more and more green islands out in the countryside. The demonstration sites we have are invaluable and we can certainly do with more. But the focus has long moved on. Today we need every village to become an ecovillage and every city to become an ecocity. The whole of mainstream needs to transition to a low-impact lifestyle in order to survive. All social networks need to reintegrate values of solidarity and mutual trust in order to become resilient enough to face the future creatively. The focus of GEN has shifted to sharing best practice - ecovillage-patterns that work! As media, politicians, academia and business are looking to GEN with a growing interest, are we ready to meet them with a healthy sense of self-worth and a clear awareness of how we can be of service? I believe that it is time for our vision of who we are and can be to grow and adapt to changing circumstances. It is certainly not about discarding humility. On the contrary, in taking up our role in a moving and questing society we are asked to leave behind all traces of adolescent resistances and conspiracy theories. We are invited to bring an inquisitive open mind and our ability to build trustful relationships to the table. 16

17 The movement of widening GEN to reach more sectors of society needs to be counterbalanced by deepening and strengthening our roots. Reaching out to traditional and indigenous villages and supporting the emergence of GEN-Africa may be seen as a part of this. GEN is in an excellent position to establish partnerships between projects in the North and South. The fact that we are visibly and tangibly lowering ecological footprints attracts interest and respect to Northern ecovillages from projects in the South. Conversely, projects in the North have much to learn from deep-rooted wisdom still alive within Southern projects and cultures. Grassroots leaders from both sides recognise in each other a similar sense of responsibility for global environmental and social justice. In the face of climate change, a network that builds bridges between North and South in a spirit of true collaboration, trust and mutual respect deserves special attention. The global need for and potential of North-South reconciliation work is huge. As we continue to build bridges widely and deeply it is certainly a good moment for GEN to be updating its websites and PR-materials! The time seems to be ripe for the emergence of GEN-Africa. And GEN-Europe is ready to move beyond being a mere platform, used by individual communities to promote themselves and their activities, to a broader vision of collective creativity in the service of broader society. Thank you to all of you out there who in so many individual and colourful ways are playing a part in fostering this movement! Let s continue weaving our strands together into the ever-changing tapestry of GEN In community, Kosha 17

18 GEN: Family, opening flower or both? Written by Capra Carruba and edited by Toomas Trapido World Cafe opening speech by Toomas Trapido at GEN general assembly in Damanhur.. We are all doing great work for the change, the Shift, the Great Turning - or however we want to name it. It s a big adventure and opportunity. The only question is: what is the potential and plan for GEN in the coming years? In the beginning, the reason for starting GEN was to unite ecovillage people from different countries and continents to become one family. The family is functioning quite well now, so the first goal has been achieved - but what else GEN is doing? If GEN wants to contribute more as an organisation, then there s lot to do: Members - how to make membership more inspirational, what are the clear benefits of being a member of GEN? Funds and fundraising - the budget is clearly too small for a European-African wide organization. Training: Learning partnership, some EDEs, but the need is even bigger. Emerging network in Africa - how to support it in the best possible way? Guidelines on dialgue between of traditional/indigenous villages and eco-villages. Communication - there is clearly need for more internal communication, ie monthly newsletter. Outreach - going to high-profile conferences, representing GEN there, good videos on Youtube, useful website etc. Governments - special format to offer to governments membership, invitation to ministries of environment: this is how you can become governmental member of GEN. UN - the goal is to have a presentation of ecovillages on UN general assembly and to integrate ecovillages into solutions and activities of UN. Cooperation with Transition Towns, Ecocities and other (global) movements. What I am trying to picture is that there is a very big potential, not as an ambition, but what the world is asking for: people are hungry for solutions, for real things that work. If Findhorn, Sieben Linden were at the margins of society 5-10 years ago, now governments come and ask how they work. How is GEN answering these questions? Siebenlinden, Findhorn, Damanhur individually do this work already, but what has GEN as a Global Eco-village Network to offer to the world? If I look at this picture from my management background of launching new projects and activites, I see that there are very different operating modes - one is family mode and the other is growth mode. We need to discuss this because if we grow faster, we are in the growth mode and the flower of potential will open. 18

19 It needs more trust between members, between council, staff, less control because five persons in the council cannot control and manage all this growth, they can only have overview of what is happening and gently encourage activities of all the members. We are all doing a good job, but how can we expand our activities under the umbrella of GEN is the question. We are on the crossroads, it would be very good to discuss these days how and whether we will go into this growth mode - of if we want to stay within the family and be content with annual meetings, which is very good as well. It is a choice to take for the General Assembly. 19

20 Intro of GEN council Kosha Anja Joubert (1968, current President of GEN-Europe) I was born and grew up in South Africa. The system of Apartheid deeply influenced my life s path: I decided to devote myself to the study and practice of trustful communication and community building in diverse settings. I have been living in intentional communities for the past 20 years. My last 10 years were spent in Sieben Linden, Germany. Recently I moved to Findhorn, Scotland, with my two children. I co-authored the Ecovillage Design Education Curriculum (www. gaiaeducation.org). Today, I organize EDE-courses and trainings on social tools internationally and work as a facilitator and consultant. I co-edited Beyond You and Me. Inspirations and Wisdom for Building Community, Permanent Publications, 2007 with my partner, Robin Alfred. I just had my first own book published in Germany on Collective Wisdom and look forward to translating it into English in the future. It is a joy and honour for me to be an active part of the ecovillage movement! Macaco Tamerice (vice president of GEN Europe, Damanhur, Italy): I have been living in Damanhur since 1993 and so I ve known GEN for many years. I have participated actively in the last four GA s and in 2008 I was elected into the council and became vice-president. I was reelected into the council this year for another two years. I have been doing lot s of outreach having the opportunity to talk to many people in sight (Sting, Patch Adams and many others), was the link between GEN and the Earth Charter, represented GEN at the anniversary of the Earth Charter, at smaller events in Italy and I am the link with the Italian network. I have been working in the last three years to create a law for the legal recognition of the status of Communities and will be the link between Next-Gen and the council. Last but not least I organized the last GA at Damanhur. Deniz Dincel: I m a biologist. While I was working in Bugday Society for Supporting Ecological Livelihood in Istanbul, I decided to learn more about ecological living and went to Findhorn Ecovillage in Scotland. I stayed in Findhorn Ecovillage for about two years and participated in many trainings. I worked in Ecological Footprint Analysis Project of Findhorn Ecovillage and Community in I have visited many ecovillages in Europe and have been organizing International Workshops on Sustainable Living for the last four years in Turkey. I m is one of the trainers of Ecovillage Design Education. Currently, I m in the council of Global Ecovillage Network-Europe and live in Turkey. Toomas Trapido (member of GEN Estonia and member of Estonian parlament, green party). I m sure that our planet Earth is developing into one living organism and we, the people of the Earth, are becoming body of humanity as Elisabet Sahtouris is telling in her inspirational Earthdance. I see as my role, to facilitate this shift and GEN is one of the most obvious catalysts and wayshowers. But the change goes one heart at the time, so it s very important to empower people inside GEN and related to GEN to find their own power. I m assisting this in the ways I can, in GEN council and otherwise. Also, being a member of the parliament in Estonia I see great need for politics - one of the most conservative fields of life - to change towards cooperation and working for everyone and the whole earth at the same time. This could be called Transition Politics that will lead to Gaian Politics and I m passionate about bringing it into reality. 20

