Donate

education

REGEN-Nations 2022: New Projects Incubated

by

REGEN-Nations – the programme of whole systems design for regeneration curated by Global Ecovillage Network Oceania & Asia – has recently ended its 2nd live cohort of 2022. This cohort was brewed in August 2021 and has gone through a rich journey full of learnings, especially with the 6-month live cohort.

The programme offers dedicated facilitation throughout five areas of regeneration (social, cultural, ecology, economic and whole systems design). Participants receive feedback on learning activities and coaching with real-world change makers to help projects develop solid foundations and resilience. In this second cohort, REGEN-Nations collaborates with Earth Regenerators to provide a platform of connection with a dedicated community space for changemakers to activate, catalyze, and nurture relationships between their social and ecological ecosystems, as well as other projects in the region. 

Hosted on the GEN Learning Platform, REGEN-Nations is designed to be a regenerative design thinking lab to grow innovative solutions and address systemic challenges through not only videos and reading lessons but also different activities, action-oriented assignments and live exchange sessions. 

REGEN-Nations Course Calls

Twelve participants of this second cohort went through 6 months with 84 hours of learning from 27 speakers, accompanied by 3 coaches and 4 facilitators. Five projects were presented in the last module and one of which was awarded the seed grant to aid the implementation of its whole systems design. The final projects are diverse in focus and approach, ranging from anthropology research; island ecosystem regeneration, to green spaces for youth education, community eco-labs and SMEs empowerment. The project “Green Innovation & Empowerment community for the SME Family Businesses” from China has received the final seed grant. 

Participants Project Presentation

As the host of the programme, GEN Oceania & Asia sends our warmest gratitude to all the trainers, speakers, facilitators, partners and dedicated participants that have shared their part to make this course possible. We are looking forward to exploring different ways of integrating REGEN-Nations into different languages and topics and collaborating with educational institutions and schools to bring REGEN-Nations to a wider audience. Please reach out to us at regen.nations@ecovillage.org if you are keen to collaborate with us.

GENOA at the 1st Asian Ecoversities Gathering

by

The 1st Asian Ecoversities Alliance Gathering has recently been held from Sep 13th -16th, 2022 at Wongsanit Ashram, Thailand with the participation of 35 people from different countries within Asia including India, Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Bhutan, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore. From Global Ecovillage Network Oceania & Asia (GENOA) we were happy to have Thao Kin joining as the representative of the GENOA Office and Natalie Limwatana joining as the representative of the REGEN-Nations program. We also met with other members of the GENOA network in this gathering: Om Sunisa from Gaia Ashram, Hiroko from GEN Japan/As One Suzuka Community together with 3 young members of Gaia Youth (Kento, Toshiya and Mizuki), Kai Sawyer from Permaculture Dojo, Pop from Friends & Forest, Petra from Awaken Leadership Training and more.

Participants of the Gathering with Ajarn Sulak Sivarasak (pic: Nora)

The Ecoversities Alliance is a community of learning practitioners from around the world committed to re-imagining higher education to cultivate human and ecological flourishing in response to the critical challenges of our times. The network has grown in different parts of the world and is now building its presence in Asia. Their last planetary gathering took place in Egypt in March 2022 (read more here).

Visiting a local temple (pic: Nora)

In their first Asian gathering, a good portion of the time was spent building connections and sharing aspirations among participants from different educational organizations. We also had an opportunity to understand deeper about the Ecoversities Alliance, the work of members and the different ways to be engaged. 

It was meaningful and inspirational to join this gathering. Ecoversities are trying to achieve what I was dreaming and figuring out as a solution for the global social issues. The participants are not only speaking for their aim but also conducting actual projects by themselves. In the gathering, people  shared their knowledge and experiences  so that they can cooperate together for the future. The gathering is like a conference but this is more than that for sure. We became very close with each other since we know we can be as one and the goal we are seeking for is similar. Imagine, if people around the world are close like family, if they are working together for the same goal, the future will be here and now. 

avatar

Toshi

Japan
GEN-Japan Gaia Youth Sharing (Pic: Kin)
Lazyman Coffee Sharing (pic: Nora)
Financial Sustainability Sharing (pic: Nora)

During the 4-day gathering, we had the opportunity to share about the work of ecovillages in different sessions including;  As One Community and GEN Japan’s Gaia Youth program, creating communities with OmSunisa from Gaia Ashram in Thailand,  financial sustainability discussion hosted by Natalie from REGEN-Nations. We also shared videos, information, and materials about the various projects and in GENOA & NextGENOA.

