Global Ecovillage Network Annual Report 2019

ECOVILLAGE.ORG
What matters the most is that the lands are healthy,
the water is pure, the wind is free from viruses, and the
human beings are at peace with themselves.
- Calixto Suarez,
Chief Elders of Arhuaco People, Colombia

CONTENTS
Letter from the President
Letter from the Executive Director
Overview
Vision and Mission
Strategic Objectives
GEN’s Call to Action
GEN’s Frameworks
Organigram
Key Performace Indicators
2019 Targets
Strategic Objectives for 2020
2019 Projects and Highlights
How GEN Thrives: Financial Summary
Board, Staff, Advisors, and Regional Representatives
CASA Latina (Latin America)
GEN Africa
GENNA (North America)
GENOA (Oceania and Asia)
GEN Europe
NextGEN (Youth Network)
Ecovillage Impact Assesment
Ecovillage Incubation
Ecovillage Development/Transition
Greening Schools
EmerGENcies
Regenerative Urban Communities
Education
Consultancy
Ambassadors
River of Life
Friends of GEN
GEN FRAMEWORKS AND 2019 ACTIVITIES
THE GEN REGIONS IN 2019
GEN PROGRAMMES
WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH GEN
The Global Ecovillage Network is rich and diverse, like any
healthy ecosystem. As such, it is not surprising that any
structure or order can only be offer an approximate map of
the territory of GEN.
We have organized the content of this Annual Report into
different sections to ease your reading and trust you will
enjoy the journey.
Section 1 is dedicated to an overview of GEN and the core
frameworks we work with. This section also reports on
GEN’s work in 2019 as a Scottish Charity that interlinks all
parts of our global networks, and includes details on GEN’s
targets for 2019, key performance indicators, highlights of
the year, financial summary and team.
Section 2 showcases highlights of the work accomplished
by GEN’s five Regions and by NextGEN, our youth arm,
celebrating the cultural diversity of the journey towards low
impact, regenerative lifestyles around the planet.
Section 3 looks at scaling up community-led implementation
of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Climate
Agreement through GEN’s five Ecovillage Programmes.
And finally, in Section 4, we invite you to get involved and
join us, if you have not already, by visiting an ecovillage,
attending a training, engaging with our network, becoming
and Ambassador or Friend of GEN.
Enjoy!
photo credit: G-BIACK

To the GEN family,
The GEN Scottish Charity was established 7+ years ago.
Since its creation, this organization has been serving,
enacting, connecting, showcasing, advancing and inspiring
the global network of ecovillages, which comes to be the
vibrant ecosystem of regeneration that we - as individuals,
communities and networks - form together.
In the ecosystem, we feel the presence of the pioneer
ecovillages, the ones which are big, mature and well known
by many; along with the new ones emerging, forming and
growing as traditional communities, government support-
based communities, learning-based communities, and
a lot more. Each of the ecovillages of GEN are nodes of
acupuncture to the relationship we, the humankind, have with
ourselves, our peers, and with the planet, our common-home.
That sense of common-unity, the Power of Community, is our
response, our strategy and our impact! Pandemies and crises
may keep coming and hopefully going away, but the challenge
of redefining our values as humankind so to enjoy the Buen
Vivir remains relevant and urgent, as does learning to live in
common-unity. We in GEN are stimulating acupoints THERE!
So, may the reading of this report be an experience to recognize
and honour how far has reached the dream of Gaia Trust, Kosha
Anja Joubert, the “Nine founders of the network” and all those
pioneers teams of GEN who we thank today for their leadership
and hands-on work. Let it also be a celebration of what, each of
us reading it, have contributed.
Feel part of it, because you are!
Jennifer Trujillo Obando, GEN President
Dear Readers,
GEN invites you to join us in imagining the potential for true
transformation that lies at the heart of the challenges we
currently face. The three most discussed scenarios for life
beyond Covid-19 are:
· An attempt to return to ‘business as usual’
· A continuing descent into crisis, chaos and collapse
· A pathway, through crisis, to a life-affirming culture
Which do you choose?
More than ever, our eyes have been opened to the importance
of deepening our love for place and each other, building
trusting community, growing our food locally and celebrating
the sheer beauty and vulnerability of the web of life.
These are key values that GEN has been working with for the
past 25 years. The rich experience, gathered in ecovillages
around the globe, is now becoming wind in the sails of a
regenerative future.
While GEN is better placed than ever to fulfil its potential in
the world, after twelve years of deep work in this beautiful
network and organisation, the time has come for me to move
on from my role as Executive Director. Many of the dreams I
had for GEN when setting out have been realised and it is with
a sense of fulfilment and joy that I pass on the baton to the
next generation of collaborative leaders.
Thank you to those who went before, thank you to the
coming generation, thank you all for making this
such a rich and fulfilling journey!
Kosha Joubert, GEN Executive Director
photo credit: Marcel Carneiro photo credit: Twin Oaks

Ecovillages embrace the concept of ‘luxurious
simplicity’, celebrating and recreating low impact
lifestyles that expand a sense of care, responsibility
and well being.
Thousand of ecovillages around the planet are
already demonstrating how we can transition
to a fully sustainable future.
The community-based capacity for implementation
of the Sustainable Development Goals and Climate
Change Agreement can be unleashed to establish
regional and national programs to support
ecovillage development.
An Ecovillage is an intentional or traditional
community that is consciously designed through
locally owned, participatory processes to
regenerate their social and natural environments.
G L O B A L
E C O V I L L A G E
N E T W O R K
Catalysing communities for a regenerative world
VISION
The Global Ecovillage Network envisions a
world of empowered citizens and communities,
designing and implementing their own pathways
to a regenerative future, and building bridges of
hope and international solidarity.
MISSION
To innovate, catalyze, educate and advocate in
global partnership with ecovillages and all those
dedicated to the shift to a regenerative world.
photo credit: MariaLuiza
photo credit: Issa Diallo
photo credit: Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage

GEN’s CALL TO ACTION
photo credit: Permaculture Ghana
Live in healthy relationship to
the world. Develop regenerative
technologies and sustainable agriculture.
Put back more than you take
out. Sequester carbon and regenerate
ecosystems.
Build an economy that serves life
and enriches the whole. Have the
courage to share and be generous.
Trust in the capacity of each
individual to change. Empower
yourself and others.
Create local solutions for global
challenges. Know where your water
comes from.
Make friends around the world.
Reach out in solidarity.
Be the change you want to see
in the world. Find your way to a high
quality, low impact lifestyle.
Build community in ever widening
circles. Bring your authentic self into a
collaborative search for healing.
Integrate the marginalised.
Allow the richness of diversity to unfold.
See the sacred in everything.
Celebrate cultural traditions that
regenerate life.
Provide hope and guidance to future
generations. Empoweryouth to contribute
actively to sustainable development.

UN
National
Governments
Corporations
Academic
Research
REGIONS
ECOVILLAGES
GEN KNOWLEDGE
CREATION AND GROWTH
UN
National
Governments
Corporations
Academic
Research
AN ECOVILLAGE IS AN INTENTIONAL OR
TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY THAT IS CONSCIOUSLY
DESIGNED THROUGH LOCALLY OWNED,
PARTICIPATORY PROCESSES TO REGENERATE THEIR
SOCIAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS.
GEN works through five broad regional organizations
and our youth movement.

ECO:
Comes from the Greek Oikos - relating to family,
home, place, and planet.
ECO CITIZENS:
Individuals aiming to lead ecovillage lifestyles which
address the ecovillage principles in all four areas of
regeneration (social, culture, ecology, economy)
ECO PROJECTS:
Initiatives of various sizes that inspire and foster
implementation of ecovillage principles, such as
eco farms, permaculture projects, learning centres,
ecosystem restoration camps and ecotourism sites.
ECO / GREEN SCHOOLS:
Schools creating environment conducive to learning
about and experiencing ecovillage principles in some
or all areas of regeneration.
ECO COMMUNITIES:
‘Small ecovillages’, with a population of less that 20 adults
(starting from extended families), consciously designed
to address ecovillage principles in some or all areas of
regeneration.
ECO NEIGHBOURHOODS:
Urban settlements that are consciously designed through
locally owned, participatory processes and aiming to address
ecovillage principles in some or all four areas of regeneration
to regenerate their social and natural environments
ECO REGIONS
Areas, especially partsof a country or the world having
definable characteristics but not always fixed boundaries.
A GEN region is referred to the 5 primary geographic areas
that make up the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) - Europe,
Africa, North America, Latin America and Asia Oceania.
E CO C I T I Z E N S
E CO PR OJ E C TS
E CO S C H O O L S
E CO CO M M U N I T I E S
E CO VI L L AG E S
E CO C I T I E S
E CO N E I G H B O U R H O O D S
E CO R E G I O N S
ECOVILLAGES:
Rural or urban communities
that are consciouslydesigning its
through locally owned, participatory
processes, aiming to address the Ecovillage
Principles.
Ecovillages have a population ranging from
at least 20 to several thousand inhabitants.
GEN recognizes ecovillages as such, if
they have been in existence for at least
2 years, and are already implementing
solutions in at least one of theAreas of
Regeneration with an intention to spread
implementation to all four areas (social,
culture, ecology and economy) as well as
whole systems design.
MAP OF ENGAGEMENT

GEN
PROGRAMMES
EMERGENCIES:
rebuilding sustainable
communities after disasters or
with refugees
ECOVILLAGE INCUBATION:
supporting thecreation
of new intentional
ecovillages
GREENING SCHOOLS
FOR SUSTAINABLE
COMMUNITIES:
establishing green schools
as hubs of inspiration for whole
community transformation
ECOVILLAGE
DEVELOPMENT:
transitioning existing
settlements to regenerative
settlements/ecovillages
URBAN ECOVILLAGES:
establishing ecovillages within
and around cities

GEN as a network, through the five GEN Regions and
our youth movement, organises communities on the
ground, and carries out region-specific programmes.
GEN as an organisation supports ecovillage
developmentand dissemination of best practices
through the following focus areas and teams.
GEN ORGANIGRAM HOW WE WORK TOGETHER

ECOVILLAGE
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
222
25.475 12.000
20182018
36.884 17.968
20192019
63.170 30.935
2020
may
2020
may
48
22 6090
114
21.000 4000+
Ambassadors
Social Media Growth Newsletter Suscribers
People reached through GEN
Online Summit
Volunteer
hours
Established
networks
Emerging
networks
GEN reaches out
to communities
Ecovillages in
Countries
63,170220,161
45 7
Partnership
Organizations
Including Gaia Education,
Let’s Do It! World, Earth Rights
Institute, and Ecosystem
Restoration Camps
MOUs signed
with 7 African
Governments
Website visitors
MOUs
signed
574 23
Sustainability
Solutions
Goverment
Outreach
ecovillage
solutions provided
in the
Solution Library
interest from 23 national
governments in
implementing Ecovillage
Development Programmes.
social media
followers across 5
platforms

