Dear ,

When I walk alongside the river Irati, not far from my home in Iruña, listening to the birds chirping, the leaves rustling, and the water rippling, I feel the world is alive. As I slow down and listen to my own breath, I hear the world breathing through the wind and waters.

With love and in community,
Franziska and Julio on behalf of the GEN Europe team

This year’s General Assembly in Ängsbacka, Sweden, just a few days before the Ecovillage Gathering brought exciting news, like the election of new council members, approval of four new full members, and a lot of networking and sharing between our GEN Europe members. Curious to know more about the discussions, decisions, and what’s next for GEN Europe?

Read the full report on our blog and stay connected with the latest updates!

As you might have already spotted in the General Assembly report, we are giving a big thank you and goodbye to our incredible Stefanie Raysz and Ave Oit, who have served the GEN Europe network as Council Members for the past 3 years.

At the same time, we are welcoming our fantastic new Council Members, Guillaume Couarraze and Johannes Kübel, who will continue these positions with much passion and dedication. Thank you! Read more about them on our website!

This year's Gathering was held in Ängsbacka, Sweden, from August 20-25, 2024. The GEN Network came together to embrace the radical act of slowing down. Together, we paused and listened deeply to our bodies, the global community, and the natural world, exploring ways to break free from destructive patterns fueled by consumerism.

At this point we want give some special thanks to the community of Ängsbacka for hosting us, all the volunteering teams for the diligence, the organisers of this wonderful event, and staff and  council for their work and dedication.

And thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this meaningful experience!

Gentle reminder: We want to hear your feedback, because the opinion of our members is of utmost importance to us. So if you haven't already done so - jump below to our evaluation form. Thank you!

The first keynote speech of the Gathering is already online for you to enjoy! All the others will be uploaded on YouTube & PeerTube soon too!

Stay tuned, follow our social media & we will keep you updated!

We also have a very special treat for you:

If you were curious about the amazing workshop holders and their content, you can now find all their details here.

During the "Meet the Ecovillages" market at the gathering we had a so called "matchmaking-board" where people could write what they were searching for and offering; such as volunteer / job opportunities, projects looking for new members or people offering their skills.

We are hoping that by sharing the information also in the newsletter, that more "matches" will be found. 

More exciting news ahead! The 2025 GEN Europe Gathering will be hosted at the stunning MANAS GARDEN in Hungary in mid-August 2025. This celebration will mark 30 years of the GEN movement, and we will be co-creating it with GAIA Education and our new hosts, the Mindenegyüttmegy Association! Stay tuned for specific dates and more details — you won’t want to miss this milestone!

There are still free places for the Green Phoenix 2024!

Green Phoenix is a vibrant community of ecovillages, dedicated to spiritual exchange, trust, healing, and inspiration. Their annual meeting, promoting a regenerative and sustainable future, will take place at Schweibenalp, Switzerland, from Sunday, October 27th at 6pm (CEST) to Thursday, October 31st.

This year's theme is “Balance” within ourselves, our communities, and the world, focusing on archetypal, life phases, and eco-political balances. There will also be a “Next Green Phoenix” program for younger participants (ages 30-35), supported financially for their stay.  For full details and registration, visit the website!

At the moment there are still free places for all ages!

You are warmly invited to join our GEN Book Club on September 30th, 2024, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM CET, online. For this second edition of the Book Club, we will be reading At Work in the Ruins: Finding Our Place in the Time of Climate Crises and Other Emergencies by Dougald Hine.

We are excited to announce that Dougald Hine will join us for a live interview during this session, offering a chance to engage with him directly and ask your questions.

All members can now have access to the membership area of our website. In case you haven't received your log-in details yet, this is due to the fact that you have paid your membership fee for this year through our old systems (aka bank transfer).

You can pay the membership fee in the beginning of 2025 through our new membership form. Like this you will automatically get access to the members area. In case you would like to have access already now, reach out to us at membership@gen-europe.org and we will set up a temporary account.