I joined knowing little about Ecoversities, and after spending 4 days together I found inspiration and support both on a personal, project and movement level. The alliance is looking to connect together those of us working on any form of wisdom sharing, especially those outside mainstream academic institutions. We know we need to design place based, people oriented solutions to replace the standardised and global systems we have now. We choose to have a million different solutions and recognise there may be overlap and we are smaller projects. So I see the Ecoversities alliance is a way to bring education projects together under our common dream of accessible education that supports a just and regenerative way of living. 

avatar

Natalie

Thailand

Further resources and get involved

Ecoversities Alliance offers a lot of exchange activities and cross-learning for its members. You can check out some of their publications below:

If you are keen to set up your own ecoversities or be part of the alliance, please check the information below and on their website https://ecoversities.org/ 

The result of my participation in the gathering was very meaningful. Many and varied attempts impressed me, and at the same time, I could objectively see the unique characteristics of ecovillage projects. It is sure that eco-village-based learning can show the youth that innovative attempts are feasible with practical ways of living. I think it is great that several different initiatives joined together from GENOA. This time, I joined with three graduates (Toshi Kento, Mizuki) from GEN Japan Gaia Youth program, held at As One Community aiming to encourage the youth of urban areas to awaken towards the creation of regenerative societies. It was my pleasure that they learned freely in a relaxed atmosphere while directly experiencing the efforts of a diverse group of people. The opportunity to interact directly with their Asian peers gave me a sense of great potential for the next steps.　

avatar

Hiroko

Japan

Farewell blessing (pic: Nora)
GENOA members at the gathering (pic: Kin)

Making friends was a big part of the Ecoversities gathering for me, and it was comforting and exciting to know we came together to connect from heart to heart at the beautiful Wongsanit Ashram. We shared games to bring us closer which were both creative and traditional. We reimagined the future through remembering wisdom that was passed down from generations ago. It was eye opening to experience traditional rituals and feel so beautifully rooted deep down at the present moment. Knowing the heart of our ancestors is education. Seeking to find out what flower blooms in front of me is education. Holding our hands together and feeling one another’s energy is education. The Ecoversities Alliance gathering helped me realise my hope to keep learning from the many streams of adventures that the universe has to offer.

avatar

Kento

Japan

Attending the gathering was a big challenge for me because I didn’t have much overseas experience. I wanted to make friends who could connect by heart, even though we are from different cultures.

When we introduced the Gaia Youth Program in the middle of the program, I was convinced that we are all wishing for the same world and we can connect with our hearts. I was also very happy to meet people from the same generation who are working globally to create a new society. It was very stimulating.

I am now more interested in seeing the world on a global scale. I would like to cooperate with my friends I met this time and take more actions to create a better society.

avatar

Mizuki

Japan

About the Author

Thao Kin, Networking Coordinator at GENOA

Thao Ngo, often called by her friends and colleagues as Kin, is a learner and educator from Vietnam. Kin is passionate about ecology and is on a long exciting quest of her life learning from and caring for Mother Earth. Kin has been a member of NextGENOA since 2016 and joined the GENOA Office team in mid-2020. In addition to her active role in GENOA and NextGENOA, Kin works with non-governmental organizations in Vietnam in organizing and facilitating training on ecological education and eco-lifestyle. Kin believes in the power of reconnection and re-enchanting the world. She is practicing as a Deep Ecology facilitator and trainer. 

This article is produced with the contributions of Natalie, Hiroko, Toshi, Mizuki and Kento.

GEN-Japan Online Series: Creating Communities & Surviving Together

by

How will we live in the age of with corona? In addition to climate change and Fukushima, we need to take a sincere look at the reality we are facing now, and live out the future brightly and powerfully with people from all over the world.