1
2
Inspire individual & community participation in ecovillage lifestyles
Provide inspirational social media presence
Refine the design and functionality of GEN’s website
Increase website views to 1.2 million
Monthly newsletter and updated news on GEN’s website
Increase Newsletter to 15.000 subscribers
Empower 250 GENAmbassadors worldwide to be an active voice for GEN
Support a gathering or conference to be held in each GEN Region
10,000 people inspired through power of Community Online Summit
and other GEN online events
Provide consultancy and education for regeneration
Continue development of the Solution Library
Furtherdevelopmanuals,resourcesandmaterialsfor5EcovillageProgrammes
Develop platform and business model for online GEN trainings
Develop & pilot face to face trainings for Ecovillage Incubation
Develop & pilot online trainings for Ecovillage Incubation
Develop online webinars & trainings in collaboration with Regions
Finalise and launch Ecovillage Design Cards 2.0 in 10 languages
Produce Ecovillage Design Cards edition for school children
Develop Ecovillage Game of ReGENeration for youth
Deliver 10 GEN Core Trainings
Deliver 6 GEN Consultancy packages
Above are the outcomes by Dec 2019. Due to personal tragedy in our
GEN Education Team this area had to slow down in 2019, only to pick
up and implement above targets by May 2020.
2019 TARGETS Target
not met
Activity
initiaded
Target
somewhat
met
Target
met
Exceeded
Target
Cultivate relationships of trust and solidarity throughout GEN.
Transparent and inclusive organizational structures throughout GEN
Articulate strategic purpose of GEN Regions and GEN as a whole
Establish feedback systems for the GEN Regions and Next GEN
Increase shared ownership of the GEN Regions Agreement
Celebrate diversity and cohesiveness through regional websites
based on GEN IT systems
Monthly communications with staff, members, ambassadors & FoG.
Collaborative practices such as Self Management adapted and
integrated into GEN.
Raise our awareness of transgenerational trauma and how this
affects our global collaboration
Support and Mediation Circle for GEN staff
Showcase the impact of ecovillage projects worldwide
Document GEN’s outreach to 10,000 ecovillages & communities
Develop GEN Ecovillage Map to be a quality & trustworthy database
Add 50 ecovillage projects from each regions to the database
Promote ecovillage solutions showcase ecovillages
Recognise and honor outstanding achievements by ecovillages and
ecovillage projects through the Hildur Jackson Award
Develop new national ecovillage networks in each GEN Region
Refine the Ecovillage Impact Assessment tool and elicit data from
100 ecovillages
GEN’s outreach has been documented and will be made visible of
our Maps in 2020. The Impact Assessment has been refined, and a
report on the data of 100 ecovillages will be collated in 2020.
3
4

5
6
Showcase logos of 35 global and 20 local partner organisations on
GEN’s website
Develop alliances with other like-minded organisations - 55 Memorandum
Of Understandings (MoUs) and Letter Of Intentions (LOIs) signed
Nurture alliances defined by current MOU’s by working on joint
projects with 10 partner organisations
Encourage local and regional advocacy strategies.
Ensure GEN visibility at COP25 to inspire community-led approaches
to climate change
Partnership with ECOLISE, reaching out to the European
Commission/ Parliament
Work with government institutions in 6 countries to support the
implementation of national or regional Ecovillage Programmes
Rights of Nature advocacy led by the regions
The work with partners, e.g. the Club of Rome and African
Governments, especially, has continued to unfold and deepen.
Transition to economic abundance: 3-year strategic development
plan in place to guide GEN’s work
£750.000 Annual Turnover [Actual: £623,658]
Ca. £250.000 in Donations [Actual: £255,189]
Friends of GEN (£15.000) [Actual: £7,470]
River of Life (£32000) [Actual: £8,185]
Ca. £388.200 in Funded Projects [£312,498]
Improve GEN’s project management protocol
Ca. £107.000 in Earned Income (in Social Enterprise) [Actual: £55,971]
Strengthen organisational and financial capacity of the regions.7
GEN has been in a time of transition, with a new Board stepping in
and reflecting on strategy and workflows. Some energy and focus
has been on reflection and transition rather than income generation.
Showcase examples and further define GEN’s 5 Ecovillage Programmes
Support the creation of new intentional ecovillages and communities
Support government institutions in the implementation of Ecovillage
Development in 7 regions or countries
Continue to partnerwith RESCOPE on the Greening Schools programme
Consolidate an ecovillage-based approach to humanitarian crises -
EmerGENcies
Actively support the application of ecovillage models to urban and
suburban environments.
WearehappytoannouncethatmanualsforbothUrbanEco-Neighbourhoods
andEmerGENcieswerecollatedandaredownloadablefromourwebsite.
7
Speed up global regeneration through strategic
alliances & advocacy
Scale up ecovillage approaches to help achieve
the SDGs and Paris Climate Agreement
Develop economic abundance for a thriving
ecovillage network.
Target
not met
Activity
initiaded
Target
somewhat
met
Target
met
Exceeded
Target

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES FOR 2020
photo credit: G-BIACK
2. ADVANCE INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY
PARTICIPATION IN ECOVILLAGE LIFESTYLES
GEN inspires and advances individual and community
participation in ecovillage lifestyles in order for there to be
positive behavioural change and the increase of effective
climate change actions within local communities.
3. SCALE ECOVILLAGE SOLUTIONS VERTICALLY
AND HORIZONTALLY THROUGH FIVE
ECOVILLAGE PROGRAMMES
GEN scales out ecovillage solutions through its five ecovillage
programmes: Ecovillage Incubation, Ecovillage Development,
Eco Schools for Eco Communities, EmerGENcies and Urban
Eco Communities, in order to support governments and
regional authorities in the implementation of the Climate
Agreement and SDGs.
GEN’s IMPACT:
GEN catalyzes regenerative lifestyles and communities
to support the implementation of the Climate
Agreement and the SDGs.
GEN will be able to demonstrate this impact by recording
data from eco citizens, eco projects, eco communities
and ecovillages in its networks,using GEN’s Ecovillage
Impact Assessment.
GEN has spread inspiration and knowledge about the
ecovillage concept for the past 25 years. All ecovillages
are started from local leadership and, if at all, GEN
comes in to support and honour local participatory
design processes. GEN distills tools, builds capacity
and celebrates the results of the incredible work tens
of thousands of people are doing in their communities
on the ground.
1. SHOWCASE, CONNECT AND UNIFY
ECOVILLAGE NETWORKS WORLDWIDE
GEN showcases the regenerative work done in
communities around the planet to prepare for and
respond to the climate emergency. GEN connects
these efforts by creating spaces for exchange and
sharing of best nature-based solutions. GEN unifies
through collaboration throughout our networks and
distillation of tools and methods.
The GEN Map of Scale portrays all levels of initiatives
and local transformative processes that are a part
of our networks. The GEN Map of Regeneration,
embracing the 4 Areas and 32 Ecovillage Principles,
is used as a design and impact assessment tool for
ecovillages worldwide.

GEN Projects 2019
Reflecting our values of collaboration, diversity, and
capacity-building, GEN’s projects are co-created
with partners across the globe and feed into our five
core Ecovillage Programmes. We strive to serve and
engage youth and elders, the global South and North,
grassroots communities and high level government
representatives. GEN has consultative status at the
United Nations. As we bring our contribution as an
active agent in the world of NGOs, these initiatives
weave together to form a part of a life-affirming culture
and regenerative future.
With the goal to reach wider audiences, our first Online
Summit welcomed 10,000 participants, many of them
gathering in local community hubs for meaningful
conversations as they gained insights from 30
visionaries and leading edge practitioners.
On an individual level, the River of Life programme
builds solidarity by pairing women in the global North
and South to support their local communities to scale
out solutions. GEN built capacity in young adults while
also learning from their fresh energy and perspectives
as members of the GEN team through European
Solidarity Corps, in European Partnerships.
GEN has further developed our tools and frameworks
for the implementation of the Ecovillage Programmes.
We worked on strengthening the underpinnings through
the ECOGAMER, refining the Ecovillage Impact Assessment
and developing mythological gaming approaches to ecovillage
design for youth and school children.
The Ecovillage Incubation Programme was strengthened
through CLIPS, led by GEN Europe. The Ecovillage
Development Programme was brought to COP25, where
GEN’s involvement shone a light on the potential of
community-led initiatives as solutions for climate adaptation
and mitigation and firmed up agreements with governments.
We travelled to Morocco, Sierra Leone and The Gambia to
firm up collaborations with government institutions.
In the vicinity GEN’s head office, the LEADER project helped
to bring Ecovillage Development to Scotland, aligned with
the Local Development Strategy. And lastly, the Ecovillage
Transition in Action project draws learnings from municipal
transition processes for Ecovillage Development.
GEN continued to engage in the Greening Schools
Programme in the Zambia and developed Manual for the
EmerGENcies and Urban Eco-Neighbourhood Programmes.
With the understanding that Ecovillage as a process, not an
outcome, GEN celebrates each project as a unique expression
of the overall vision – spreading a regenerative human
presence on earth in culturally contextualised ways. Our
diversity is our strength. Our coherence gives us a powerful
voice. Our cooperation and mutual support helps us to thrive.

OUR WORK AROUND THE WORLD
Highlights of projects around the world that GEN’s international
education and consultancy focus areas conducted in 2019 - plus
EmerGENcies projects and GEN Regions’ international gatherings.
Major advocacy event
Consultancy project
Active EmerGENcies project (affiliated with GEN Region)
Regional GEN Gathering
Youth SIRCle innovation lab
Ecovillage Training of Trainers
Ecovillage Design Introduction
New partnership with university
New MOUs signed with national governments
Other funded project

ONLINE SUMMIT
Our first Online Summit ‘Power of Community -
Climate Change and Consciousness’ welcomed over
10.000 participants.
A consortium of 30 leading edge thinkers, activists,
and grassroots leaders shared insights into working
towards a community-led and regenerative future.
Over 145 hubs organised events in communities,
ecovillages, education centers, farms, institutions
and private homes, in 51 countries: from small circles
in families to large ecovillages hosting screenings to
organisations in capital cities hosting workshops.
“The summit inspired us to move our community in an
ancient dynamic of sharing time, energy, and love by
trusting on each other.”
CLIMATE CHANGE AND CONSCIOUSNESS
From April 20-26, 2019, the Climate Change and
Consciousness Conference: Our Legacy for the Earth
(CCC19) took place in Findhorn Ecovillage in Scotland,
and was co-hosted by GEN. With presenters like Vandana
Shiva, Bill McKibben, Xiuhtezcatl Martinez and Charles
Eisenstein, the event brought together eminent scientists,
wisdom keepers, business people, activists, ecovillage
representatives, entrepreneurs and young people, to
envision and begin to inhabit our joint future.
A significant and deliberate element of the conference was
the presence of many indigenous leaders – from Senegal,
Namibia, Nigeria, Aotearoa, Brazil, Greenland and, of course,
Scotland!
ESC
In 2019 GEN hosted 6 long-term European Solidarity Corps
(ESC) participants in the GEN Office in Findhorn, Scotland.The
Erasmus+ programme, funded by the European Commission,
enables GEN to support young people who share our vision of
a world of empowered citizens and communities to develop
skills and experience in projects, work in an international team,
and gain communication and cooperation tools - empowering
them as lifelong leaders. Based in the Findhorn Foundation
Community, they also witness and experience the life of
sustainability, and social cooperation that ecovillages model.