21 Robert Hall (new member of GEN council, Sunderbyn Ecovillage, Sweden) I have had an interest in ecovillages at least since 1990 when Ingrid and I started visiting ecovillages. By 1993 we had seen Svanholm, Denmark; Nimbin, Australia, Longo Mai, France and Auroville, India. But I did not discover GEN until 2005 when I really wanted to find the right ecovillage to move to and started to use the website regularly. In the end we opted not to move to an ecovillage in France but to start one in Sweden. GEN membership was an expressed goal of our Swedish project from the start - to become a real ecovillage. So our first NGO established to gather people and seek land was set up in 2007 with gaining GEN membership as a goal written into the statutes. As soon as we bought and moved to the land and established our democratic cooperative in mid 2008, Suderbyn Permaculture Ecovillage applied for supportive membership in GEN. And as soon as we could, we came to the GEN General Assembly in Keuruu, Finland in 2009 as a new supportive member ecovillage. We left Keuruu as a proud full member. Being the only full member in Sweden we felt a responsibility to get the national network functioning and get others to join GEN. Thus Njord, the Swedish Ecovillage Network was revived in 2009 specifically to become GEN Sweden.This year we came to Damanhur as a new full member and returned home with a representative in the GEN Council. This was a surprise that I had not expected, but it is definately an honour to be able to contribute to GEN s and the ecovillage movement s development. I think I can add diversity to the already diverse council and I hope that this diversity of skills and experience can be used to mobilise members and allow GEN Europe- Middle East-Africa to make a big step up as a known agent for global change during the next 2 years. This year we came to Damanhur as a new full member and returned home with a representative in the GEN Council. This was a surprise that I had not expected, but it is definately an honour to be able to contribute to GEN s and the ecovillage movement s development. I think I can add diversity to the already diverse council and I hope that this diversity of skills and experience can be used to mobilise members and allow GEN Europe-Middle East-Africa to make a big step up as a known agent for global change during the next 2 years. Ulrike Schimmel (secretary general of GEN, Sieben Linden): Ever since I have taken on the secretariat in late 2008, my dream has been to really make GEN-Europe (and, as an extension, GEN) thrive and flourish. I am really open to all kinds of strategies, how to achieve this: be it Grundtvig, or any other way to create more connection and networking in the GEN family,more funding for our projects, attract more members both among communities and individuals, and spread the word about the solutions we found to a wider audience, let the world know. I have been living in Sieben Linden Ecovillage for seven years and generally do a lot of very down to earth things like cooking for the community and gardening. Most of my energy is dedicated to parenting my three children. Capra Carruba (co-secretary general of GEN, Damanhur) My name is Capra Carruba, my German birth name is Christine Schneider. I am a member of the Federation of Damanhur in Italy since 1996 and since 2008, I am secretary of GEN in the twin office here in Damanhur. My work-life has many dimensions, I most like teaching and co-creating projects. I have a three-year-old daughter who has been attending the last General Assemblies and children in community is a personal research interest of mine. I am passionate about understanding what makes communities work and I am profoundly grateful for my experience in Damanhur, which provides constant stimuli for both growth and adventure. GEN is a precious occasion for me to impact the world and connect with beautiful people, many of whom have become dear friends in these years. 21

22 From left to right: Formica from Damanhur, King of Damanhur, Kosha, Adama, Lua, Macaco from Damanhur 22

23 Report on the Emergence of GEN Africa Compiled by Lua Bashala-Kekana and Kosha Anja Joubert Below there you will find a short overview of what has happened so far and future strategies for the emergence of GEN-Africa as an independent network. Up to now, GEN-Europe has encompassed Africa and the Middle East, too. Since many years Africa grassroots leaders all over Africa have been building fantastic projects for sustainable communities. The belief of the core group of Lua Bashala-Kekana, Adama Ly and Kosha Anja Joubert as voiced in Damanhur (July 2010) is that as ecovillage knowledge is spreading so fast and wide in Africa, GEN Africa could be launched in the autumn of 2012! Ever since GEN was founded in 1995, GENattempts were undertaken at various times to strengthen the ecovillage movement in Africa. One of the strong national networks that grew from this was GEN-Senegal. Up until now the GEN Europe region has encompassed Africa too. In the Summer of 2008 Kosha Anja Joubert was elected as president of GEN-Europe, having been born and raised in South Africa during apartheid Kosha took on the responsibility to move the emergence of GEN-Africa as a separate region from GEN Europe within GEN International forward. Kosha s work for the anti-apartheid movement in Amsterdam in the late 80 s and early 90 s paved her path into the ecovillage movement. In the summer of 2009 the GEN-Europe council unanimously decided to support the emergence of GEN Africa as a separate region and make it one of its main priorities. Six participants from Africa, including Lua Bashala-Kekana from Congo, currently living in Khula Dhamma ecovillage in South Africa, attended the EDE (Ecovillage Design Education) in Sieben Linden. The depth of work done on the ground in Africa and the potential of an African ecovillage network as a tool of empowerment became apparent in South-South and South-North dialogues. An understanding of the importance of combining efforts instead of working in isolation is strongly felt and GEN is seen as a great working tool for this. 23

