Encounter at Findhorn

The meeting of Gen Europe and Gen International (Global Ecovillage Network) was held this year in the community of Findhorn , Scotland, July 6-10. Irene Goikolea , as founder of Amalurra and Josune Badiola , as a member of the community and representative of the RIE (Iberian Ecovillage Network) they attended this enriching event together with members of the most recognized ecovillages in the world.

During the meeting the general Assembly from Gen Europe and Gen International where sustainability, reconnection with Mother Earth and mutual support were erected as common guidelines to be followed within the global ecovillage framework.

The meeting had numerous spaces to exchange ideas and initiatives in different areas and regions of the world and mutual commitments were reached with the purpose of pooling resources and “knowing how to do”: “It is interesting to see how people are arriving from all over the world – says Josune Badiola- and above all, it is impressive to hear the voices of young people with messages full of wisdom and full of hopeful projects for our societies “ .

In the educational field, the work of GAIA EDUCATION, an organization that teaches different courses, always from the principles of sustainability and respect for the Earth.

AWARDS AWARDED

Awards

Among the prizes that were awarded during the meeting, mention those offered by the GEN Foundation and GAIA Education intended for innovative projects and new initiatives. One of these three awards went to the project of the “ Incubator” launched by Arterra , the Navarrese settlement that bets on cohousing. The incubator is an accompaniment project to new projects based on the experience acquired along the way, providing the knowledge acquired by the successes and often by the mistakes or falls committed, those “failures” that teach so much and that perhaps can serve to walk more lightly.

The other two awards went to Joshua Konkankoh from Cameroon and for Leticia regatti of the Council of Sustainable Settlements of America (CASA) . Each award has an endowment of 1,500 euros.

PROJECT PRESENTATION

Sharing ideas and projects

The communities that participated in the meeting had a space to present their respective ecovillages and projects, and thus, Irene Goikolea recounted the journey of the community of Amalurra from its origins in a flat in the Old Quarter of Bilbao, to the meeting and interaction space in which the Amalurra community in Artzentales, Bizkaia, thanks to the common effort, perseverance and connection with the Unique Heart .