Launched in autumn 2019 this ECOLISE-led partnership
aims at building capacity for Blended Adult Learning for
the Social-ecological Transition.
The aims are to strengthen cross-movement capacity to
offer blended transformative learning, to create better
pathways between education in different movements,
and to strengthen the European Community of Practice
for transformative education.
BLAST partners met in October 2019, in Cloughjordan
Ecovillage in Ireland, and now host monthly BLAST
Community of Practice calls, self-organised spin-off
activities, and BLAST Working Groups for the creation of
toolkits, competency frameworks, manuals, events and a
community of practice guide.
BLAST
photo credit: Angel Matilla
GAMER
Running since May 2018, Eco GAMER is a GEN-led youth
project aiming to increase capacity to measure the impact
of ecovillages, and gamify the process of ecovillage and
social enterprise design in a form that is fun, dynamic and
attractive to young people.
In 2019, the partnership hosted 3 transnational meetings,
in Egypt, Italy, and Portugal and completed pilot versions
of its central outputs:
• a clear and scientifically grounded method for
mapping and demonstrating the impact of ecovillages
and related projects, and
• a live action game of ReGENeration - an educational
live roleplaying game focused on leadership
skills, community building, ecovillage design, and
regenerative project creation.
photo credit: Angel Matilla

With the aim to provide innovative education to develop
cross-sectoral partnerships, community building,
participatory design, and climate change mitigation,
GEN launched a project for municipal authorities and
local citizens to work together to develop alternative
pathways to local development, based on a holistic
framework of regeneration.
In our networks we see examples of engaged rural
communities working for positive change who feel
unsupported by local government. We also see
municipalities with positive goals and a determination to
act,strugglingtobuildgenuinelycollaborativerelationships
with local citizen initiatives.
Along with ECOLISE, GEN Germany, Hurdal Ecovillage
in Norway, and St Andrews University in Scotland, GEN
will facilitate this collaboration to develop accessible
and transferable educational tools, trainings, curricula,
and methods for bringing together Community Lead
Initiatives and local government actors.
ECOVILLAGE TRANSITION
IN ACTION
LEADER
In 2019, GEN implemented the Moray Ecovillage
Development Project: A Model for Sustainable
Community Building in Scotland - funded by Moray
LEADER. With the aim to build local capacity to
improve community resilience using ecovillage whole
systems design, it aligned with the Moray Local
Development Strategy’s objectives to move towards
a low-carbon economy through domestic, business,
community and collaborative action.
After an initial phase of community meetings
in late 2019, three showcase projects from
Moray were selected to be part of the project’s
mentorship programme. The focus is on sharing
best practices for community transformation,
with partners providing blueprints of successful
integration of LEADER and ecovillage projects
in other EU member states and partner nations,
while gaining knowledge from the wisdom of local
practices in Scotland.

In collaboration between GEN Africa, Windhoek,
Schloss Glarisegg, and PorteLinha, a series
of workshops, film screening and networking
workshops were offered to 34 Namibian participants,
in cooperation with ten other partners. The
Conscious leadership and trauma-informed conflict
resolution training embraces the complexity and
diversity of people to facilitate transformation. The
project worked with various family backgrounds,
history, intergenerational and gender related trauma
and highlighted the possible impact this healing
brings to change our structures toward peace and
balance on a holistic level.
PIONEERS FOR PEACE RIVER OF LIFE
A project, by women for women, around the world,
to express their solidarity with each other. The
programme matches women in the global North
with women in the global South, providing steady
financial support for exceptional women leaders
in Africa, Asia, and South America to transform
their communities. The River of Life contributes
positively to the national and regional networks
the women are part of and supports their local
communities to scale out solutions. The women
who are part of this programme are also able to
upskill and grow professionally.

SIERRA LEONE
MOROCCO
To kick start the process of exploring an Ecovillage
Development Programme in Morocco, GEN consultant,
Kosha Joubert, initiated relationships with interested
stakeholders to explore the national context and climate.
Hosted by Kenza Isnasni and Omar Hajji of Marrakesh
Organics and supported by GEN Africa, GEN benefited
from two community visits and numerous conversations,
amongst others with the Ministry of Environment and
SMIT Morocco, the national tourism agency, to deepen
the understanding of the potential of the programme and
identify next steps.
THE GAMBIA
Strengthening relationships and building on an MoU, GEN
Consultants, Kosha Joubert and Niveen Morsy (Vice President
of GEN Africa) were hosted by the Sandele Foundation in a visit
with The Gambia Ministry of Environment, Climate Change
and Natural Resources to begin to pave the way for next steps
in the development of a national EDP. The partnership also
continued planning for the 2020 GEN Africa Conference to be
held in The Gambia. By engaging with key stakeholders such as
donors, communities, local networks, and The Gambian Tourism
Board, they enhanced the next steps of the EDP. A workshop
on Ecovillage Design was held for NGO leaders and government
representatives. Local media coverage helped raise awareness of
the EDP and connecting to PADRE, an online platform, allowed
communities to access data on risks and the environment.
Through meetings with various Ministries and the United
Nations Development Programme, GEN Consultants explored
how an Ecovillage Development Programme could support
eco-tourism and ecosystem restoration in Sierra Leone.
Following up from an MoU with the Environment Protection
Agency, GEN generated significant positive interest and
agreed the formal partnership, location of pilot villages and
next steps for collaboration. They also benefited from new
and unique opportunities such as delivering a workshop on
ecovillage design with the civil service school and two media
engagements for general awareness.

Since 2000 GEN has had a consultative status at
the UN-Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
commission which gives GEN the chance to assist
national governments in achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals and prioritizing vulnerable groups
such as women and children, youth, elders and people
with disabilities.
GEN has sent delegations to every edition since
COP21 in Paris, France and in 2019 GEN hosted a
delegation with 11 community leaders from all of
the 5 regions, including representatives from Brazil,
Colombia, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Australia,
New Zealand, United States, Germany and the
United Kingdom.
GEN’s main objectives at COP25 were to lift the voice
of community-led initiatives and showcase ecovillage
solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation.
Invited by The Nordic Council, GEN representatives
COP25 IN MADRID
Kosha Joubert (Executive Director), Jennifer
Trujillo (President of the Board) and Kenza Isnasni
(Advocacy Coordinator), presented “The Power of
Culture, Nature and Community-led Development
in response to the Climate Emergency.”
GEN hosted the exhibit “Communities and
Culture: Critical for Transformative Climate Action“
for communities, business and government
representatives to explore our efforts to catalyze
communities for a regenerative future, supporting
poverty reduction and climate resilience in our
world’s materially and financially poorest places.
The delegation was able to spark conversations
with dozens of curious stakeholders and Ministers
of Environment from The Gambia, Sierra Leone,
Sudan, Togo, Liberia, Nigeria and Burkina Faso
signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) for
nation-wide implementation of GEN’s Ecovillage
Development Programmes.

The education programme, ReScope, which serves five
African countries earned this year’s top prize. Since 2004,
exemplary community projects have been celebrated by
the award (previously called the GAIA Excellence Award),
initiated by the Gaia Trust.
This year, among 32 inspiring applications, we recognised
ReScope for their accomplishments of disseminating
green technologies and permaculture techniques across
Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Their aim
since 2006 is to facilitate the whole school approach to
greener and resilient communities.
HILDUR JACKSON AWARD
GREEN ECONOMY FOR
RESILIENT COMMUNITIES
An integrated approach to climate and economic
resiliency was implemented in ten communities in
Zambia, empowering smallholders to sustainably diversify
their income streams while increasing environmental
husbandry, by applying the innovative Integrated Land-
Use Design (ILUD) methodology.
Funded by the Scottish Government and in partnership
with the ReScope network (Regional Schools and
Colleges Permaculture), it reached 400 beneficiaries (35%
being single mothers and out of school youth).
In June 2019 over forty participants in the Climate Justice
Innovation Fund project in Kapiri Mposhi and Monze
converged at the Munyeke homestead for training in
social enterprise development and making rocket stoves.
Facilitated by GEN members from Cameroon, Malawi,
and Zambia, participants gained knowledge in agro-
ecological practices such as rain water harvesting, natural
soil improvement, intercropping, mulching, and crop
diversification for nutrition and income security.
If there is a little bit of hope - an
ember of hope - I am going to blow
on it and try to start a fire.
-Albert Bates, The Farm

GEN FINANCIAL FOUNDATIONS
Summary of current income streams and change over time
In concert with the reorganization of the Trustees group
in 2019, GEN underwent a reorientation of vision and
strategy. Its purpose was to explore ways that GEN could
build support for Regional autonomy and growth, exploring
collaboration models with Gaia Education and consolidating
our staff team. We expect this process to streamline our
financial reporting to clearly align with our targets.
At the date of printing this report, our Audited Financial
Statements for the 2019 fiscal year end were not yet
complete. They will be filed by the September 30th
deadline with the Scottish Charity Regulator and available
to the public at that point.
The 2019 revenue stream continued its five year trend of
growth and resiliency. Our three pillars of funding remain:
1. Funded Projects
2. Social Entrepreneurship
Consultancy and Education
Online summit
Merchandise
3. Donations and grants
Private Foundations
Friends of GEN
Donations
76.5%
Earned revenue
1.4%
Funded project
revenue
22.1%
2015
Donations
47.8%
Earned revenue
6.0%
Funded project
revenue
46.2%
2016
Donations
51.0%
Earned revenue
3.9%
Funded project
revenue
45.1%
2017
Donations
40.2%
Earned revenue
11.0%
Funded project
revenue
48.8%
2018
Donations
40.9%
Earned revenue
9%
Funded project
revenue
50.1%
2019

Donations
Friends of GEN, our monthly donors programme,
started in 2017 and has grown 188% from 2017 to
2019. Friends of GEN energize us with enthusiasm
and support and show us how many small gifts can
make a huge difference. In 2019 we earned more
than £6,900 thanks to the generous donations of
our 88 Friends of GEN. We are looking to expand
this programme in 2020 with a strong social media
presence and donor relations.
GEN continues to be enormously grateful for
the support of Gaia Trust in Denmark. While
the percentage of total funding from Gaia Trust
decreased from 48% to 38% in 2019, they remain
a critical part of GEN’s income streams and have
allowed us to thrive in ways that we could not have
done otherwise. 30% of this funding passes through
GEN to support the work of GEN Regions and
NextGEN.
Funded Projects
GEN has continued to generate increasing revenue in Funded
Project since 2015. We are grateful to our donors’ support that
allows us to amplify the impact of our work to fulfill our targets.
Developing strong relationships with partners also encourages
synergies and alignments that add weight to our collective vision
of greater sustainability. We have had the privilege of working
with the Scottish Government, the German Foreign Ministry, the
British Council and the European Commission, amongst others.
Funded Projects account for 50% of total revenue in 2019 in
contrast to 22% in 2015.
Social Entrepreneurship
Results for first Online Summit exceeded expectations. It is clear
that there is a strong market for it and GEN will continue to host
an Online Summit on an annual basis.
The Education & Consultancy focus area underwent a
restructuring and re-orientation since 2018, GEN has now
shifted our approach to maximize our impact, reduce our cost
per participant and allow greater Regional collaboration. The
result will be the unrolling of our Online Academy in 2020.
Our Online Market inventory consists of material that GEN uses
in our Education programmes. Its results are therefore linked
to the Education & Consultancy revenue. Early 2020 results
indicate the shift to online education will have a positive impact
on this area.
In total, Earned Revenue has increased from 1.41% of total
revenue in 2015 to account for 9% of total revenue in 2019.
INCOME