24 In November 2009 Lua and two more EDE-participants, Usiel Kandjii from Namibia and Thomas Mkandawire from Malawi attended the IPC (International Permaculture Convergence) in Malawi to gauge interest and spread the word (and a newly produced flyer) on GEN-Africa. The need and wish for a platform on which to exchange skills and knowledge as well as information on upcoming courses and events was clearly defined as necessary. In December 2009, Adama Ly, as General Director of the National Agency geared towards supporting traditional villages in Senegal in their transition to ecovillages, met with Hildur and Ross Jackson and further members of the GEN-Europe-network during the Climate Conference in Copenhagen. Other contacts to ecovillage-activists from Africa, including Trinto Mugangu from Congo and Ibrahim Togolo from Mali are made and deepened. In January of this year Lua traveled to the Congo (DRC) to contact and visit various ecovillages and ecovillage related projects in this vast country. She met with the minister of information discussing government support for the development of an ecovillage network in the Congo. The results were very positive and a decision was taken to send participants endorsed by the government to the Sieben Linden EDE in August and to a French EDE course in Senegal in In April of this year a first is sent out to around 200 interested individuals and organisations from all over Africa inviting them to express their interest in becoming a part of the network. The response was overwhelmingly positive and supportive. More and more dedicated individuals linked up to support the GEN-Africa initiative. In June the Senegalese government created the first Ministry for Ecovillages ever! During this years GEN-Europe Assembly in Damanhur, Italy Adama, Lua and Kosha met with George John from Orissa, India (supporting a network of 3950 indigenous villages), Jane Rasbah (deeply connected to village networks in and around Thailand), Aili Pyhala (researching and supporting indigenous groups for many years), Inci and Ali Gokmen (working with traditional villages in Turkey), Macaco Tamerice (Damanhur) and Jan Golding (Founder of Khula Dhamma Ecovillage in South Africa) and proceeded to write the first draft of an official invitation to traditional and indigenous village-networks to link up to the Global Ecovillage Network. First guidelines for this process were drafted, too. This overview will be of value not only in the emergence of GEN Africa but globally where traditional village networks are still existent. We are responding to demand. Adama, Lua and Kosha are continuously in contact to refine strategy and next steps for the emergence of GEN-Africa. And for the first time in the history of GEN-Europe (+Africa + Middle East) the Excellency Award for the most groundbreaking achievement of the last year goes to an African project, - GEN-Senegal! GEN Senegal has played a pivotal role in building the ground for the Senegalese government initiative for ecovillages. GEN Europe wishes to acknowledge and honour this work. Part of the prize money (3000 ) will be used to install a well for potable water in one of the 45 villages of this network, thereby also strengthening the collaboration with the ministry of ecovillages. The other part will be used as start-up funds for an EDE to take place in Senegal in A special award is spontaneously created by the GEN-members present and given to Khula Dhamma Ecovillage, South Africa in honouring of the engagement of African ecovillage projects. Contacts are made to individuals linking GEN up to green companies, universities and developmental aid networks. All involved sense deep resonance with our aims and wish to support the emerging GEN-Africa network with funding possibilities as well as technical skills exchange. Next Steps: 24

25 We acknowledge that we are in a period of transition towards the launch of GEN-Africa as a separate legal entity in From then on all positions within GEN-Africa will be democratically elected by GEN- Africa members (council of staff, representing different regions). We propose to mirror some of the helpful practices that GEN-Europe has come up with e.g. new elections every two years, with any one person not exceeding 3 terms of two years as maximum. We realise that both Adama and Lua need designations now in order to work efficiently in the Spread of GEN-Africa on the ground. So it was decided that for the time being to use the term of GEN-Africa General Secretary for Lua and GEN-Africa councellor for Adama. Kosha was re-elected as President of GEN-Europe for another term of two years. She holds a role of custodian and advisor to GEN-Africa during this period of transition. We need to create a legal entity (in the form of an international NGO) and a bank account for GENAfrica. External auditing will be a part of GEN-Africa bookkeeping from the outset. Lua will investigate the question of which country in Africa will be safest and cheapest for a bank account to be localised. For the time being, funds for GEN-Africa continue to move through the GEN-Europe account. We envision the relationship between GEN-Africa and GEN-Europe to remain close through personal friendships, mutual support and learning from each other. Also, we look forward to the shared inspiration and a deep emotional process of South-North reconciliation that is ensuing. We envision creating a platform within GEN-Africa where all regions of Africa find the space to become visible. Therefore we propose the following roadmap: EDE in Sieben Linden: 8 participants coming from Malawi, South Africa, Congo, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, Tanzania. Other EDE s willing to issue special invitations to participants coming through the emerging GENAfrica network: Thai (Jan 2011), Kibbuz Lotan, Damanhur (April 2011) Autumn 2010: work on several fundraising proposals for GEN-Africa (Aili Pyhala and others are willing to collaborate.) Congo Ecovillage Network Conference: May/June 2011 GEN-Europe Assembly taking place in Tamera July 3-10, 2011: 10 participants from all over Africa to beinvited. EDE in Senegal for francophone countries: October 2011 Linked to a Conference inviting other governments, interested in following the Senegalese model of ecovillage development. Guinea, Mali, Niger, Burkino Fasso and Ghana government officials have already expressed interest. Linked to a youth project, where youth from European ecovillages (14-22 years, from Findhorn, Damanhur, Tamera, Sieben Linden, maybe others) travel to Senegal to plant trees in ecovillage projects there. EDE in South Africa for Anglophone countries: April 2012 Launch of GEN Africa: July or October

26 Recognising traditional & indigenous villages as Ecovillages By Kosha Anja Joubert and Aili Pyhala in collaboration with Lua Bashala-Kekana (Congo), George John (India), Adama Ly (Senegal), Jane Rasbah (UK and Thailand), Ali and Inci Gokmen (Turkey), Yan Golding (South Africa) and Macaco Tamerice (Italy) We stand at a critical moment in Earth s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. 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. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the people of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations. (Preamble Earth Charter). We define the village as a human-scale settlement, ranging from a hamlet through the conventional village to a small town or urban suburb. We envision the village to be a key-element in building solutions to the problems we face today. We can more easily step into responsibility for our future and the future of our children on the level of the village. On this level, we can oversee and express our concern for healthy relationships within our ecosystem. We can build community and take action together. The most underutilised resource we have is the good intentions and creativity of us citizens, and our willingness to make a difference. Urban and rural villages alike are precious playgrounds for civil society engagement to come to the fore. Village networks can weave local solutions into a new tapestry for resilient societies. If one person dreams alone, it remains a dream. If many start dreaming together it is the beginning of a new reality. (Dom Helder Pessoa Camara). Ecovillages are consciously designed through participatory processes to secure long-term sustainability in all four areas of the social, the cultural, of economy and ecology. Ecovillages are becoming living and learning centres for a high quality, low-impact lifestyle and seek to be places of inspiration to the wider society. How can traditional & indigenous villages and intentional ecovillages relate to one another? Thousands of traditional and indigenous villages around the world are currently in danger of losing their social, cultural, ecological and economic cohesion. The adverse impacts of globalisation are challenging. The surrounding forests and lands, the waters and natural resources are privatised and appropriated, eroded and polluted at a frightening pace. As a result, entire communities are being threatened in their survival. Understandably, young people are increasingly leaving their homes, seduced by the promises of modern society and longing to link up to global networks. Unfortunately, they seldom find what they are looking for. Much value is being lost in this process. 26 GEN was set up in 1995 to support and encourage the evolution of sustainable settlements across the globe. In the North, ecovillages are geared towards radically lowering ecological footprint through finding participatory responses to the challenges of our times. Through greater investment in social capital, they