 It is with this hope that GEN-Japan’s online series, “Creating communities and Surviving Together,” will be held from January to March 2021.

GEN-Japan, which started as a non-profit organization in 2016, has been actively promoting awareness of eco-villages and localization for the past three years, in collaboration with Keibo Shin’ichi Tsuji, a well-known cultural anthropologist and an activist of Local Future Japan. 

GEN-Japan has been organizing EDE and consulting on community building in various regions as well as actively promoting eco-villages and localization for the last three years.

This three-month project, we were able to deepen the relationship among more than 20 practitioners of ecovillages, localization, and transition activities who agree with our aims, and connect with a total of 500 citizens and younger generations who are looking for their future way of life. Especially, Helena Norberg=Hodge appear to give the great speech. She is a director of the organization, Local Future, “Human has amazing ability in genes. Essentially we can live such community living as a big one family. People around the world are restoring ecosystems with their own well-being by strengthening their communities and localizing their economies. People have the power to do this.

This project has led to the birth of new eco-villages and communities that want to join the Network, the start of new online projects in cooperation, and mutual visits and information sharing in preparation for Earth Day in April and World Localization Day in June. The role of GEN-Japan as a platform is expected to grow further. 

It is certain that this movement will lead to the survival of the human race, and at the same time, to the blossoming of a rich humanity in harmony with the Earth throughout the world, and a chance to open up a new civilization with a fundamental joy of life.

In the depths of the crisis of climate and corona, the silence, the darkness, the heaviness, the anxiety, the loneliness, even the resentment, feed us.

It is time to step into a new story that has been fermenting in each of us like miso.

From separation to relationship. From separation to connection.

Let’s find ourselves as “Aida” everywhere and meet each other in “Aida” communities.

by Shin-ichi Tsuji

The first event, on January 15;  The keynote speech by Shin’ichi Tsuji: “The Next World Opened up by “Aida” , and the world-historical perspective of Pracha Hutanuwar, led us to deeply explored the view of humanity and society that is the basis for the realization of a sustainable world. Many of the participants looked up and started to move towards the next step.

Some words from participants….

Somehow, humans have been destroying the “space between”. Also, “I don’t know” is not allowed anymore. This, Tsuji pointed out, is the reason for the various problems in our society today.

Today, we take it for granted that “I” and “you” exist separately and independently, and we are forgetting that there is a vast “space” between us. For example, even the hundreds of trillions of bacteria and microorganisms in our bodies and in the air interact with each other and create new existence while nurturing the “aida”. At the base of all this, are we also “one of the beings that have appeared”? The culture and community became a device that could accept the overwhelming “unknowability” of the whole.　(Female, 30s)

Tsuji quoted Satoru Saishu’s words about “Duality. In the first place, “I” is not given to us “from the beginning. I think. I am not the “I” of separation seen through the selfish attitude of “I think, therefore I am,” but rather “I am your you. I am a being that is connected to all. We are inseparable from ourselves and others.

And he gave us a message to encourage us.

Let’s regain the “Aida” that is not just “Subject” and “Object.

You and I are one, and we are connected.

Don’t be afraid to enter into the “aida” without fear of not knowing.

And let’s build a community!

I’m very motivated.

(Male in his 30s)

In February, 16 localizers and eco-village builders from as far south as Okinawa and as far north as Hokkaido, who support the purpose of this series, appeared.  Following the themes to create something new raised by Shinichi Tsuji, they presented their activities and issues in five groups. Amena Bal introduced the activities of GENOA. and on the last day, Giovanni Charlo, the director of Gaia Education, introduced EDE, a human resource development program to nurture people who can actually build communities. Finally, facilitated by Tsuji and Hiroko Katayama of GENJapan, representatives of major movement organizations such as Permaculture, Transition, As One Network  and Workers Co-op, all drew the mutual future activities.

Few words from speakers

“Although we have heard of each other, we were able to  communicate to understand sincerely this time.”

