Global Ecovillage Network - General Assembly in Finland, July 8 - 16

Macaco Tamerice and Capra Carruba attended the General Assembly of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) in Keuruu, Finland, meeting with communities from around the globe. GEN is a global confederation of people and communities that meet to share ideas and technological innovations and to have cultural and educational exchanges. GEN is dedicated to restoring the land and promoting a “sustainable plus” lifestyle, which means returning more resources into the environment than that which was taken.

The days of the Assembly were intense, rich with contacts and project development. There has been a tremendous growth of ecovillages in Russia and the former eastern block, and the Zajezka ecovillage of Slovakia won the prize for excellence this year. Macaco was particularly touched by the traditions and diversity represented, as she met children from Russia wearing their culture’s traditional clothing. A project for developing GEN Africa was initiated, as many traditional African villages are transforming into ecovillages. The Assembly formed a workgroup for creating a new certification protocol for creating sustainable realities, unifying various methods and programs. Another important theme was the “Transition Town Movement,” a process of transforming cities and towns into sustainable villages.

John Croft presented his “Dragon Dreaming” method for manifesting projects and communities, inspired by Australian aboriginals. He came to Damanhur and shared this process of realizing dreams with us last summer. The activities of the Assembly also included many workshops, like small “Open Space” workshops to confront various themes, and a voice workshop given by Macaco. She also sang Damanhurian music and presented Music of the Plants, which greatly pleased the international audience.

Music of the Plants allows plants to make music by using specialized equipment that registers electromagnetic changes expressed by the plant and transforms them into amplified sound. Plants respond to the emotions and intentions of the musicians and audience, as well as to the music that the musicians are playing.