Global Ecovillage Network Conference 2012 - Connecting Communities for a Sustainable World, 10.-13. July 2012 - participate for free!

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Ecovillages act as research and training centres for sustainable development within wider society. Alongside the abundance of networking opportunities and the flow of inspiration within and between participants, the hosting Eco-Valley Foundation will serve as a living example and field of practice for the themes of this year’s conference:

10.-13. July 2012, Eco-Valley Foundation, Hungary

• Villages in Transition to Resilience - using participatory design processes for the journey towards a sustainable society
• Gaming - how to express our dedication to, and love for, the world in quests, adventures and shared journeys that are fun instead of hard work!!
• Sustainable Economy - alternatives to the prevalent growth model for creating resilient local economies.
• Alternative Technology - hands-on experience and the theoretical background to new technologies that make a real difference
• NextGEN  - The next generation in the Global Ecovillage Network: involving youth and young adults in sustainable projects
• Global Scope of GEN – meeting engaged GEN-networkers and learning from best practice examples from all over the planet, including GEN-Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.  

Each day of the conference will start with talks and project presentations, followed by workshops in smaller groups in the afternoon.

The conference will provide a multitude of opportunities to get to know the other participants and for informal exchange, and will be facilitated by Capra Carruba, Robin Alfred and Kosha Joubert.
Our hosting partner community

Eco-Valley Foundation is based at the intentional community of Krishna Valley in southwest Hungary. The main purpose of the Eco-Valley Foundation is to facilitate the sharing of practical experience, education and collaboration with academic research institutes regarding sustainability.

Krishna Valley is self-sufficient in vegetables, fruit, grains and honey. Other features are renewable energy production (solar panels, windmills), a reed bed water purification system, a school and a Botanical Garden counting 950 species of trees and bushes. Based on the religious background of the community, the inhabitants dedicate their lives to develop a more sustainable future.
25-30.000 tourists visit the Valley annually.

Accommodation
A range of different accommodation options is available both at Krishna Valley and at the nearby village of Somogyvámos. Meals are organic and vegetarian, most of the ingredients stem from the Krishna Valley Farm.

Please note that Krishna Valley has a no smoking and no alcohol policy on all their premises. Traditional Hungarian pubs are at walking distance in the village Somogyvámos.

Registrations
Registrations will start on February 1, 2012.

Grundtvig Grants - Particpate for free!
Those working in the field of adult education can apply for a Grundtvig ‘Visits and Exchanges’ grant. For this, you need to be a teacher or teacher trainer in the field of adult education. This possibility is open to employees, freelancers and volunteers alike.

To be eligible for the grants you need to be a National or Resident of a EU member state (except Hungary), Turkey, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Croatia or Liechtenstein.

These grants cover travel and visa costs, food and accommodation as well as the conference fee.

THE DEADLINE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS IS JANUARY 16, 2012 in some countries, in others there are later deadlines and grants are given on a fist-come-fist-served basis. We strongly recommend you apply as soon as possible, because last year in some countries the money was finished after just a few weeks. More

How to apply for a Grundtvig grant and more information: http://bit.ly/gen2012