GEN’s spending is aligned with our Targets, and it is then
allocated into working groups or Focus Areas.
Advocacy and Networking
Spending in this area remained consistent with prior years
and ensures strong regional cooperation and synergies.
In 2019, Advocacy and Networking mainly contributed
to these strategic goals: (1) cultivate relationships of
cooperation and mutual support throughout GEN, (2)
showcase the impact of ecovillage projects worldwide, (5)
speed up global regeneration through strategic alliances &
advocacy, and (6) scale up ecovillage approaches to help
achieve the SDGs and Paris Climate Agreement.
Communications and Technology
The slight increase in spending on Communications and
Technology was due to the development of the online
education platform for GEN as well as facilitating and
increasing our outreach on social media, especially in
support of the Online Summit. This focus area mostly
supported the following strategic goals for 2019: (2) to
showcase the impact of ecovillage projects worldwide, and
(3) to inspire individual and community participation in
ecovillage lifestyles.
Education and Consultancy
The spending increased significantly in 2019 due to the
GEN’s investment in an online curriculum that will be
rolled out in 2020. This shift will prove to be critical in the
COVID-19 world. The work of Education and Consultancy
focus area allowed GEN to achieve these strategic goals
for 2019: (1) to cultivate relationships of cooperation
and mutual support throughout GEN, (4) to provide
consultancy and education for regeneration, (6) to scale up
ecovillage approaches to help achieve the SDGs and Paris
Climate Agreement.
EXPENDITURE
Fundraising
As our funding plan focused on developing a
strong presence with governmental donors,
GEN’s fundraising model has been increasingly
decentralized to the other Focus Areas to ensure
funded projects are well aligned to our targets. In
2020, we expect to diversify our funding reach to
include smaller, grassroots donors. This will require
us to increase our fundraising efforts. All Focus
Areas and Fundraising contributed to achieve our
strategic goal for 2019 (7) to develop economic
abundance for a thriving ecovillage network.
Programme and Administration staff
This focus area combines staff that work on both
projects and general administration, serving as
support of all activities of the organization. The
details of this breakdown of is reported in our
Trustee report filed with OSCR.
Funded Project spending
The significant decrease in 2019 spending was
due to timing differences. Several projects were
only funded at the end of 2019 and GEN delayed
spending until 2020.

THE GEN TEAM
GEN’s General Assembly and Board of Trustees are
made up of representatives appointed by each of the
5 GEN Regions.
Together, the GEN Board and GA oversee GEN’s
strategic direction and finances - and their
conversations, at the heart of the GEN network and
organisation, are characterised by their global and
intercultural nature.
GEN’s dedicated Staff team works hand in hand with
regional staff to implement GEN’s objectives and
targets. The GEN Elders and GEN Advisory Board
share their wisdom and advice at crucial points.
GENOA
Andrew Olivier
Australia
GENNA
Keala Young
US
GENOA
Hiroko Katayama
Japan
NextGEN
Laura Kästele
Germany
GENNA
Cynthia Tina
GEN Vice President, US
GEN Europe
Camilla Nielsen
Denmark
GEN Europe
Robert Hall
Sweden
CASA Latina
Renata Freitas
Brazil
CASA Latina
Marcela Lozano
Colombia
GEN Africa
RachelChininga-Francis
South Africa
GEN Africa
Niveen Adel
Egypt
GEN
Jennifer Trujillo Obando
President, Colombia.
GEN
Laurie Michaels
U.K. Representative
The Board is composed of 2 CharityTrustees representing each
of the Regional Networks of GEN and NextGEN, plus a President
and a representative from the UK.
GEN BOARD

Representing the founders of the GEN movement
Albert Bates, Declan Kennedy,
Helena Norberg-Hodge, Joss Brooks, Linda Joseph,
Lucilla Borio, Marian Zeitlin, Marti Mueller, Rob
Wheeler, Robert Gilman, Daniel Greenberg, John Talbott,
Liora Adler, John Croft, Alberto Coyote, Max Lindegger,
Roger Doudna, Ousmane Aly Pame, Jane Rasbash,
Alfonso Flaquer, Giovanni Ciarlo
Council of Elders
Ross Jackson, Sabine Lichtenfels, Visolela Namises,
Macaco Tamerice, Robin Alfred
Advisory Board
Linda Joseph
Nebesna Fortin
David Casey
Thumbs Cassidy
Adam McKenty
Brandy Gallagher
Keala Young
Cynthia Tina
Acmed De Los Santos
Alberto Ruz
Beatriz Arjona
Leticia Rigatti
Margarita O. Zethelius
Odin Ruz
Pamela Martinez
Jennifer Trujillo Obando
Renata Freitas
Marcela Lozano
Mugove Walter Nyika
Linda Kabaira
Ousmane Aly Pame
Sonita Mbah
Paul Yeboah
Aaron Ranayeke
Samuel Kaboka
Rachel Chininga-Francis
Niveen Adel
Udesh Fernando
Thalea Tane
Hai Chao
Sharmila Seyyid
Dhanushka Jayanetti
Zareen Myles
Seyoung Park
Andrew Olivier
Hiroko Katayama
Alfonso Flaquer
Macaco Tamerice
Charlie Lenglez
Brigitta Spalti
Francesca Whitlock
Camilla Nielsen
Robert Hall
Genny Garraro
Sonita Mbah
Seyoung Park
Audree Morin
Laura Kästele
It’s time to realize that the
environmental crisis and the inner
crisis are two sides of the same
coin. We, humanity, are a central
cause of these disasters. In the
same way, we could also be the
source for their healing.
-Sabine Lichtenfels
General Assembly

CURRENT GEN TEAM
Kosha Joubert
Executive Director
Kathleen O’Day
Finance Director
Anna Kovasna
Education &
Consultancy Director
Trudy Juriansz
Networking &
Outreach Director
Gabriel Siqueira
Communications &
IT Director
Esther Hirsch
Office Manager
Benjamin Bernabela
Executive Assistant
Paulo Bessa
Admin Manager
Taisa Mattos
Education &
Consultancy Coordinator
Tessa Brock
Ambassador
Coordinator & LEADER
Project Coordinator
Camila Olarte
Design Coordinator
Abbie Caldas
Communications &
Education Assistant
Ania Konarska
Fundraiser & LEADER
Project Manager
Charles Katere
Projects Accountant
Mark Anderson
Senior Web
Developer
Caroline Armstrong
Bookkeeper
Jingwen Yao
Web Designer
Rodrigo Braga
Web Developer
Petre Dobrescu
Web Developer
Jake Jay-Lewin
IT Support
Kenza Isnasni
Advocacy Coordinator
Rob Wheeler
UN Liaison
Katrin Hasselwander, Carolin Waldmann, Lucia Roque
European Solidarity Corps Interns
Lee Bec and Bernardo Borges
GEN Communications volunteers
Previous
GEN Team
members
Rarin Ole Sein - IT Director
Carly Gayle - Consultancy & Creative Assistant
Angelika Kobl, Tim Boneder, Gustavo Briz
European Solidarity Corps Interns

Since its inception in 1995, GEN has grown from a
network linking 9 ecovillages across the globe to a woven
tapestry linking beyond 6000 communities on
all continents.
GEN has grown from a hidden phenomenon to a
movement able to speak to the dreams and hopes of
the next generation. It’s time to celebrate.
In October 2020, GEN will commemorate its birthday
through a series of online events and conferences,
leading through all the Regions into highlights of
Showcase Ecovillages and Ecovillage Solutions. We
will be sharing the first results of GEN’s Ecovillage Impact
Assessment of 100 ecovillages worldwide, proving their
practical and local contribution to the UN Sustainable
Development Goals and Climate Agreement.
Join us for GEN+25 - Ecovillages as Sanctuaries of Life
and celebrate a future worth living.
“Humanity is meant to join fully
the tribe of all life on earth,
offering our uniquely human
gifts towards the wellbeing and
development of the whole.”
- Charles Eisenstein
GLOBAL ECOVILLAGE NETWORK
25th Anniversary
Celebration 2020
1995 2012 2016 2020
2005 2013 2019
GEN’s Inception
GEN Europe,
ENA and GENOA
launched
CASA launched
GEN Africa
launched
GEN Education
& Consultancy
launched 25 years of GEN
NextGEN created
Gaia Education
launched
GEN registered as a
Scottish charity
7 Agreements
with governments
signed
G L O B A L
E C O V I L L A G E
N E T W O R K

GENREGIONSGENAFRICA
GEN Africa prioritises organisational
development and implementation
of the Pan-African Ecovillage
Development Programme (PAEDP) in
all member countries. With over 23
member countries, our unique role
is facilitating ecovillages as living
models across the continent.
We envision the re-emergence of
a sustainable and abundant Africa
growing out of an alliance of self-
empowered and resilient communities.
GEN AFRICA
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/REGION/GEN-AFRICA
Senegal, Ghana, Rwanda, DR Congo, South Africa
Mauritania, NextGEN Africa, Sahel (REDES)
Togo, Tanzania, Zambia
NATIONAL NETWORKS
EMERGING NETWORKS
CONTACT INFO:
info.genafrica@ecovillage.org
Instagram: @genafrica
Facebook: @genafricanetwork/
NextGEN
Africa
Photo credit to: Anantha Kanagalingam, Issa Diallo, G-BIACK,
Permaculture Ghana, WSN,

As a solution based alliance, GEN Africa makes visible
examples of best practices, empower existing ecovillages,
support emergence of new ecovillages and develop
educational tools to inspire societal transition to resilience.
“Meeting you has given my visions a more concrete and realis-
tic frame. It feels good to know that what we are doing makes
sense in a bigger picture.
I am confident to see GEN Africa grow, and the local initiatives
that we are in touch with can grow
through the multiplying force of the network.”
- Martina De Rosi, attendee GEN Africa workshop in Italy.
2019 HIGHLIGHT
EDUCATION AND CAPACITY-BUILDING
Building Alliances - Twining with Schloss Glarisegg in
Switzerland, where we built the capacity of African youths,
exploring sustainable paths to healing and reconciliation.
GEN and the ReScope Programme partnered on a Social
Enterprise for Climate Resilient Communities project. A 4
days workshop in Zambia empowered local communities to
attract economic growth and build rocket cooking stoves.
In a webinar with 21 people from 3 continents, we further
explored the connection between Ecovillages, Permaculture
and Social Enterprises in Africa - learning about market
prospects and amplifying trade across African ecovillages.
PROJECTS
Pan-African Ecovillage Development Programme.
Launched Award for “Outstanding Ecovillage Projects” in the
continent. The first 3 selected projects will be awarded a grant
in May 2020, celebrating impact, sustainability and diversity in
grassroots innovation across Africa.
We represented GEN at COP25 and the UN climate
conference. We sparked conversations with stakeholders from
civil society and governments on community-led approaches in
Africa and their link to policy-led adaptation.
Six African governments signed MoUs and visits were made to
The Gambia, Morocco and Sierra Leone.
We hope to see such institutional partnerships become
more prominent as governments acknowledge our workable
innovations as a vital contribution in achieving the global
climate agenda.