27 rebuild community and a sense of solidarity in the midst of a culture over-emphasising individualism. In the South, ecovillages often are more focused on preserving and honouring sources of local sustainable wisdom while combining these with contemporary appropriate technologies. Both focus on communityled development and empowerment, which leads to a healthy merging of the past with innovative modern solutions. In the face of climate change and resource depletion, a network which builds bridges between North and South in a spirit of respect, true collaboration, exchange and mutual support deserves special attention. GEN wishes to deepen its role as a platform for the South-North and South-South exchange of knowledge and experience. Through sharing of best practices within the wider network while honouring local traditions we move towards a diverse yet shared pool of wisdom for sustainable living on our home - the Earth. GEN recognises a deep need for: Resurgence of culture, ethics, and identity, of individuals and communities Meetings, both online and in real time, to build personal relationships, trust and collaboration Respect for the wisdom inherent in indigenous cultures Empowerment of communities to design their own pathway into the future Reconciliation and narrowing the gap between North and South South-South dialogue and skill-sharing. In recent years a growing number of GEN supportive members are from indigenous and traditional villages. Some of these villages have been approaching GEN with an interest in becoming part of the movement. In answer to this, local village network leaders from India, Thailand, Senegal, Congo, Peru, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa have met with GEN-Europe representatives from July to September 2010 initiating guidelines for this process. These draft guidelines are now being sent out to a wide variety of engaged individuals and networks for feedback. We are enquiring into the existence of an internationally applicable framework while honouring the wide diversity and richness of local expression and cultural differences. The initiation of local ecovillage-networks has started with educational programs (like the EDE Ecovillage Design Education, see Educational environments provide a much needed space for reflection on common visions. Participatory design processes ensure that all changes are deeply rooted in and invited by local communities. Local trainers are encouraged and promoted. For instance, the Senegalese Ecovillage Network (see was so successful in following this strategy that the Senegalese government has now decided to transform traditional villages using the ecovillage model. It is essential that development aid is channelled into these kinds of initiatives, which empower local populations to take ownership of their future. 27

28 Guidelines for the recognition of traditional & indigenous villages as ecovillages: As stated already, ecovillages are consciously designed through participatory processes to secure long-term sustainability in all four areas of the social, the cultural, of economy and ecology. Growing from a shared vision of our future we the community of inhabitants raise awareness, build capacity, take specific actions and reach out to the wider world We engage in all stages of the process of design and implementation in our village. We adopt low impact, high quality lifestyles in harmony with nature. We uphold human rights, build trust among our members and promote gender sensitivity. We support solidarity with each individual finding his or her unique way of serving the whole. We work towards economic justice and overcoming the divide between rich and poor. In following these general principles, we strive to raise awareness through 6. promoting cultural identity and respecting diversity. 7. Learning of and opposing the negative impacts of globalization and the privatization of the global commons. 8. Honouring the wisdom of elders and children and integrating the marginalized. Build capacity through, 9. Educating and empowering all our members and wider networks to actively contribute to sustainable living. 10. Revitalizing and archiving traditional local wisdom while integrating contemporary methods, technologies and insights where appropriate. Undertake the following specific actions, 11. Providing continuous access to clean water through sustainable water harvesting and careful use of water for all needs. 12. Supporting ecological food production for local and bioregional consumption. 13. Implementing appropriate technologies and producing clean renewable energy for local and bioregional use. 14. Preserving and developing the knowledge and use of traditional and natural healing methods. 15. Using local traditions and low impact, innovative techniques in green building to provide high quality shelter. 16. Taking all possible actions to minimise waste by reusing, recycling, and composting. Reach out to the wider world through, 17. Functioning as a community-based peace-building tool by promoting inter-village and inter-ethnic cooperation. 18. Continuously engaging in the sustainable use of natural resources, participatory restoration of ecosystems and conservation of biodiversity. 19. Working to strengthen locally grounded, globally connected community-based economies that are ethical and transparent. 20. Being open to collaborating with and accepting support from institutions, individuals and others, providing this does not compromise any of the above values 21. Building a wider network of like-minded villages and projects. 28

29 Tamera s true essence by Leila Dregger I ll start with some sentences about myself. I have been an independent journalist for what feels like ages. I worked for magazines and radio stations, but I became tired of the news that only seemed to tell: Everything is getting worse, and there is no alternative. When I decided to live in Tamera seven years ago, it was the peace work that attracted me, and the many young people. As a journalist I felt the beautiful challenge to accompany such a global project of committed people, to help with all my skills in order to make it a success. In spite of all the processes that occur when you leave your private life and enter a community - the challenges to all your habits and thinking patterns, entering a more simple life - poor in terms of material luxury, but rich in contact and communication, rich also in conflicts and insights about yourself - some of them beautiful, not all - in spite of all this I have never regretted taking this path. When some months ago a message when a message came from our comrades Momo-Jana and Christoph, that the next GEN meeting would take place in Tamera, I felt very proud. The GEN meeting is an important gathering of representatives of many groups in Europe that try to live a life different from the mainstream and find practical and decentralized answers to the ecological and social challenges of our time. GEN helps us to connect, to share and help each other, to speak our experiences and to form a common identity - maybe as a part of a future culture. 29

30 I was asked to write about Tamera to give people an idea of what kind of place and community will host you. We all know about the facts - that Tamera is an international peace research center, that it was founded in 1995, that there are co-workers and students living there, and the site has 134 hectares. You created a SolarVillage with Jürgen Kleinwächter and a Permaculture Water landscape with Sepp Holzer - we know that. Please tell us a bit more about the atmosphere, I was asked. How does it feel to be in Tamera? To get to Tamera you have to go to the far south-west of Europe: to Southern Portugal. Leave the Atlantic coast, with its scenic cliffs and dunes behind, and travel the dusty road inland. It is quiet here. Occasionally you will pass through the villages typical of this country, with their carefully whitewashed houses. Cork oaks and eucalyptus trees shimmer in the heat upon the low hills. Sheep and goats graze between old farmhouses. Those familiar with the Alentejo know that this view will change little over the next few hundred kilometres. But now the road rises gently, curving to the left, and suddenly a different world lies before you. A lake glitters in the sunlight. The terraces by its shore are green and abundant with vegetables, fruit trees and sunflowers. You see the curved shapes of tents, gleaming solar installations and an assembly hall. And you see people of different colours and cultures, working and sitting together, some talking, some reading. We have arrived: this is Tamera. About 200 people are working, studying and living here, building what we call a model for the future. With its Testfield for a SolarVillage, its experiment to heal the land by creating a water landscape, and its internationally networked peace-education program, Tamera is a highly complex centre for living futurology. The Silicon Valley of Peace was one name given to Tamera by journalists. Others chose Paradise under Construction. And it really is under construction. Many things are still unfinished, improvized, pioneer-style, and visitors are asked to bring good shoes because of the bad roads. Undeveloped areas of the site, covered with blackberries and rock roses are a reminder of the time before the project was founded. 30