But also don't worry, because most of the content at the moment  is accessible publicly. However, we have some updates cooking in GEN Europe's kitchen, including member interview and new resources on ecovillage life. We will keep you up to date once new content is out!

The partners of the ECOPRISE project met at the International Staff Camp during the Ecovillage Gathering in Ängsbacka, where they had the chance to learn more about the ecovillage movement. They took part in "Meet the Ecovillages," the Opening Circles, and several workshops. This was an important moment for the project, whose goal is to create future-oriented social enterprises inspired by ecovillage design.

One of the key moments of the International Camp was the presentation of research conducted in six European countries (Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, and Serbia) among ecovillages, social enterprises, and educational institutions. The research presents findings on the comparative strengths and weaknesses of these experiences and identifies knowledge gaps among them.

Over the past several months, the GEN Europe Projects Working Group has been meeting to update the Ecovillage Companion for Erasmus+ and ESC Programs. Originally written in 2021 as the result of an Erasmus+ KA1 Youth Mobility project, this document aims to support ecovillages and ecovillage networks in navigating the Erasmus+ and ESC programs. It includes some insights into how these programs can be used, points to resources and collaborators within our network that can provide guidance and assistance, and offers support in how to strengthen and improve applications.

Due to its origin within a KA1 Youth Mobility project, the document was and remains focused primarily on the youth sector, though there is information provided about other activities as well. The update includes: examples from within our network about how these programs have been used, updated links and additional resources, and some examples of best practices from other networks and members. We hope you will enjoy this addition to the members' section of the website!

The GEN Europe Projects Working Group invites all members who are active in the Erasmus+ programme to partner in the projects we are preparing for the October 1st deadline, as part of the GEN Europe Capacity Building Programme.

Please also share this call within your national networks and with other organisations that share our values and may be interested. The deadline to subscribe is Friday, September 20th at 09:59 CEST, but some projects may fill up even earlier, so don't wait too long!

NOTES:

• One of the new elements of this call is that one of the projects, the Project Creation Training in Torri Superiore, has already been approved under an accreditation and is looking for participants. Please ensure that if you join this project, you will be able to send someone, as it will take place in December 2024.
• This year, new Erasmus+ guidelines are in place, limiting each organization to sign up for a maximum of 5 training courses. Please keep this in mind when completing the sign-up sheet, especially considering other projects you may be planning to participate in.

The EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB) invites proposals for funding through its community-focused Connect NEB Call for Proposals, which targets citizen-generated solutions to challenges in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. This initiative aims to address locally identified issues and promote knowledge exchange among community members.

Proposals must align with NEB's core values of sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetics. Up to eight projects will receive a maximum of €15,000 each, with a minimum co-funding rate of 20%. Applications are due by Thursday, 26 September 2024, at 17:00 CET.

Detailed information can be found in chapters 3.1 and 3.2 of the Call Manual.

CURIOSOIL project Consortium believes that community-led initiatives offer unique, context-specific insights and approaches that can enrich soil literacy efforts across Europe. That’s why they are mapping these grassroots initiatives and support 15 standout projects from different European countries!

🌱 Applications are welcome by the 10th October.

Ross Jackson—co-founder of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) and long-time advocate of sustainable living—and his wife Heather are inviting WWOOFers to their beautiful Duemosegaard farm in Denmark. This isn’t just any farm—it’s a living experiment in regenerative farming, where biodiversity, forest gardening, rewilding, and no-till practices are part of everyday life.🌾

This special event will explore Gaia Education’s vision for the future of education, sharing our roots and upcoming plans. You’ll hear from our co-CEOs and team members, including updates from our face-to-face and youth program coordinators.

We’ll wrap up with a live Q&A session, where you can ask any questions about Gaia Education’s courses, projects, or anything else on your mind. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about your role in the Gaia Education community.