GENREGIONSCASALATINA
CASA LATINA
We are a multicultural and
inclusive community, living in
fullness, peace and harmony
with Mother Earth and with all
the beings that we inhabit in this
common house.
We promote the creation
and articulation of initiatives,
projects, networks and
sustainable settlements to
live and promote regenerative
lifestyles and resilient societies
Existing CASA
national networks:
CASA Latina implemented 30+ partnerships,
including: Art of Hosting Network, Transition
Network, Permaculture Latin
Network, Gaia U Latina, Ecopoblaciones,
Viracocha Foundation, OmniUnity Foundation,
Aldea Domo Ecovillage and El Jardin Ecoschool.
PARTNERSHIPS
NETWORKS
ECOVILLAGE.ORG REDCASALATINA.ORG
Photo credit to: Huehuecoyotl, MariaLuiza, 3er Foro DMT, André
Camilo Martinez, Daniela Herrera, Proyecto Gaia, Andrés Liévano

INTERNAL PROCESSESPROJECTS
2019 PURPOSES
Our political position has been taking place through
academic, cultural and political alliances for the incorporation
of the Rights of Mother Earth, such as: the signing of
the International Alliance by the DMT (Mexico); the III
International Forum for the DMT (Colombia); the delivery of
the Manifesto for the “Rights of Mother Earth” to the Senate
and Congress (Chile); the declaration of the city of Cuenca
as “Guardian of the Waters” (Ecuador); the recognition of the
law “Rights of Nature”, in the city of Florianópolis (Brazil).
At a global level, we are preparing a statement with GEN to
recognize ecovillages as “Sanctuaries of Life and Peace with
the Rights of Mother Earth.
We support and develop inspiring initiatives, events and
projects in the ecological, social, cultural and spiritual fields
We provide information, tools and training to accelerate the
transition to regenerative lifestyles.
We facilitate and participate in cultural and social processes
of political incidence and action to recognize and defend the
Rights of Mother Earth.
CASA Latina has managed to strengthen its processes,
thanks to this circle that takes care of internal relationships,
agreements and community work tools. The implementation of
Sociocracy, Nonviolent Communication, spaces for celebration
and recognition take place thanks to this circle.
ECCO 2019
The third biannual meeting of the Latin American network
was held at the Inti Kamary Yunguilla center, Azuay, Ecuador.
We understood that the structure of CASA Latina 2017-2019
had already fulfilled its purpose, and that it was necessary to
organize ourselves around the actions and projects that unify
the doing of national CASAs. We responded to this need with
the creation of “La Chakana”.
GATHERINGS
We maintain a strong relationship with
Education as the integrating axis of our
purpose, which is why we have designed online
programs and webinars as part of internal
training as well as for network participants and
for the community in general.

GEN
ISRAEL
GENREGIONSGENEUROPE
As the European ecovillage
association, we promote social
resilience, environmental
protection, and restoration of
nature through the concept
of ecovillages as models for
sustainable human settlements.
We actively support the
development of ecovillages and
networks in Europe.
GEN EUROPE
Ran 1st youth Training of Trainers on
“participatory & holistic learning” to develop
facilitation skills for ecovillage education.
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/REGION/GEN-EUROPE
facebook.com/geneurope
instagram.com/gen_europe
twitter.com/geneurope
Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Italy, Israel,
Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom + Ireland
Baltic Ecovillage Network, Iberian Peninsula, WISE
NATIONAL NETWORKS
NEW PARTNERSHIPS &
NATIONAL NETWORKS
REGIONAL NETWORKS
Contact Info:
www.gen-europe.org
secretariat@gen-europe.org
GEN WISE (Wales, Ireland, Scotland, England)
joined us - a warm welcome to this dedicated group
spreading the word about ecovillage in the region!
Photo credit to: Francesca Whitlock, Amin Robinson Bustamante,
Dancing Rabbit, Amin Robinson, Dancing Rabbit, Songaia, Güneşköy

We envision a conscious, resilient and
sustainable Europe where ecovillage
and community values and lifestyles
are widely adopted.
GATHERINGS
CLIMATE ACTION ADVOCACY
We celebrated the 24th European Ecovillage Gathering in the
Comune di Bagnaia, Tuscany, welcoming over 600 participants
from 44 countries - a new record! It was an exuberant and joyful
showcase of ecovillage living, rich with Italian flair and hospitality.
“[The GEN Europe gathering] was like a master-course of
practical wisdom.”
“Four outstanding days of learning and sharing.”
- 2019 Participants
To celebrate the European Day of Sustainable Communities,
we hosted our first webinar on rural revitalisation with the
ecovillage model - a great success that has inspired to create a
new series in 2020.
We continued to participate in a range of EU funded projects,
including ESC, the BLOOM Bioeconomy project, EcoGAMER,
and thanks to a NextGEN initiative, we were able to support
Community Biogas Moldova, a Swedish-funded peer to peer
energy project.
EDEs were held across Europe, including the first in Ukraine
thanks to support from the Danish network. The first ecovillage
gathering in Ukraine was also held.
The second round of the CLIPS ecovillage incubator project
strengthened the role of national networks in Europe,
supporting joint development and involvement in GEN Europe.
GEN Europe in coordination with GEN and ECOLISE had a
presence at COP 24 in Katowice and COP 25 in Madrid.

GENREGIONSGENNA(NORTHAMERICA)
GENNA Alliance, a multi-
organisation “collaborative
platform,” focuses on advancing
regenerative community within
Turtle Island - synergizing beyond
our existing organisations and
networks to include the broader
regenerative movement.
We envision a world of
interdependent, cooperative,
resilient communities stewarding
the conditions of regeneration,
justice, peace, and abundance, to
actualize the flourishing of all life
and generations to come.
GENNA
NORTH AMERICA
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/REGION/GENNA
CONTACT INFO: genna@ecovillage.org
NEW PARTNERSHIPS &
NATIONAL NETWORKS
ECOVILLAGES
CANADA
Completed review and updating of GENNA
Alliance structure, Agreements and associated
documents for implementation, including
- Member Steps, a handbook and Levels of
Participation for onboarding activities in 2020.
Developed the Onboarding process utilizing
these and other related materials, to be
implemented and refined in 2020.
Ecovillages Canada network reorganisation and
educational offerings development.
Photo credit to: LaCite, Jamaica-Stevens, Arco, Our Ecovillage, Keala
Young, Yarrow Ecovillage

2019 HIGHLIGHTS
PROJECTS
GENNA Spring CoLab - a gathering for current alliance
members with virtual attendees; and collaborative side events;
Ecovillages Canada core group convening for national network
development.
Planning underway for 2020 NA Leadership collaborative event
with partner - Permaculture Institute of North America (PINA).
In North America, there are thousands of community projects,
numerous organizations, and dozens of regional networks all focused
on creating a more regenerative future. GENNA is bringing them
together in a “Participatory Commons” Alliance within the larger
regenerative communities movement.
Successful launch of the first annual Day of Sustainable
Communities event in North America.
Activated networking with the existing Showcase Ecovillages
in North America, and those with potential to join in.
Social justice-oriented activities in the offering of an Anti-
Oppression Training webinar, and support for the Community
Land Trust initiative, seeking to make community creation
possible by and for those of lesser means.
“I see GENNA as pioneering the future of
North America, and acting as a cohesive
web in which a multitude of projects and
endeavors can grow together, forming
resilient networks and hubs of information
and accessibility to the world of sustainable
living and the regenerative culture at large.”
- Hudson Benson, 2018 intern
GENNA Alliance Online Learning Series webinars.
1st North American Day of Sustainable Communities.
Data Sharing research and development - designing and
implementing a shared data source for community networks
and communication platforms.
Outreach to existing GEN Showcase EV’s in North America (9),
and to others identified in our Region who meet the eligibility
criteria to potentially become new Showcase EV’s (14)
Anti-Oppression training offered as a Regenerative
Communities Alliance webinar.
Community Land Trust for Collective Liberation project.
Reorganization and education projects of the Ecovillages
Canada network.
GATHERINGS

GENREGIONSGENOA(OCEANIAANDASIA)
GENOA, the Global Ecovillage
Network of Oceania & Asia, is a
network of people, ecovillages,
organisations, networks, and local
government bodies in Oceania and
Asia. GENOA promotes ecovillage
lifestyles and spaces where
people live and work together in a
sustainable way, with dignity and
integrity, in harmony with each
other and with nature.
GENOA
OCEANIA AND ASIA
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/REGION/GENOA
GENOA CONTACT INFO:
Email: genoa@ecovillage.org Facebook: @GENOA1
Initiation of the Aotearoa/New Zealand
Ecovillage Network
Fiji Ecovillage Network with local partnerships
and pilot communities identified.
Local partnerships in Sri Lanka for Women
Ecovillage Transition Project designed for
implementation in 2020.
EcovillageTransitionStrategiesthroughGENOA
EmerGENcies
EMERGING NETWORKS
Australia, Japan, NextGEN Korea
REGISTERED NETWORKS
NEW PARTNERSHIPS &
NATIONAL NETWORKS
Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Nepal, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu
Photo credit to: Oriana Bonilla, Sebastian Pibi, Charles Katere,
Selase, Cisca van Stuijvenberg, Clara Ruiz, Cynthia Tina,

EDUCATION
2019 HIGHLIGHTS
GENOA with GEN Australia, designed and is implementing the
Fiji Ecovillage Transition Project through networking, workshops
and transition strategies.
Members of the GENOA Council initiated networks in Aotearoa/
New Zealand and Sri Lanka; and continued working on building
the ecovillage networks in Australia, China and Japan.
GENOA’s core team focused on creating protocols to guide the
organisation and network; and designed the GENOAStrategy sessions
for early 2020, to guide the organisation for the next 5 years.
“One of the most useful training I have ever
attended. Coming from an island state such as
Fiji, I feel the ecovillage framework is a very useful
concept to implement in the communities.”
-Participant from Fiji workshop
Gaia Calling, a NextGENOA gathering at Gaia Ashram, Thailand,
18- 22 March 2019
NextGEN Korea Gathering 21 August to 11 September
GEN Australia Emergence Convergence, 28 November to 1
December 2019
GENOA aims to co-create a region of regenerative and restorative
culture through connecting, sharing, and supporting existing and
aspiring ecovillage communities and projects; and the organizations,
networks and local government bodies that support them.
Equity Scholarships were given to support GENOA
representatives to attend: the Awakening Leadership Training
(ALT), Thailand; GEN Training of Trainers (ToT), Narara Ecovillage,
Australia; UN Pacific Urban Forum in Fiji; and GEN Europe
conference, Italy.
6 Newsletters, GENOA Annual Report & Network Stories
published
GENOA Ecovillage Mapping Project
GENOA webinar, in partnership with GEN, on Adapting &
Responding to Climate Change: Perspectives from Asian and
Oceanic Traditional and Indigenous Communities.
PROJECTS

