Dear Community,

As day and night hold each other in perfect equilibrium this Autumn Equinox, we too seek balance—between holding close the gatherings that nourished us this summer season and sharing the abundance we've cultivated with a world in need.

As we move inward with the shortening days, let's not retreat from the world's pain. Instead, let's deepen our roots, strengthen our connections, and build longer tables instead of higher walls.

This newsletter presents new opportunities to learn from seasoned ecovillagers, volunteer in communities, get inspired by the stories from around the network, stay connected and support where it's most needed.

The harvest is not complete until it's shared.

In community,

Maja and the GEN Europe team

Relive the nourishing moments of our European Ecovillage Gathering 2025 at Manas Garden through our photo gallery, where each image captures the connection, learning, and celebration we shared as people from around the world gathered to mark 30 years of our ever-vibrant movement!

Though our time together from August 12-17th has concluded, the collective body we co-created continues to resonate with the wisdom of indigenous voices and our elders, the vital energy of NextGEN, and the flourishing ideas from workshops focused on solidarity, inclusion and the healing of human and more-than-human world.

Stay tuned for more reflections from our Gathering—keynote videos, the aftermovie, detailed report, and podcasts are coming soon to keep the spirit and learnings alive.

The COM4LGD project emphasizes that real sustainability must be rooted in local community action and political participation.

Whereas our interactive documentary takes you on a journey to meet the people creating just and regenerative futures, we invite you engage and join our funded events and online meet-ups! Stay connected and subscribe to our newsletter here.

This summer, the Network of Ecovillages of Ukraine GEN Ukraine once again stitched the country together with threads of crafts, culture and warm meetings. The traveling festival “MastersWe” continued the path begun in 2023 by the “Caravan of Masters” and proved that even in times of war, Ukrainian communities strive to create, recover and dream together.

In August, the festival visited four locations – Vinnytsia region (Potoky and Velyka Rodyna settlements), Zhytomyr region (Yemelianivka settlement) and Kharkiv region (the “Happy People” community).

📅 Sept 30 – Oct 9, 2025 | 🇮🇹 Northern Italy

Have you ever dreamt of exploring ecovillages with dedicated & experienced tour guides — combining key insights into community life with the warmth of authentic connection?

This autumn, join a small group of like-minded travelers on a 10-day immersive journey through some of Italy’s most inspiring intentional communities, guided by facilitators deeply connected with each place and its people.

From long-standing ecovillages like Damanhur and Torri Superiore, to hidden gems rooted in permaculture and cooperative living, you’ll travel across breathtaking landscapes — alpine lakes, wild streams, forested mountains and coastal beauty — even including one of the most stunning beaches of the Côte d’Azur.

Expect deep connection, meaningful encounters, nourishing food, and 3 transformative workshops woven throughout the tour. All logistics are lovingly taken care of — just bring your curiosity and open heart. Just 4 spots left!

🌱 More info & sign-ups: ecovillagetours.com/italy

💸 Special offer: Get $200 off by entering the code CONSAPDQ200 when registering!

Join Nature Community and Uniartcity for a transformative two-phase experience combining hands-on learning with community living!

What's Included:

• Simple shared accommodation and organic vegan meals
• Travel reimbursement per ESC rules
• Training in ecological building, permaculture, and vegan cooking
• Social learning tools: sharing circles, deep listening, conflict resolution

Who We Seek: Motivated youth (18-30) open to community life and varied tasks. No prior experience needed—just curiosity, willingness to learn, and interest in sustainable living and personal growth.

Dates: October 15 - November 30, 2025

Experience EU solidarity and intercultural exchange while building practical skills for sustainable living!

Community Café is a platform for sharing authentic stories about ecovillages, sustainability, and alternative ways of living to inspire change.

Living in ecovillages has been deeply transformative for  Allegra, Anita (our former ESC volunteers!), Ashley and Baldesca opening new ways of seeing the world and sparking personal growth. From this experience, Community Café was born: to connect people with ecovillages, share inspiring stories and tools, and empower them to bring regenerative solutions into their everyday lives.

Presenting a project that was born to create a new culture of conflict in activist communities. A culture where one can reclaim their feelings and express them openly.