“I gained confidence in the direction of this movement”

“A deep realization that we can all advance the movement together by demonstrating our own strengths, and the reassurance and trust,” “ It was a really warm and good time that we shared together”.

Localization in Japan

Friday, February 19,  8:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.　

 (Facilitator) Shin-ichi Tsuji, Hiroko Katayama

Initiatives in Isumi City (greenz.jp, Nao Suzuki) / Activities to connect the forest and the sea in Itoshima ( NPO Itonami, City council member, Yoshihiro Fujii)

Initiatives in Kamogawa (Chiba pref. Yoshiki Hayashi)

Ecovillage in Japan

Saturday, February 20, 13:30 – 16:30

 (Facilitator) Daisuke Yoshitake, Takaaki Kumakura, Hiroko Katayama

(Talk) Tetra Tanizaki

UMIKAZE (Kento Ito) / WA Island (Shin Kunugiza) / Misumi Eco Village Saihate (Sink Kudo) / Yoichi Eco Village (Junka Sakamoto) / As One Suzuka Community (Ryu Kishinami)

“Welfare and Child Care Create a Community

Saturday, February 20, 20:00 – 22:15

 (Facilitator) Hirosui No Seiketsu: From the perspective of community building

From the perspective of community building (Ryo Yamazaki) / Nasu Machizukuri Hiroba (Takaaki Kaburaki)

General Incorporated Association Sukoyaka-no-Wa (Kyoko Kibayashi) / NPO Sachi House (Maki Kawamura)

The Future of Living and Creating a Place for Learning

Sunday, February 21, 10:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

 (Facilitator) Sawyer Kai (Hiroko Katayama)

Well Yokodai (Hirotaka Toya) / Yakushima Earth Tribe (Hiromi Suzuki)

Dana Village (Minori Ogawa) / Permaculture and Peace Dojo (Sawyer Umi)

The Future of Localization and Ecovillages in Japan

Sunday, February 21, 13:30 – 16:30

 (Facilitator) Shin-ichi Tsuji, Hiroko Katayama

EDE  (Gaia Education CEO) Giovanni Ciarlo

Transition Town (Toshiro Yoshida) / As One Network (Masashi Ono)

Permaculture (Shinji Yotsui) / Workers’ Co-op (Nobuhiro Tamaki)

On March 19, the last month of the Big Gathering, Helena Norberg-Hodge took the stage. and said, “At this time, people around the world are restoring ecosystems with their own well-being by strengthening their communities and localizing their economies. People have the power to do this. Helena is a linguist, founder and president of Local Future, a global non-profit organization, and is world-renowned for her book “Ancient Future” and the movie “The Economics of Happiness”.

On March 20, Henry Coleman, a 25-year-old project leader of Local Future, called for participation in the World Localization Day in June, Ngothao Kin from GENOA introduced the activities of NEXTGENOA, and Wang Shan from Shanghai gave a presentation on localization in China. Wang Shan, a native of Shanghai, introduced the state of localization in China. 

As a model case of localization, As One Suzuka Community was introduced, and we discussed how we can cooperate with them to promote the movement.

 Tsuji, Sawyer Kai, Azumi Nozaki, and Masashi Ono discussed how to create communities where children and the younger generation can live freely in the future.

At the end of the session, ten community building practitioners from around Japan who took the stage in February, appeared at the finale with their friends and families in each site. They sent messages of congratulations to each other.

GEN-Japan will continue to provide more opportunities to freely discuss what is needed to create a healthy community. With the cooperation of many of you, we were able to make this a three-month series to begin with. I would like to thank all of them and at the same time, I would like to work to further strengthen our ties and foster cooperation toward the realization of a sustainable and conflict-free world.

By Hiroko Katayama
GEN-Japan Executive Director

Hiroko Katyama is the Executive Director of GEN-Japan, an
established non-profit organization since 2016. She has been
actively working in building trust and network among people and
organizations that has purpose along the line of social and
environmental regeneration for five years. Sensing into the current
context and wishing for a clear vision to a regenerative future, she
and her team have been planning and facilitating this online event
since last fall, and achieving it with a lot of support.