GENREGIONSNEXTGENYOUTHNETWORK
NextGEN is the youth branch of the Global
Ecovillage Network, connection young
people through ecovillages, regenerative
education, events, eco-projects, and
nature-based living. We are united by our
youthful spirits, love for the earth, passion for
community, and understanding that we need
viable, holistic solutions like ecovillages to
respond to the current global crisis.
We empower, educate, connect, and
inspire young adults to take action, foster
community, join ecovillages and build a
regenerative world. We focus our work on
the strategic areas of inspiration, learning,
action, connection, and empowerment.
NEXTGEN
ECOVILLAGE YOUTH NETWORK
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/OUR-WORK/NEXTGEN/ nextgen_contact@ecovillage.org
Photo credit to: André Camilo Martinez, Daniela Herrera, Jese Quintero, Leah
Vaillant, NextGENNA, CASA Jovenes, NextGENOA, NextGENNA, NextGEN
Europe, Mónica Jinete
Organized the gathering “Gaia Calling”
with 40 earth warriors participating at
Gaia Ashram ecovillage in Thailand to
share practices for taking care of Mother
Earth; followed by the NextGENOA
Conference with 15 members making
plans, collaborating and strengthening the
network.
Core NextGENOA members joined the
European Ecovillage Conference, GENOA
Regional Gathering, and Awakening
Leadership Training.
Multiple regenerative youth events like
Deep Ecology and Ecovillage Introduction
workshops in China, Ecovillage Design
Education course in Myanmar, and
NextGEN gatherings in South Korea.
NextGENOA

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NEXTGEN IN 2019
Hosted a youth strand at the GEN Europe Conference with 6
workshops and networking events.
Provided facilitation and ecovillage education training to 50
participants in two Bridgedale courses.
Yes to Sustainability project ran 6 youth exchange programs in
ecovillages (150 participants) and 5 trainings on creating youth
exchanges (120 participants).
Implemented a project on Biogas production technology in
Moldova with a ToT for rural community leaders, 4 trainings,
a communication campaign in 3 languages and a National
Conference in Chisinau.
NVC trainings, healing in community webinars, and ecovillage
presentations to over 285 people.
Strengthened NextGENNAwith a transformational whole team retreat.
BuiltteamcapacitybyparticipatinginNVCandracismawarenesstrainings.
Recruited 3 interns and 3 potential new members to strengthen the
team and help youth plug in the ecovillage movement.
Created 5 videos, 75 Facebook posts, and 4 newsletters to inspire
and grow our network.
Updatedwebsitewithnewestprojects,teammembersandpartnerships.
Next GEN Europe
NextGENNA
Two Avatar Camps in Proyecto Gaia ecovillage in Santa Sofía,
Colombia with 50+ young people in total helping them with
tools and knowledge for being and co-creating a new earth.
Strengthened alliances with Buena Semilla Permacultural and
Rights of Mother Earth.
Two ESPEJO youth gatherings as experiential learning spaces
for (social) permaculture, bioconstruction, community, culture
and visioning in Colombia.
Strong presence at the ECCO 2019 in Ecuador to bring the youth
voice to this gathering for sustainable communities and Buen Vivir.
CASA Jóvenes
Constitutedanexecutivecouncilwith6youthmembersfrom5African
countriesworkinginorganisationswithanecovillageset-up.
Supported 2 members to participate in an Ecovillage Design
Education course hosted by Sandele foundation in Gambia.
Developed first newsletter and set up platforms to engage
members through a NextGEN Africa WhatsApp group and
Facebook page.
Set up a NextGENAfrica awards scheme to financially support
member projects on the ground, which will start running in 2020.
NextGEN Africa

GENPROGRAMMESECOVILLAGEIMPACT
ecovillage.org/resources/impact-assessment
education@ecovillage.org
Ecovillages provide numerous and diverse
intangible benefits, such as building social
capital, providing a sense of purpose
and belonging, improving well-being,
and empowerment. These benefits are
less easy to record and measure, but are
often identified by ecovillage residents
themselves as the most important.
Learning from the positive impact
ecovillages have, GEN is committed to
catalysing the power of communities
for regenerative future. GEN celebrates
existing ecovillages as demonstrations
sites of replicable and transferable
social innovations.
GEN also helps to spread community-
led approaches through our ecovillage
programmes, which create wealth and
employment opportunities, halt and
reverse environmental degradation,
sequester carbon and provide
communities with the knowledge, skills
and tools to guarantee a healthy future.
Learn more:
BEYOND THE SDGS
WORK WITH US
Photo credit to: Dancing Rabbit, MariaLuiza, Gaia Ashram
Ecovillages pioneer innovative solutions that
enable communities, regions and states to
achieve their UN Sustainable Development
Goals and Climate Agreements.
Research on ecovillage impact agrees.TheTESS
research project concluded that if only five
percent of the EU were to engage in effective
community-led climate change adaptation
initiatives, carbon savings would be sufficient
for 85% of its countries to achieve their 2020
emission reduction targets.
TESS also showed that 63% of the surveyed
community-based initiatives have been
replicated elsewhere. The potential to scale
community-led regeneration is high!
ECOVILLAGE
IMPACT

In 2017, GEN investigated the impact of 30 diverse ecovillages. In
2020 we will examine 100 more - to find out how ecovillages are
contributing to reaching the SDGs and Paris Climate Agreements.
Some of the findings from 2017:
MEASURING THE IMPACT
OF ECOVILLAGES
GOAL 11:
SUSTAINABLE CITIES
AND COMMUNITIES
100% actively safeguard
regenerative cultural
traditions using local
sustainable ways of
building, farming and
preparing food.
GOAL 12:
RESPONSIBLE
CONSUMPTION AND
PRODUCTION
90% recycle, reuse and
repair more than 50% of
consumer goods. 85%
compost all their food waste.
GOAL 4 : QUALITY
EDUCATION
100% provide education and
lifelong learning opportunities
in the fields of sustainable
development,regenerativelifestyles
andclimatechangeadaptation.
GOAL 5 : GENDER
EQUALITY
90% have more than 40%
women in decision-making bodies.
GOAL 6: CLEAN WATER
AND SANITATION
97% actively work to restore
or replenish water sources
and cycles.
GOAL 13: CLIMATE ACTION
90% work actively to sequester
carbon in soil and biomass
GOAL 15: LIFE ON LAND
97% of showcase ecovillages work
actively to restore damaged or
degraded ecosystems.
GOAL 16: PEACE,
JUSTICE AND STRONG
INSTITUTIONS
100% provide education in
decision-making and mutual
empowerment skills; 96% provide
training in nonviolent conflict
resolution, and 80% have an
agreed-upon method
for resolving conflicts.
GOAL 17:
PARTNERSHIPS FOR
THE GOALS
95% regularly engage
in campaigns to protect
human rights, the rights of
communities and the rights
of nature.
In their efforts to restore
ecosystems, water cycles
and the atmosphere,
ecovillages use and often
teach many of the top
100 carbon drawdown
solutions, as identified by
Project Drawdown in ‘the
most comprehensive plan
ever proposed to reverse
global warming’.

GENPROGRAMMESECOVILLAGEINCUBATION
Starting an ecovillage and learning to live
and work in community is an adventure -
a mix of discovery, challenge, exhilaration,
and immense rewards. It takes grit, love
and determination to make it. It also takes
skills and support - offered through the
Ecovillage Incubation Programme in all
GEN Regions, adapted to the needs and
situation of each initiative.
This solution-oriented programme offered
by GEN and several Regional and National
GEN Networks is based on learnings, tools
and insights from established ecovillages,
distilled into resources, models and
methodologies useful for any group that
recognises the value of community.
ECOVILLAGE
INCUBATION
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/consultancy/
EUROPE
The Community Learning Incubator
Project for Sustainability (CLIPS), led by
GEN and GEN Europe over two years,
developed a series of methodologies and
tools for residential communities and other
sustainable cooperative initiatives.
The CLIPS package includes dozens
of structures and exercises spanning
individual growth, community building,
shared intention, and cooperation
structures. During its development, it was
tested and evaluated by communities in
nine European countries.
GEN’s Ecovillage Incubation programme
builds on this strong foundation and the
wisdom of communities throughout our
global network.
Are you thinking about starting a new
ecovillage project? In the process
of creating a community and need
guidance? Need to revitalise a stalled
project? Contact us to learn more about
opportunities for collaboration.
INCUBATION IN ACTION:
WORK WITH US
Photo credit to: Marcel Carneiro, Twin Oaks, Proyecto Gaia,
Permaculture Ghana, Dancing Rabbit, Madagascar Ecovillage

THE PROCESS
To guide new ecovillage initiatives, to revitalise stalled ones, and
to bring the wisdom of conscious communities to the world in
new ways, this programme offers:
• Expert support for new community groups clarify and align
with their vision, deepen collaboration, and set in place legal
and financial structures to help them achieve their aims
• A mentorship programme pairing new initiatives with
experienced ecovillage facilitators
• Education in ecovillage solutions and participatory design for
social, cultural, ecological, and economic regeneration
• Support in creating clear ecovillage implementation plans,
with step by step actions anchored in collective process
• Help with conflict resolution and using group tension to bring
a project forward
• Webinars and online discussion groups
• An open welcome into a supportive network of like-minded
communities around the world
GEN and the GEN Regions offer books, articles, manuals,
workshops, online courses and personalised consultancy services,
all of which will guide you through navigating these essential steps:
Study!Visit communities, learn from the successes and failures of projects
all over the world, become familiar with time-tested ecovillage frameworks
Understand what it takes to persevere in building a new culture
Form a core group of members
Knowwhat you want and define keycharacteristics ofyour community
Get in place a clear membership process
Agree on governance and decision-making structures
Learn to communicate really well
Learn to handle and resolve conflict
Find land or property and understand the legalities of building
Build alliances with neighbors, local government, and like-minded
organizations
Develop a plan to finance your ecovillage
Work out ownership structures and legal forms
Evaluate and celebrate!
Learn to analyse, design and approach ecovillage development
through a holistic framework of principles and solutions for
social, cultural, ecological and economic regeneration.
Apply tools and methodologies for living and working in community
used in existing ecovillages, and learn about the five areas of
attention and development vital to the well-being of any community
initiative and its members.
ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR:
SUPPORT IN CREATING NEW COMMUNITIES

Catalysing community-led change
Eradicating poverty
Restoring natural environments
Achieving climate resilience
Implementing the UN Sustainable
Development Goals
The EDPworks with governments
to transform traditional villages into
regenerative resilient communities.The
process guides communities to identify
opportunities for positive change in
their social, cultural, ecological, and
economic practices, and to develop a
custom palette of solutions, drawing
from GEN’s worldwide network and from
local and regional experts. GEN and its
local partners then facilitate a process to
manifest the demand-driven changes.
ECOVILLAGE
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME
GENPROGRAMMESECOVILLAGEDEVELOPMENT
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/our-work/
ecovillage-development/
consultancy@ecovillage.org
TANZANIA
From 2011 to 2014, Chololo, a village of
5,500 people in the semi-arid drylands
of central Tanzania, created a system for
testing best practices for climate adaptation
and food security. With guidance from
Tanzania’s Institute of Rural Development
Planning, farmers organized into groups to
pilot more than 20 ecological methods in
agriculture, forestry, livestock management,
and water conservation, and share
successful strategies with other groups.
The village saw significant improvements
in crop yields, nutrition, and food security
after just two years, and the programme
expanded to three more villages in 2015.
Do you work for a national or regional
government? Or an NGO with connections
at the national government level who
would be interested in partnering with
GEN to bring whole-systems development
strategies to communities in your
country? Contact us to learn more about
THE EDP IN ACTION:
WORK WITH US
Photo credit to: MariaLuiza, G-BIACK, Twin Oaks, Dancing Rabbit,
Permaculture Ghana, Fernando Garcia Vicario, Marcel Carneiro

