GEN Europes’ Staff & Council Meeting in Arterra Bizimodu 2025
From the 21st to the 25th of April 2025, the GEN Europe team gathered at Arterra Bizimodu (Basque Country) for the annual Staff and Council Meeting. This five-day event brought together staff members, Council Members, and our new ESC volunteers to brainstorm, work, move forward, and dream into the near and far future of GEN Europe. Beyond strategic planning and decision-making, the meeting served as a deeply nourishing space to reconnect, align our vision, and celebrate our shared purpose.
The meeting was highly successful in tackling a wide range of operational matters. Highlights included the kick-off of the implementation phase of GEN Europe’s Adult Education Project—recently approved 🎉—as well as discussions on project priority areas, the finance report, staff time allocation, and various membership proposals. We also began preparing for the upcoming General Assembly, and started exploring new ways to strengthen collaboration with NextGEN Europe.
Beyond these operational elements, the GEN Europe’s staff and council delved into broader and more philosophical terrain: Through Working Group sessions we explored different “hot” topics. Each group returned to plenary with insights and proposals, which proved to be a very effective approach. Among the themes explored were:
- The role and ethics of Artificial Intelligence in GEN Europe
- The question of GEN Europe’s political nature and what that truly means
- The evolution of our Gathering model
- A review of Council terms
A particularly memorable moment came on Thursday evening, when Mauge Cañada guided us through an inspiring and eye-opening Constellation work on the theme of “Ecovillages in the world.” This session invited a deep exploration of our collective place in a global movement, leaving many of us with a sense of reflection and renewed motivation.
The week concluded in the annual anniversary celebration of Arterra Bizimodu over the weekend—a joyful close to an intense and fruitful week! The spirit of community, cooperation, and vision that defines GEN Europe was alive and thriving , which set a strond & inspiring tone for the year ahead.
Thank you for supporting GEN Europe! Staff and Council are working for you—and nothing we do would be possible without your ongoing involvement and engagement.
In community!