31 At the same time, one senses paradise everywhere. One feels the unusual, the utopian, the orientation towards joy and contact with all that lives, the courage for the unconventional and the longing for what is to come. The goal is just as high as everyday life is here consciously simple and the material facilities basic: Tamera was founded to develop suggestions for solutions to global issues. From the processes of evolution, the biologist Lynn Margulis drew a conclusion for the challenges of humankind, If we want to survive the ecological and social crises we have caused, we will probably be forced to give ourselves into completely new dramatic community undertakings. The community undertakings considered necessary by Lynn Margulis are taking place all over the world. Outside of the huge central laboratories, universities and cities, researchers of the future are practically applying their developments in places like Tamera. Dieter Duhm, cofounder of Tamera: The crisis inside of us and the crisis in the environment are two parts of the same whole and can only be solved from that perspective. A walk through Tamera today takes us through cascades of lakes and ponds, on the shores of which grow the permaculture gardens used for both teaching and food supply. In the coming years, the water landscape will be expanded and completed, so that the trees on the hills will also be able to grow again and return to health. The summer kitchen of the Testfield for a SolarVillage demonstrates techniques for cooking with solar energy and biogas, electricity generation, food preservation, and water pumping. Almost all of the systems were built in Tamera s own workshops. 31

32 In the research greenhouse, new technologies are tested, which are intended to free settlements of the future from dependence on centralized energy supply systems. On the building sites, simple traditional construction techniques are combined with modern architectural concepts. Participants of the peaceeducation programs study in seminar rooms and the auditorium. Theatre and music groups rehearse for their performances on the stages of the Aonda and the Aula. The participants of the Youth School for Global Learning are being taught by young adults who were themselves students here a few years ago. Men and women from different countries and cultures are working together, supporting the development of the new systems. They contribute their knowledge and experience and gain insights that they will use for the creation of autonomous settlements in their home countries. They benefit from the presence of International experts in the various research areas. The joy of experimentation is as important as the finished solutions. The most important aspect in all of this is the coming together - the community. 32 People who previously learned to perceive each other as enemies, for example Athose from Israel and Palestine, are working here hand-in-hand. Common work towards a higher goal is more important for the people on both sides than the conflict, leaving no space for hostility. Compassion, responsibility for the whole and mutual support are the basic ethical guidelines for living together in Tamera. In addition to

33 specialist knowledge, participants bring back home the joy of experimentation, greater self-esteem and experience of community. Research, education and participation unite in all areas ecology, technology, social competence and political networking. Through this combination, a worldwide network of different groups and initiatives has developed, all connected with Tamera to bring its knowledge to their projects, or to create new projects based on similar principles. Young people love to invest their whole power and joy into such a planetary perspective. Sometimes I look at the world with my inner eyes, I dream. I direct my attention not towards today s densely populated areas, but to the places where new centres for peace are developing. Looking closely, I discover the signs of a global renaissance. Gentle yet unstoppable, a powerful movement is forming, a movement for reconnection with nature and reconciliation with each other in the certainty of a different future a movement for a free Earth. The children of the future will be able to build on the knowledge and experience of these centres. If one day our survival depends on choosing new ways; if the breakdown of large economic and supply systems comes close; if whole landscapes become uninhabitable or social unrest threatens a peaceful way of living together, then these centres will be catalysts for a new beginning. In this way Tamera wants to put itself into service for the world. 33

34 Grace Pilgrimage 2010 Colombia Together with the peace village San José de Apartadó and Padre Javier Giraldo, Sabine Lichtenfels will lead a pilgrimage in Bogotį from the 1st to the 9th of November The pilgrimage will travel through power places and places of conflict in the surroundings of the capital, in order to unite peace iniatives from around the world and to give a signal of hope for Colombia. The peace village San José de Apartadó is a seed of hope for the whole country and could become a model for reconciliation in South America. However, the peace community is still relatively unknown within the country. One of the goals of this pilgrimage is to help change this, as well as being an experience of reconciliation and reflection, as every Grace Pilgrimage has been. South America a region where the extremes are closer together than in almost any other region in the world: the suffering and the strength to break through, the cruelty and the longing for reconciliation, the natural wealth and nature exploitation. In countries like Bolivia, the rights of Pacha Mamma - Mother Earth - even got embodied in the constitution. Nevertheless, uncounted people are still being kidnapped, tortured and cruelly murdered. There are only a few places where confidence and security are possible, due to the drug mafia, paramilitary, guerilla and corrupt governments. However there is hope, which, as a seed of a peace force, could kindle a revolution of love. In Colombia there is such an example: San José de Apartadó, a small community, which has worked to establish a peace model for over 13 years. They laid down all weapons, and despite constant murder threats, despite being displaced and living under the most difficult life circumstances, they have stayed true to their decision for non-violence and forgiveness. They do not co-operate with any violent conflict group and created their own community rules, rules of solidarity and mutual support. They say: Because we wanted to stop the murders in the country, we had to step out of the system of violence. 34

35 Transparency in the community, no drugs, no co-operation with armed groups and no weapons these are the conditions for all who want to become members of the community. Tamera has got to know the peace village San José de Apartadó intensely. Andrea Regelmann: We have been working together with them for five years to develop the Global Campus. Step out of the system of violence, create models for peace is our common motto. This is valid for all of South America and could become a source of strength for a nonviolent revolution. But exactly this community, which becomes ever more known internationally and has received many peace prices, is called a terrorist group within Colombia itself, and is depicted as a threat to peace. The community needs protection by international companions and by being known within their own country. For this reason, we organise this Grace Pilgrimage. It will take place from 1 to 9 November. It is intended to be a planetary pilgrimage, where people from all over the earth who are threatened in a similar way, can join in. International peace iniatives will accompany and protect them. Tamera s co-founder Sabine Lichtenfels and Padre Javier Giraldo from Bogotá will lead the pilgrimage. Sabine Lichtenfels: Our humanitarian goal is the unison of spiritual and political consciousness. We do not fight against a system, instead we draw attention to alternatives by artistic and spiritual means. We do not take part in the globalization of violence and we refuse the abuse of energy resources of Mother Earth. We work all over the world to build models for a self-sufficient life, where the human basic values become reality: Love, truth and trust, mutual support, co-operation with nature, and a new way of energy production. It is the same longing for life which is calling in all of us. We work to establish the Global Campus, where we can study and realise the building of such models together. Such a model is currently being developped in the middle of the Colombian rain forest: the village Mulatos, which belongs to the peace community San José de Apartadó. This place is to become a planetary center for Peace training. 35