📅 When?
* Training Course: 12-23 April 2026
* Local Action Phase May-Sept ’26 | putting into practice what you learned back home
* Conflict & Resistance Gathering 10-15 Sept 2026

📍 Where?
The TC and Gathering will take place in the eco-community LaCasba, France

📄 InfoPack:
https://tinyurl.com/3hyvuhvt
📝 Apply here:
https://tinyurl.com/375fr8u4

📆 9 - 15 Nov. and 14 - 21 Dec.
Ecovillage Schloss Glarisegg, CH🇨🇭

We welcome you to an empowering training for Youth Leaders and Facilitators to deepen and develop:

• Leadership and space holding: Inner resilience and capacity to guide charged dialogue spaces
• Dialogue skills and facilitation: Methods applicable in your work, organization, and personal life
• Nervous system-informed and embodied approaches: Open safe and brave spaces for authentic expression

In a diverse, international group we explore how to:
• Accompany groups confronted by the complexity of contemporary challenges
• Develop your own sessions and novel methodology
• Face the effect of the climate crisis in community

💰Funded spots are available for youth workers from the Netherlands, Italy, France, Romania, Ukraine, Slovenia, Switzerland & Germany

🌱Self-funded spots are available for everyone

⏳Apply now here
👉First round closes 22nd of September

📣 CALLING YOUTH from Greece, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania (& other Balkan countries)
🌿 ROOTED · ESC Team Volunteering Project
🗓️ Oct 4–19, 2025 · COB, Greece

Let’s plant community food forests, paint walls and regenerate ghost villages, together! Join us for 14 days of hands-on work, community life & nature-based learning at COB!

🌳 Community Food forest
🐝 Restoring Biodiversity
♾️ Building Balkan youth-led eco-connections
🏡 Reviving community spaces
👩‍🌾 Off-grid living and learning together
💸 European Solidarity Corps programme- fully funded participation

🔗 APPLY NOW: https://forms.gle/YcCPoQYx8bAEJjSx5
📥 Full InfoPack: https://tinyurl.com/4vuhmymh

The Art of Relating is an embodied invitation to discover a deeper way of being with yourself, others and nature.

We’ll explore how nervous system awareness, presence, and conscious communication can transform the way we relate.

Learn how to notice your patterns, express yourself authentically, and build deeper trust in relationships — whether in your personal life, community, or workplace.

Join us to practice the Art of Relating—where emotional depth meets nervous system regulation, and healthy relationships become a lived reality.

💸Price: Sliding Scale Contribution

Come as you are! 💗
To explore the rich aliveness of being human among humans on the Earth.

👉 For Info & Registration Visit the website

The GEN family reunited this year in Hungary, with representatives from all five regions. Every Ecovillage Gathering is both a meeting and a mirror: a space where we share stories, challenges, ideas, and dreams across cultures and continents. It is where we renew our connections, weaving threads of collaboration that carry us through the year. This year, as we celebrate 30 years together, the sense of shared purpose was stronger than ever. Read Rodrigo’s reflections here.

The celebration of 30 years of GEN and 25 years of Gaia Education continues! On the 28th of September from 15 - 18h, Ross and Heather Jackson warmly invite you to the launch party of The Butterfly Effect, an art exhibition that features fifteen Danish artists who have been invited to interpret the concept of metamorphosis. The exhibition will remain on display at Duemosegaard through Global Ecovillage Day, October 18th—honoring our shared journeys of regeneration, education, and community. Join us in marking this milestone as we continue weaving bioregional culture and global connection.

For the 9th year, ECOLISE and its partners are highlighting how community-led initiatives are shaping the transition to sustainable, resilient, and inclusive societies

What to expect?
-National policy dialogues in France, Spain, Croatia, Finland, and Portugal
-Inspiring stories from the ground:
• Henbant permaculture farm (Wales)
• Ökoregion Kaindorf (Austria)
• Sunseed Desert Technology Spain)
• Aardehuis (Netherlands)
• Coopérnico (Portugal)

And in November, the journey continues in Brussels with an EU-level event!

Together, let’s show that communities are leading the way toward strong sustainability!

Europe’s long-term wellbeing depends on fair and locally-driven sustainability transitions. Housing and food, our most basic human needs and the two largest household expenses, are powerful entry points for change. Yet, solutions to Europe’s housing and food challenges need to go beyond affordability to ensure sustainability and fairness amid mounting climate and geopolitical pressures.

This policy dialogue series will spotlight action by European civil society and local governments, and advocate to center them in the EU’s Affordable Housing Plan, the implementation of the Vision of Agriculture and Food and other related strategies and post-2027 EU budget planning.

An international convening and learning exchange between donors, community organizers, and activists to:

-Build relationships and foster dialogue between donors and community organizers
-Learn about organizing in its diversity and current funding trends and practices
-Have strategic conversations on how to support and develop community organizing in Europe

Join us to experience HOPE, the newly released series by Transition Network rooted in active optimism, amplifying the stories of communities worldwide who are regenerating the planet and building a more just future.

At the Collective Trauma Summit we’ll gather together to learn from leading voices in neuroscience, psychology, spirituality, and social change to explore how trauma lives not only within us—but between us.

Thank you for reading the newsletter - we hope you enjoyed it! This, and so much of our work, is only made possible by the support of our members. To receive more exclusive updates and opportunities, as well as discounts on events and our Gathering, you can become a member - find out more here!