Join this event in Brussels on the 2nd of October to learn about the shared values and common approaches of alternative education and the ecovillage movement. Get inspired by a rich program and fantastic keynote speakers. Children are explicitly welcome!

Gaia Education has launched a new project called ECOsystem, aimed at connecting more young people with eco-communities and their training programs across Europe!

The project will create an online portal and e-handbook to provide young people with information about eco-communities and regenerative training opportunities, as well as ways to get involved. It will also offer tools and programs for youth workers at eco-communities to engage young people more effectively and train them in regenerative practices and eco-social entrepreneurship, among other topics.

To further develop the project, Gaia Education needs your Ecovillage wisdom regarding youth work!

As a community/organization/youth leader:

1. What challenges are you facing in getting more young people involved in your activities and training sessions? What might you need to address these challenges?
2. Would you be willing to share any good practices or ideas you have implemented or observed for engaging young people in eco-communities' activities and training programs?
3. Do you have innovative resources or tools that could help more eco-communities support young people in training and taking action on regenerative projects?

Please send your responses to ivan.barnie@gaiaeducation.org.

Thanks to this project, you will gain access to the portal and all the eco-community ideas and resources available there. If the contributors' ideas or resources are included in the handbook, they will be credited! The project team will also explore ways to engage contributors further with training sessions, events, and more.

Something is cooking on the Communities for Future Instagram account!

Leading up to European Day of Sustainable Communities on September 21st, we are unveiling a special image display celebrating the achievements and the diversity found in community-led initiatives.

We are showcasing the images that best capture the strength of inclusive, connected communities and highlight grassroots efforts in addressing climate change. These will be included in our Inclusive Image Bank, funded by Actiris, and could receive a limited edition print commemorating the European Day of Sustainable Communities 2024, by artist Pedro Perles.

Has your image been featured in the display? Check behind the illustration to find out!

Check out the Communities for Future Instagram account and join the celebration!

Join Nature Community’s online orientation event from October 11-13, 2024, for a deep dive into community living.

Expect expert interviews, moderated discussions, and interactive workshops with hosts from the Nature Community. Whether you're new to the idea or already on your path, this event offers valuable insights and connections. Register now and take a step closer to sustainable community living!

The online course will provide you with a solid foundation in the basic principles of rainwater management and a range of practical water-management measures that can be applied across various contexts against drought and in preventing floods.

Theory lessons are complemented by on-site videos showing examples of how principles are put into practice in various case studies from Southern Portugal.

This 7 day event, organised by the Pocket Project and Kosha Joubert, former director of GEN International, aims to offer a different approach in facing global challenges - taking into account practices of mindfulness, embodiment and trauma-healing.

Go hiking with a group of people in a beautiful landscape and discover communities on the way!

At the end of this newsletter, we would like to share this amazing initiative by Ursula and Merit with you:

We are Ursula (24) and Marit (26) and we're embarking on a 'hiking university' project (Wanderuni) to explore various ecovillages and inspiring places while forming a dynamic community ourselves.
If this speaks to you, we’d love for you to join us!

🥾 From October 13th 2024, we’ll be preparing, organising and dreaming in the Thuringian Forest in Germany. Together we'll travel south and take part in the olive harvest in Tamera, Portugal and start hiking and exploring other projects and countries afterwards.

🌱 Our mission is to co-create this study path together, collect stories of hope, resilience and creativity and share them with the world, bringing hope, inspiration, and empowerment to the people we meet.

📚 Along the way, we want to learn from each other and dive into topics such as social permaculture, systems change, ethics of care, wild food and medicine, forest gardening, interdependence, inner work, non-violent communication and more. We want to explore and experiment with different ways of living and decision making.

🤗 We look forward to hearing from you, whether you can join us for a month or a year, or you know places that would welcome our group.

💌 Send us an email at wanderingcommuniversity@gmail.com, join our telegram group and please share this message with other interested people 💫

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