36 Eduar Lanchero, a council member of the peace village: We invite all engaged and courageous people: Help to make such models become known internationally and receive the protection they need. And through a financial contribution you can help to enable people from Chrisis zones, such as Tibet, Palestine and India, to take part in the pilgrimage 2010 in Bogotá. Together, let us turn the miracle of Mulatos into a model for a new hope in South America, so that other communities can also receive the means and the knowledge, needed to step out of the cycle of murders and violence. More: 36

37 V IPage By Shannah Mulder As Ecovillage Brabant in the Netherlands: We have the honor to start the VIPage in the new Magazine Econnection. We are the latest ecovillage, so that is a funny coincidence..? The initiative started in 2008 with two people. They made a website ( and now there are about 250 members. There is no land yet, so our priority is community building. Both games are excellent to get to know each other in a nice way. We work with Dragon Dreaming, a project management methodology which leads to incredible successful projects. Dream, Plan, Do and Celebrate! We work with the architect Huub van Laarhoven, who designs sacred geometry buildings ( The picture on the bottom is a geometric figure you can find in nature and the left picture and the one below is the building ECO EXPO we construct now and later in our ecovillage! To practice working and living together, somebody came up with the idea to experiment innovative building, permaculture etc. So this summer we started the experiment on De Kleine Aarde (The Little Earth) in Boxtel. Every day there were about 40 people working there, also including volunteers. We were very lucky, we got a lot of funds. Also, The Housing Association from Boxtel offered an old camping place for us to stay there for free. In addition to building we experienced FORUM, which is a way to express feelings in a group in a safe way. We also played the experience GAME, a card game in which you start with intentions, and where you can give each other challenging or support cards. 37

38 Macaco on Italian network meeting This year July 22nd-25th the fourteenth meeting of the Italian ecovillage network RIVE took place in the beautiful mountains of Tuscany near Massa Marittima, in the small community Rays. 360 people participated, mainly from Italy but also from many places in the world. The RIVE meetings are always very simple meetings, outdoors, as far as structures are concerned. This gives the opportunity for many people to participate at a very low cost. Every year during this meeting, different arguments linked to community life are shared by the communities that are part of RIVE. This year, the four days of the meeting, gave the opportunity to talk about economy, solidarity, common choices and love relationships and about how these themes are dealt with in different community realities. There were also many hands-on and social-tool workshops offered by the participants. The whole meeting was held outside and the weather delivered sunshine everyday. A pizza oven was built, as well as beautiful outdoor showers and compost toilets, by some RIVE volunteers, which provided comfort during this big meeting. The energy was high and people were happy with their learning experiences. The group ate great food together in a big circle, shared music and danced during the evenings getting a taste of community life. This year, many participants came to the meeting searching for a different model of living together. We are living in times, where the old models are obviously crumbling. The meeting offered a taste of the beauty of doing things together to participants. The last day the assembly of RIVE was held, we faced several decisions: The President Alfredo Camozzi was re-elected for another year, there was a report about the GEN meeting in Damanhur, and the law proposal for the legal recognition of communities was discussed. 38

39 FöldKelte (EarthRise) summer camp in Hungary July, 2010 Zirc, Akli farm, Hungary Written by Mate Borda The EarthRise (FödKelte) is an informal group in Hungary, which was initiated in 2009 after the international Reclaim The Fields meeting in France. The aim of the group is to help people to get back to the Land, and live close to nature. In Hungary, we have also started a community garden in Budapest with this group. The FöldKelte group decided in January 2010 to organize a summer camp for all those who think that only a radical change in our lifestyle can bring us out from the deep ecological, social and economic crisis of the present day. The aim of the camp was to bring together and inspire these people, and act as a meeting point where personal experiences can be shared. We didn t want to organize another conference, where we listen to lectures and after the event everything goes on in the same old way. Instead, we wanted to organize a camp where participants can have an insight into applicable knowledge through practical workshops and where the question of how to go on after the camp receives particular emphasis. We wanted to catalyse the energies ever more present in Hungary in order that the spirit represented by FöldKelte among others can be manifested in the dimension of real action, beyond the necessary step of thinking together. The camp took place in a three-centuries-old farmstead founded by the cistercians, near the town of Zirc in the Bakony mountains, Hungary. Surrounded by baroque buildings that have seen better days, in the company of local racka sheep, pot-bellied pigs, rasta puli dogs and exchaged hens, an intimate space was soon born, with a friendly atmosphere and sites having their own names given by us. The spirit of the place turned out to be ideal to bring together the campers and to fill them with the feeling of community in only four days. More people turned up than we had expected. Not all who had registered came, but quite a few campers arrived whom we hadn t counted on. All in all including organizers and speakers we were about 120 at the peak of the camp. Most of the people were from Budapest, but some came from the countryside and abroad, too. Satja és Virginie ancient reclaimers strengthened the camp from Belgium, and we also had guests from Dijon, Italy and the United States. In the mornings, campers were woken up at half past six. From seven we strechted ourselves with yoga and tai chi, then at eight the buckwheat squash prepared by Greg, the camp s official French raw-chef came, saw and conquered. In the morning sessions that lasted until 1 pm, three big groups were formed based on the main topics of the camp community gardens, community 39

40 farming and eco-villages. These groups worked on practical models for the given field with the help of experienced midwives. It soon turned out that vorming smaller subgroups makes the work more fluent and effective. Thus, in the eco-village section for example, a pragmatic subgroup, made up of almost exclusively engineers was formed, while in another subgroup people discussed the philosophical depths of communitybuilding. After we finished with Greg and his team s nourishing biolunch and had a short rest, the afternoon block made up of practical workshops kicked off. There, with the assistance of experienced workshop leaders, participants could get a taste of countless activities that are very useful in close-to-nature everyday life such as bee-keeping, permaculture, felting,cheesemaking, herb-studies and home-methods of solar-panel making. At the dinners, various compositions of salads, ryebread from the Kiskunság region and cheese made at the camp s workshop filled the mess-tins, plates and glazed vessels everyone brought from home. Having finished the light dinner, re-filled with energy in the mild evening after the hot day, on the call of the camp s shellhorn everyone gathered in the granary, whose second floor served as dormitory for the tentless campers. Every evening we heard different speakers. On the first day, physicist Zsolt Hetesi, chief researcher with the Sustainable Development Interuniversity Research Centre held a lecture on the resource crisis and sustainable land use, which demanded serious brainwork on the part of the audience, too. During his lecture, he highlighted the causes, logic and possible solutions of the global crisis with the precision of a surgeon. Tamás Lantos, mayor of the village Markóc located in the Ormánság region, southern Hungary, and leader of a foundation aiming at the sustainable development of the region, spoke about the everyday difficulties of a tiny village on the periphery, and the possible local solutions of the crisis. The example of Markóc suggests that an organic village-development based on strengthening the co-operation amongst members of the local 40

