Vision
We envision a thriving regional community of ecovillages, eco-communities and individuals
actively exploring, practising and sharing regenerative ways of living.
Mission
We catalyse regenerative communities to thrive, and empower people to live resilient and regenerative lives.
- It is important to address a few vocabularies that we use to clarify what our vision and mission means to us:
- ● An ecovillage is an intentional, traditional or urban community that is consciously designed through locally owned participatory processes in all four Areas of Regeneration (social, culture, ecology and economy) to regenerate social and natural environments.
- ● Ecovillages are transformative spaces – living laboratories – where regenerative living practices are developed and later shared to the wider society.
- ● Regenerative ways of living means lifestyle choices that are holistically healthy in four dimensions of regeneration namely social, cultural, ecological, and economic. This means an entity has an embodied understanding of the interconnection of life, is able to collaborate together and maintain harmonious relationships, able to meet their needs while having minimal ecological footprint.
- ● Thriving regional communities means members of the network are able to practise regenerative living holistically as an individual, as a community and as a network. At the network level, members of the network have lively mutually beneficial relationships and exchanges that enrich each other and the network as a whole. For example, members of ecovillages host each other during visits, sharing knowledge and resources on how to build natural buildings, collaborating in research projects, advocating for ecovillages to the government organisations.
How do we achieve our vision and mission?
GENOA aims to create a world of regenerative culture through connecting, sharing, promoting and supporting existing and aspiring ecovillage communities and projects and the organizations and networks that support them.
Connecting international and national ecovillage networks including intentional communities and townships; ecological, faith-based and government initiatives and networks; indigenous and traditional communities, villages and networks.
Sharing information, knowledge, learning, experiences and wisdom relevant to the region.
Promoting traditional villages and communities, ecovillages and innovative settlements, projects and networks that bring forth insights and actions that are resilient, healing, self-empowering, regenerative, and restorative.
Supporting individuals, communities, villages, organisations, governments and networks to create, transition and maintain holistic sustainable living through trainings, consultancies, convergences and connecting resources as needed.
Our values
Since 2015, GENOA has been transitioning to shared governance, participatory leadership and consent decision-making. The team have learnt the art of self-organising, working autonomously and remotely, developing feedback loops, being accountable and nurturing trust. The core values of GENOA are: Integrity, Diversity, Trust, Service, Participation, Evolving and Oneness.
Our guiding philosophy
GENOA’s guiding philosophy is based on the mandala, the Sanskrit word for “Circle,” that is an Asian spiritual symbol representing the universe. The GENOA Mandala consists of seven dimensions, represented by the universal colours of the rainbow, which are reflected as seven systems of interpretation, called the chakras (Sanskrit for wheels or vortexes). The GENOA mandala, inspired by the Seed of Life, supported GENOA’s working circles during our restructuring process 2016 to 2018.
Our Logo
Our logo brings together the GENOA mandala and the GEN butterfly, symbolising transformation and the flowing of energy from one form to the other, honouring the Earth with all indigenous and cultural wisdom, while grounding in the present.