THE PROCESS
STEP 1: INVITING AND PARTICIPATING
Baseline study determining national programme feasibility
EDP Introduction for onboarding government officials
EDP Training for empowering community leaders
STEP 2: PLANNING AND INTEGRATING
Through regenerative design trainings, each village develops a
custom solution palette reflecting integral design
STEP 3: TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTING
In demand-driven trainings, experts empower people to
implement solutions
STEP 4: EVALUATING AND CELEBRATING
An ecovillage open day or conference celebrates wins and inspires
the next round of communities
STEP 5: REFINING AND SCALING
Communities expand their ecovillage development plans
Process starts again with a new round of communities
INTEGRATED HOLISTIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Ecovillage Development/Transition Programme, refined over
the past 20 years by GEN and its regional affiliate GEN Africa, is
designed to radically reform current development practices, putting
communities, sustainability, and wealth creation at the heart of the
development process.
Solutions such as biogas, water catchment and storage,
permaculture, earthquake-resilient housing, sustainable livelihood
opportunities, and place-based education are implemented in a
consciously-designed, integrated, community-led approach, with
awareness of the positive synergistic effects of these elements.
The result is not only more resilient and sustainable communities,
but also active progress toward reaching the SDGs and Paris Climate
Agreement goals. 97% of showcase ecovillages work actively to restore
damaged or degraded ecosystems; 90% work actively to sequester
carbon in soil or biomass; 97% restore or replenish water in their
ecosystems; and 85% compost all their food waste.
MAKING THE CONNECTION
National government representatives from 22 countries
have expressed strong interest in implementing the
programme, and the process has begun in Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Burkina Faso, The Gambia and Zimbabwe.
GEN connects with representatives of national governments,
chiefly at the UN Conference of the Parties (COP), to socialize the
concept of ecovillages and the EDP as a strategy for climate change
adaptation and mitigation. From there, GEN works with in-country
partners to facilitate and organize the transformation process.

Improving nutrition and food security
Promoting regenerative agriculture
Restoring natural environments
Fostering environmental stewardship
Transformingcommunitiesthroughschools
The Greening Schools for Sustainable
Communities Programme establishes
green schools as hubs of agricultural
resilience, abundance and inspiration
for whole community transformation.
Schools - home to the next generation
of leaders - become demonstration
sites for climate change adaptation and
implementation of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals, starting with
nutrition and food security.
GREENING
SCHOOLS
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/projects/ecovillage-
programmes/greening-schools/
ZAMBIA
Since 2015, four schools in Zambia have
engaged with the programme, planting
hundreds of fruit trees and transforming
their grounds into a living laboratory for
foundational life and agricultural skills as
well as creative teaching of standard school
subjects.
Inspired by the project, the community decided
to focus on improving seed security and crop
diversification as a way of increasing resilience in
the face of climate change, hunger, malnutrition
and poverty.They brought back lost traditional
crops and adopted intercropping and other
agroecological practices.The crops have
performedverywell in the face of the long dry
spells in recent years, and the programme has
been applauded bythe MinistryofEducation.
Do you work for a government education
agency? Or an NGO in the education and/or
agricultural sector who would be interested
in partnering with GEN to bring the Greening
Schools Programme to the communities you
work with? Contact us to learn more about
GREENING SCHOOLS IN ACTION:
WORK WITH US
Photo credit to: Issa Diallo, Amin Robinson, Huehuecoyotl, Narara
Aus, Twin Oaks, Permaculture Ghana, Kibutz Lotan, Jamaica Stevens
GENPROGRAMMESGREENINGSCHOOLS

THE PROCESS
Integrated Land Use Design (ILUD) is a participatory design
process in which children, community members and teachers work
together to redesign their land for environmental regeneration and
increased health and well-being of all.
STEP 1: GROUNDING
ConnectIng with nature, culture, and indigenous knowledge
STEP 2: SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
Identifying locally available resources
STEP 3: VISIONING
Developing shared long-term goals
STEP 4: INTEGRAL DESIGN
Using regenerative design principles to design a multi-functional
landscape that meets their needs
STEP 5: IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
Working together to manifest the design and track progress
HEALTHY, VIBRANT SCHOOLS AND FOOD SYSTEMS
Many students lack access to healthy food, which in turn affects
their learning in school. The Greening Schools approach starts with
addressing the most urgent needs of nutrition and food security, by
turning school lands into green edible landscapes - a source of food
and well-being for students, teachers and parents.
Green Schools show the power of addressing environmental
degradation and malnutrition together. Schools then go on to
adopt green technologies for renewable energy solutions, rainwater
harvesting, waste reduction, and more, expanding into the social,
cultural and economic aspects of ecovillage development.
Schools become hubs of inspiration, spreading environmental
stewardship and innovative ideas into the broader community.
The Greening Schools Programme teaches life skills for ecological stability,
social equity, cultural heritage preservation and economic viability,
thus leading youth to become more prepared to respond to risks and
uncertainties in a changing climate. Our long-term aim is to have such
innovative, participatory approaches included in national school curricula.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
The Greening Schools approach connects children and
youth to the natural world through learner-led inquiry,
hands-on active exploration and fun in a safe environment.
Engaging with the earth, the source of their food, and
understanding the flows of air, water and energy, allows each child
to become a sustainable resource manager - and to become a real
agent of change and transformation.

Transforming refugee camps into
ecovillages
Rebuilding sustainable communities
after disaster
Bringing regenerative solutions to
moments of crisis and suffering
The EmerGENcies Programme brings
solutions to communities who are
recovering from disaster, displacement,
and migration. GEN uses an integrated,
community-led approach to transition
communities to resilience and restore
their environments, through the
phases of relief, rehabilitation, and
regenerative development.
EMERGENCIES
PROGRAMME
GENPROGRAMMESEMERGENCIESPROGRAMME
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/our-work/emergencies/
COLOMBIA - PREVENTION
The Program Alliance of Sustainable
Settlements for Peace (ALAS para la
Paz) is building peace in indigenous,
traditional and peasant communities
through conflict transformation.
PHILIPPINES - RELIEFAND RECOVERY
Green Releaf sets up community gardens to
address food security, waste management,
livelihood and emotional recovery for
survivors of typhoons and conflict.
IRAQ - REHABILITATION,
DEVELOPMENT
In Kurdistan, GEN is partnering with World
Vision and Permaculture4Refugees to
transform refugee camps into ecovillages.
Do you work for a national or regional
government, or NGO, working in
crisis response and recovery? Are
you interested in using a holistic
regenerative approach and creating
lasting societal transformation through
your work? Contact us to learn more
about opportunities for collaboration.
EMERGENCIES IN ACTION:
WORK WITH US

A GLOBAL TOOLBOX OF SOLUTIONS
GEN is developing a manual and database of case studies to
guide communities in post-crisis transformation. As learnings are
harvested and shared from each EmerGENcies intervention, our
global toolbox of solutions and team of consultants continues
to expand. The resulting learning platform contributes to the
innovation of humanitarian solutions for crisis situations.
DISASTER RELIEF, RECOVERY AND REGENERATION
In a crisis, priority needs include food security; water, sanitation
and hygiene (WASH); psycho-social support; energy access; natural
building; and regenerative livelihoods. Ecovillages have developed
an array of solutions in each of these areas, weaving them into
a cohesive integral design that is highly applicable for increasing
community resilience before, during, and after natural disasters,
conflict, or displacement.
THE PROCESS
1. IMMEDIATE RESPONSE SYSTEM
Each of the GEN regions has an EmerGENcies coordinator that
coordinates support and organises appropriate connections in a
time of crisis, providing for basic needs such as food security, water,
sanitation, shelter, and health using regenerative solutions.
2. RESILIENCE AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
EmerGENCies supports communities in developing their capacities
through Ecovillage Development processes.
3. RECOVERYAND REHABILITATION
Communities can choose to follow zero carbon approaches
and regenerative frameworks that transcend old models of
development.
STEP 1: INVITING AND PARTICIPATING
Assembling a team of GEN consultants and community members
STEP 2: PLANNING AND INTEGRATING
Supporting community leaders in identifying assets, needs and
leverage points for transformation
STEP 3: TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTING
Rebuilding the community through capacity-building trainings in
regenerative solutions for infrastructure, meeting basic needs, and
economic opportunities
STEP 4: EVALUATING AND CELEBRATING
Tracking outcomes and accomplishments
STEP 5: REFINING AND SCALING
Contributing to the global learning platform

With an increasing majority of the
world’s population living in cities, GEN is
building on the expertise of existing urban
ecovillages, exploring how to apply the
principles and solutions of regenerative
living to transform urban life
Faced with the divere challenges
that rapid urbanisation presents,
regenerative urban communities
seek to increase resilience, justice
and wellbeing through community-
led solutions. Ecovillages, co-
housing communities, transition
neighbourhoods, and other community-
led initiatives all embrace the “spirit of
community” with trust, collaborative
relationships, and interdependence.
REGENERATIVE
URBAN
COMMUNITIES
Community-led Resilience in the City
GENPROGRAMMESREGENERATIVEURBANCOMMUNITIES
TYPES OF REGENERATIVE URBAN COMMUNITIES
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/
info@ecovillage.org
CASE STUDIES
Photo credit to: Earthsong, L.A. ecovillage, As One, Terra,
AsOneNetworkisaninnovativeurbannetworkeco-
communityandasocialexperimentthatstartedinthe
centerofSuzukaCity,Japanin2001.Theirmainvision
istomanifest‘theworldasone’-inwhichthereareno
conflictsandnooneisleftbehind.
http://as-one.main.jp/suzuka/English
The Los Angeles Eco-Village has ~35 core
members who have moved to the neighbourhood
to intentionally live more ecologically and more
cooperatively with the aim to raise their quality of
life while lowering their environmental impact.
http://laecovillage.org

THE PROCESS
When we talk about creating community in urban areas, we are not
referring specifically to residential communities, but to creating ‘the
spirit of community, a community field of trust and mutual support,
collaborative and meaningful relationships in neighbourhoods,
community houses, projects, and organisations.
First of all, be clear about your dream / purpose.
Secondly, start mapping needs and resources. Brainstorm with the
community: who are we? How can we live or work together? How
can we regenerate our neighbourhood, project, or organisation?
How to create community depends on what
you want to create!
REGENERATIVE COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES
AND TOOLS IN AN URBAN SETTING
Throughout the world, there is a growing recognition of the power
of community to bring about better conditions for both people and
planet. Ecovillages show that it is possible to create connected, resilient
and meaningful lives together - providing tried and tested maps for
community-led responses to both social and ecological crises.
Adaptable and diverse, ecovillages apply core practices shared by all:
• Being rooted in local participatory processes;
• Integrating social, cultural, economic, and ecological solutions in a
whole systems approach to regeneration;
• Actively restoring and regenerating social and natural environments.
To support emerging or established urban ecovillages, transition
neighbourhoods, and groups or individuals wishing to bring ecovillage
principles into their urban community-led initiatives, GEN offers:
• An in-depth Regenerative Urban Communities Manual
• Expert support…. through consultancy
• Mentoring through our “twinning” programme, by pairing new
initiatives with experienced facilitators
• Education through workshops….
• Access to our supportive network of like-minded communities
around the world.