41 community, the re-introduction of traditional forms of land use, and supporting adaptive fruit farming based on house gardens and local types of fruit, are all appropriate tools to help a minor town that is peripheral in all respects to find itself again. On the second evening pioneers from ecovillages Visnyeszéplak, Nagyszékely and Ilonamalom sat on the stage, talking about their personal experiences and what their weekdays look like after having cut ties with urban lifestyle. They were indeed bombarded with practical questions on livelihood, on the achievable level of selfsufficiency or about how much they follow the news. Well, it turned out that not at all, although Péter Zaja from Visnyeszéplak remarked, he knows that the Spaniards won the football world cup. What they all emphasized was that even if they are organized based on a different system, they all live in communities held together by solidarity and mutual help. On the third evening, in the person of painter, literary translator Gábor Karátson we could welcome one of the founding fathers of the Hungarian green movement. We learned how he was stirring his kefir-fungi in his kitchen day by day until at the end of the 1980s he was called from beside his fungi to the activities around the Duna-movement. He told a parable about a woman, the roaring alarm system, the unknown neighbour and social apathy, and quoted from I Ching, a classic Chinese text translated into Hungarian by himself. It left a great impressioon in many of us when he recalled his memories from the 1956 Hungarian revolution: he emphasized that the most important but hardly ever quoted motto of the revolution was neither communism nor capitalism. After the plenary evening sessions, campfire, live music, dancing and wine from Szent Györgymountain awaited the campers. We could welcome in our circle Csaba Koncz 1956-émigré, 1968-hippy, musician, maker of musical instruments and proud caretaker of a 170-year-old pear tree. On the last evening folk musicians with violins and double bass took care of dancing. The free, candle-and-torch atmosphere of the eveningfuns evoked the feeling of the company of old friends. The last morning until lunch was completely dedicated to the issue of how to go on. We did brainstorming in small groups on the tasks ahead of us, which were then collected and concrete undertakings were born. The group of Földkelte undertook to edit and publish on our blog the written records of the morning sessions, to prepare a short video-clip about the camp, to organize a september-meeting in Akli on the occasion of opening a shop of local products there, and also to organize a FöldKelte weekend in autumn or inter in Budapest (possibly in a place called Tűzraktér). Besides, task-groups were brought to life with the aim of translating into Hungarian a book on community building, entitled Beyond you and me ; making Hungarian subtitles for the movie On modern servitude ; starting a new community garden in Budapest or its close 41

42 surroundings; helping to organize Reclaim the Fields International meetings and 2011 international summer camp; and finally of planning and organizing various local actions. The effect of the camp probably echoing the experience of many of us was possibly summerized the most expressively by Zoli Somogyvári, waterman and translator of the camp: The camp s effect was so strong that I returned to the city as a complete stranger. People here in the city were not strangers to me, I in fact, rather felt empathy towards them (this I explain to myself as a spillover of the camp s community experience), but the city s decoration, the billboards, the light- and noisepollution was striking. This, of course, didn t last for long. Soon everything was back on the old track, but the seed of change remained in me. I m waiting for it to come into leaf. More about Reclaim The Fields : More about FöldKelte (mostly in Hungarian): Reclaim The Fields movement also has some lists, the biggest one is: european. general.list@lists.reclaimthefields.org 42

43 8th Life 8thLife a research laboratory for community sustainable living, An Adventure in Fixing Systems, not Symptoms 8th Life came about after 8 years of intensive permaculture action-learning programmes in Finca Luna, an experimental farm in the Canary Islands. Here we created an environment where people could take the amazing box of tools that they discovered during our intensive Permaculture Design course, and apply it, overseveral months. We learned so much during this time, mostly how the talents and dysfunctions of our post-modern or western culture (the shadow! ) start to play out quite quickly once we start working in a group committed to living within a lower energy budget, and also how rapidly these energies can be harnessed, healed or turned around, using the right models and tools. We did a lot of experiential learning about how the system seems to work, both inside and outside of us. There really seem to be a lot of fractal patterns at play: the same kind of things happen on a personal level that happen on a group, societal and world level. This was tremendously exciting for us, because this is a key to the puzzling popular saying (and common observation) that the more things change, the more they stay the same - which should be a great concern for system students in these times of great change. If we don t figure out how to manage our collective shadow, we simply won t make it to a rational society. We often joked that we should make a movie of the life on the farm, as it s so much richer than most of the real life tv programmes we d seen (which are very popular), but also because a Big Brother eye (we were humble or realistic enough to realise) might well help us all to keep to the discipline of actually applying all the great tools we had at our disposal. We could see that we had difficult but very effective models and tools that facilitate great leaps in learning, effective work and real closeness in relationships. We were able to highlight which models and tools work better than others, and we would like to do more focused research into this. We feel very passionately that we want everyone in the world to experience the joy of what is possible, and that it is not necessary to settle for pseudocommunity and the very oppressive social games that are so common still, even in the alternative movement. 43

44 Then we got an invitation to take part in a global Best Idea for Humanity competition, which comes complete with a 7-month online course for Social Entrepreneurs. It s not often that someone asks you so what s the best idea for humanity that you can contribute then? And it s a very good question! It focused our thinking tremendously and.. 8th Life was our answer. One way we want to put the wonderful resource we have at our disposal to the best possible use we can think of, so that it can serve the maximum number of people who are walking with us towards a sustainable world. You can see what we came up with in more detail on and if you like the idea we would love your help! How? Please vote for us before the 17th of October! There is a link for this in the first page, if we get into the top 50% by votes we will get a much better chance to spread the word about sustainable groups and communities. Help us find the Core People we want to find 5 more highly adventurous people for this adventure. They need to know they way to live in an Ecovillage, and be passionate about research into sustainable systems. It s a lifetime opportunity for someone and maybe you know them. Get in touch if you are into this type of research - we want to join up with others doing this type of in-depth, experiential research. Help us spread the word! More in the next issue of e-connection about how the Sustainability Lab could work, why it is needed, and also interviews with pioneers from other learning communities. Stella, skype StefaniaStrega, stella@finca-luna.com, 44

45 A Model for the Future: Tamera published a book about its work and vision If you want to get building permissions for new houses, lakes and solar systems the Portuguese government needs to know what you are doing and what your vision is - on a regional and on a global level. This advice was given by a lawyer in June, and three months later the Tamera community published a book about its work and vision. Writer Leila Dregger, a journalist, living in Tamera: All over the world, projects and individuals are preparing a new future with great commitment in the face of global threats. As a journalist I have the privilege of getting to know these initiatives. It is my deep wish that my work will contribute to these groups recognising each other ever more as an arising planetary community with the power to bring about global peace. One of these initiatives is Tamera. It became clear to me through this writing that it is impossible to do justice to Tamera in a single book. As every aspect mentioned could be deepened, I have concentrated on those aspects in which the model nature of the work is already becoming visible. This book provides an insight into the current state of the work of Tamera in three core areas: permaculture and water landscape, solar technology and peace-education. The special characteristic of Tamera is that all undertakings are based on the deep peace and community research that has been carried out by the members over the decades. And so, also this book was a community undertaking. If we want peace on Earth, we have to find out what peace really means. What could a world look like in which all people have enough food, in which rivers filled with clear water can freely meander, in which children trust adults again and where conflicts no longer lead to violence but are instead solved with intelligence and compassion? More than thirty years ago, a team of pioneers around the world - psychoanalyst Dr. Dieter Duhm, the theologist Sabine Lichtenfels and the physicist Charly Rainer Ehrenpreis - had the idea to develop as demonstrative, practical and convincing, a model for the future as possible. The Peace Research Village Tamera, in Portugal, with its international network, developed from this idea. Take a look into the future: a future full of heart, full of life, full of possibilities... for you and all people on Earth. info@verlag-meiga.org Read more on: Order the book at: Price: 19,80 Euro 45

46 ECOnnection TEAM Danielle Byrne (Editor) Up until 2 weeks ago I was living at Braziers Park, a community of 20 people, in England for 15 months. I went to Braziers originally to conduct fieldwork for 6 weeks, to write an ethnography on intentional communities for my Masters degree in Psychological Anthropology. This experience changed my life, opening me up to alternative ways of being and upon finishing my Masters I decided to change my life and I applied for residency at Braziers. Braziers history fascinates me and even though my journey continues on I still hope to be actively involved from afar. I am now on my way to visit an Ecovillage in Nicaragua and then who knows where my path will lead. As well as all this I am also interested in art as a therapeutic tool - I am a creative person, often seen painting, dancing or writing. Through working on Econnection I hope to help foster knowledge exchange, communication and awareness between beautiful like-minded people and communities. Danielle danielleb3@yahoo.com Liesbeth van Deemter (Designer). I live at Roosendaal in the Netherlands. Associated with the Ecodorp Brabant - a project in Holland to create the first ecovillage in our country! Creating together with a lot of lovely people an ecovillage is a very beautiful thing to do. My job is graphic designer. But first of all I am a mother of a son of 16 years old. I also work with woll - felting - spinning etc. Creating Econnection with these lovely people here, will help to spread the ecovillage fever all over Europe! Liesbeth liesbeth@ecodorpbrabant.nl Shannah Mulder (Editor) I live in the south of Holland (Nederland) and since January 2010 I am an enthusiastic member of ecodorp Brabant. First we build a community and when we are ready we ll have beautiful ground for the eco-village, wherever that maybe.. I am 52 and have a daughter of 19. Since January this year I m body-wise and mind-wise full of the eco-village and in July I found my GEN-Family. Together with a few GEN-sisters I want to make a beautiful ECONNECTION. I hope you will like what we create and you will participate by supplying the information. Lots of warm greetings, Shannah. Shannah shannah@ecodorpbrabant.nl 46

47 Quaglia (Editor) (Quail in English). I am a citizen in the Federation of Damanhur, Italy with American and Chinese roots. I love to write stories, real-life ones and inspired fiction too. I fire dance and sing in the Damanhur choir, and also serve as a translator and connector for Damanhur s international friends and guests. I see econnection as a means to share the joys and realities of living in an ecovillage, sparking creativity and new ways of life. quail@damanhur.it Kadri Allikmäe (Editor). I come From Estonia. I got to know about the ecovillage movement 3 years ago in Sieben Linden where I accidentally attended the GA for the first time. Since then I ve been working with Estonian ecovillage network to support all ecovillage initiatives that we have here that they truly got started. Being originally trained in public relations, my big love is internel communications. Recently I found out that the true fun of life is with children (our future wizards of the planet), so I changed my area and went to study kindergarten teaching. I do econnection because I belive in Us and the change we can bring about on Earth! I feel this is the place where I can give to GEN. Kadri kadri@kogukonnad.ee Leila Dregger: (Editor) 51, independent journalist. I was publisher of the women s magazine The Female Voice - Politics of the Heart before I decided to not only write about female knowledge but to achieve it by living in community. For this I moved to Tamera in 2003, where I am working in the political networking, especially in publishing the ecological situation. I have worked a lot about ecological topics and peace topics and accompanied peace actions in many countries. My dream is to transform the mainstream journalism from violence and sensation orientation towards setting a focus on peace developments. Leila leila.dregger@snafu.de Stella Strega-Scoz (Editor) II live in Finca Luna in the Canary Islands, where I have been passionately engaged for 8 years in some permaculture action-research, a story that is culminating in 2010 in the 8th Life project, an open Sustainability Lab which we hope will result in a new experimental EcoVillage. Mainly I consider myself a permaculture activist, starting 20years ago in London with various grassroots community projects. Moving to Spain 10 years ago, my main contribution here has been to set up an node of the Permaculture Academy where a team of practitioners provide training at all levels in this great sustainability science. I love being surrounded by the peace and beauty of our farm, the extended family of my partner Julio, sharing with chickens, dogs and cats, growing edible forests, food gardens and experimenting with using only waste materials to build our mini-house structures. Am delighted to be part of E-Connect, as a GEN effort to focus on the research, innovation and personal experiences of living in ecovillages. I look forward to learning a lot from all of you! stella@finca-luna.com 47

48 48 Hall of Mirrors, The Temples of Humankind at Damanhur

49 GEN-Europe is the European ecovillage association promoting environmental protection and restoration of nature through the concept of ecovillages as models for sustainable human settlements. We actively support the development of ecovillages and networks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. GEN-Europe is a membership organisation founded in 1996 and is open to a wide range of projects regardless of their political, religious or cultural backgrounds. GEN-Europe forms part of GEN International, an NGO with special consultative status at the UN-Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) commission, and a partner of United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UNITAR. It is possible to change our world. A different world is already coming into existence. On quiet days I can hear this new world breathing. Arundhati Roy Econnection is the e-magazine started by the people of GEN Europe with an aim to have more deep sharing within our network. Write to us: magazine@gen-europe.org More about GEN Europe: Join our list at: Join our Facebook page: 49

50 50 Hall of Water, The Temples of Humankind at Damanhur