GENEDUCATION
Ecovillages have spent decades
researching collaborative and
linterlinked ways of social, ecological,
cultural and economic regeneration.
GEN Education turns that research
into online and face-to-face trainings
for individuals, organisations and
communities - through core GEN
Trainings and custom-made workshops
across the world.
“At a time when we urgently and globally need
new role-models for a radically different way to
live, I can’t think of any more timely approach
than the ‘living labs’ ecovillages actually are. GEN
and it’s educations seems to capture this better
than any other initiative I today know about.”
- Participant. Ecovillage Design Introduction
GEN EDUCATION
G L O B A L
E C O V I L L A G E
N E T W O R K
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/education
On-demand training tailor-made for
your organisation, group or community,
in collaboration between GEN
Education and Consultancy. We work
with you to map and understand your
interests and situation, and draw on our
international group of educators and
facilitators to put together a training
designed just for you.
“I have found so much of what I and
our community group need right
now! I can’t thank you enough for
the sense of caring and love and
beautiful facilitation in teaching us
all the amazingness from GEN”
- Rachel, participant, Regenerative
Community Design online
Whether you are a learner looking
for new skills and inspiration, an
organisation in search of new
approaches, or an ecovillage or
educator interested in running GEN
trainings, do not hesitate to get in touch!
CUSTOM-MADE GEN TRAININGS
Contextualising Ecovillage
Education To Your Needs
Photo credits: Taisa Mattos, Dancing Rabbit, Huehuecoyotl,
MariaLuiza, Amin Robinson, Twin Oaks,
ENGAGEWITHGEN

Core GEN Trainings Building Capacity For A Regenerative Future
GEN Training of Trainers
Launched in 2018, The GEN ToT offers skills in participatory
facilitation, transformative education and using the GEN
Map of Regeneration to inspire and empower community-led
action and individual lifestyle changes.
Ecovillage Training or Introduction
A short or week-long training in ecovillage design and
solutions, exploring and applying ecovillage principles in your
own life, organisation or community.
GEN’s Ecovillage Programmes
GEN Education is working to provide materials and online as well as
offline trainings for the programmes, five strategic areas for applying
ecovillage approaches in local and global transformation.
Ecovillage Incubation - creating new ecovillages
Ecovillage Transition - transforming existing communities
Urban Eco-Neighbourhoods - ecovillaging the city
Greening Schools - catalyzing community change through schools
EmerGENcies - applying ecovillage lessons in humanitarian relief
“The GEN ToT is an absolutely formidable tool
of change and empowerment.”
- Omar Hajji, Morocco
“[The ToT was] a delightful, powerful, immersive experience that
pushed us to build our capacity to build community. I left eager
to get home and stepup to a whole new level of engagement.”
- Raines Cohen, USA
The Global Ecovillage
Learning Journey
98% of showcase ecovillages provide education for
regenerative living and development. From compassionate
communication and self-governance to natural building,
social entrepreneurship, traditional crafts and participatory
design - ecovillages are full of teachers and facilitators
with skills deeply needed in the world today.
Certified Trainings in Ecovillages
Around the World
The Global Ecovillage Learning Journey provides a shared platform
and access point to the skills, wisdom and knowledge of ecovillages.
Through a new online platform and GEN certification system, it
links and promotes trainings in ecovillages around the world - and
provides pathways of learning and capacity building for those
interested in transformative ecovillage-based education.

GENCONSULTANCY
GEN Consultancy shares some of the
world’s best practices in the field of
community regeneration and resilience
through a highly skilled and diverse
group of experts.
We draw on our global network of
experienced consultants who have
been involved in a variety of climates
and contexts to bring proven solutions
to community development projects.
GEN provides individually-tailored
consultation services and action plans
for social, ecological, economic, and
cultural regeneration, to complement
and expand on the material in our
courses and online resources.
GEN CONSULTANCY
G L O B A L
E C O V I L L A G E
N E T W O R K
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/consultancy
GEN is a registered charity in
Scotland that connects thousands
of communities in five global
regions. Consultants are available
from all around the world, and are
experienced in applying and adapting
solutions to your climate, context and
circumstances.
GEN provides solutions to contribute
towards local implementation of the 17
Sustainable Development Goals and the
Paris Climate Agreements. GEN has UN
Consultative status and works at the
UN to advocate for ecovillages and the
contribution they make to development
and the future of the planet.
GEN Consultancy and Education work
hand in hand to provide a range of
innovative courses and resources to
support individuals, communities and
governments.
Network of Specialists
Sustainable Development Goals
Education & Resources
Photo credits: G-BIACK, Mark Naveh, Andrés Liévano,
MariaLuiza,
ENGAGEWITHGEN

Ecovillage Incubation
For individuals or groups looking to start new
ecovillages, GEN can provide the framework to get
started, and guidance for every step of the way.
Ecovillage Development/Transition
GEN provides support for existing communities
looking to transition to regenerative ecovillages
through conscious integral design.
GEN also works with governments at the national
level to create ecovillage development policy and
implementation plans for sustainable development.
Greening Schools
Through this programme, schools can become green
schools and hubs of inspiration for transforming the
whole community.
EmerGENcies
Organisations and communities working to rebuild
sustainable communities after disasters or with
refugees can gain GEN’s expertise in integrating the
four areas of regeneration.
Urban Ecovillages
GEN can work with urban communities to establish
a neighborhood ecovillage, creating inspiration for
surrounding communities.
Social Resiliency - Cooperation is a powerful
positive force. We can assist with governance
models, community building, conflict resolution, and
navigating group dynamics.
Ecological Restoration - We can advise on plans
for clean energy, sustainable agriculture, water
management, and natural building.
Economic Sustainability - Using the creativity
and ingenuity of your community, we can develop
economic systems and business models based on
collaboration and sustainability.
Cultural Regeneration - We can help to
recognise, honour or evolve cultural practices that
protect communities and promote diversity through
art, connection and meaning.
Integral Design - Navigating a complex and
interconnected world requires a holistic approach
to action. We can guide you through a process of
participatory design, identifying and developing
solutions that create benefits for the whole
community.
SUPPORTING YOUR PATHWAY TO
REGENERATION
RESILIENCY AND REGENERATION
FROM EVERY PERSPECTIVE
GEN Consultancy provides solutions tailored to our five ecovillage
Programmes, supporting you wherever you are to take your next steps:
GEN Consultancy supports you to take a holistic and participatory
approach to developing your community, building a stronger future:
We can work together virtually and/or organise
a visit to your country.

GENAMBASSADORS
GEN Ambassadors help spread
the hope, inspiration and concrete
solutions developed in ecovillages
around the world, and invite
others to become involved in
the Global Ecovillage Network.
As Ambassadors communicate
GEN’s work in local languages
and connect it with diverse
cultural contexts and grassroots
movements, they are are an
integral part of connecting GEN
with the ecovillage movement and
network all over the world.
GEN AMBASSADORS
G L O B A L
E C O V I L L A G E
N E T W O R K
ECOVILLAGE.ORG/ambassadors
Applicants typically join the programme
because they hear about the great work
that GEN and the GEN regions are doing
around the world, and want to be a part
of the positive movement for societal
transformation that GEN embodies.
GEN also reaches out to potential
Ambassadors through our numerous
events worldwide, most notably the
annual regional conferences.
If you are passionate about spreading
ecovillage solutions and excited about
the work that GEN does to promote and
connect ecovillages around the world,
we welcome you apply to join us!
If you aren’t yet familiar with GEN’s
work, you can get started by:
attending a GEN event, such as an
annual conference; participating in
an educational program, such as an
Ecovillage Design Education (EDE)
course; spending time learning
from current GEN representatives;
volunteering in one of our offices; or
visiting and engaging with communities
connected to the network.
Learn more:
Become an Ambassador
Photo credits: Permaculture Ghana, Twin Oaks, Garcia Vicario,
Mike Kaplin, Eugenie Dumont, Huehuecoyotl, Andrés Liévano,
Taisa Mattos
ENGAGEWITHGEN

GEN Ambassadors A Worldwide Network of Changemakers
The GEN Ambassadors programme was set up in 2013, with only
55 GEN Ambassadors officially signed up by the end of 2016.
By the end of 2019, 222 GEN Ambassadors were active in 53
countries worldwide!
GEN Ambassadors and the GEN Regions
Since 2018, there has been a renewed effort by the GEN Ambassador
Coordinator to strengthen communication between Ambassadors
and the GEN Regions, to better support networks at the country and
regional levels, and will continue to do so in the years to come. GEN
has one liaison in each of the regions who helps to coordinate GEN
Ambassador Programme tasks between GEN, the regional offices and
the GEN Ambassadors themselves.
At the European Ecovillages Conference 2018, in Estonia, GEN
Ambassadors held an official meet-up for the first time. Ambassadors
were able to meet each other, network, find out what’s new in GEN
and suggest ways to empower the programme further. This happened
once again at the conference in Italy in 2019, with a great turnout!
We hope to hold them regularly at future conferences.
Stories from Ambassadors in the Field
Saad Dagher, is from East Bani Zeid/Ramallah in Palestine. He is an
agronomist and agro-ecological farmer and specialist in the field of
nature restoration and water retention landscapes. He introduced agro-
ecology into Palestine and established the first eco-farm in 2002, the
Humanistic Farm, and is the initiator and cofounder of ‘The Palestinian
Agro-ecological Forum’ (PAF) and the “Palestine Center of Agro-
ecology”-PaCA. He uses farming as a tool to promote the ecovillage
concept throughout Palestine and the region.
RitaTrombin is from Italy but is currently taking part in the Energy,
Environment and Social Change Programme at the International Summer
School at the University of Oslo. She attended this year’s European
Ecovillages Conference in Italy and recently presented GEN to her
fellow students, made of 20 professionals from all continents and very
interdisciplinary backgrounds in order to share the ecovillage message.
AGENAmbassadorknows the Global Ecovillage Networkwell and
represents GEN locally, nationallyand/orinternationally, regardless of
whetherornot theylive in an ecovillage.Theykeep themselves informed
through GEN’s communication channels and build relationshipswithin and
beyond the network. GENAmbassadors participate in events, conferences,
and trainings and mayalso progress to become a GENTrainer.

Global Ecovillage Network Annual Report 2019

Global Ecovillage Network Annual Report 2019

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Global Ecovillage Network Annual Report 2019