Recap ECOLISE “Stories to Catalyse Collective Action” Network Gathering and General Assembly
ECOLISE Gathering and General Assembly that took place in Arterra Bizimodu ecovillage in Spain on 7-11 May 2024 and gathered around 45 participants plus another 25 people online and with 4 of those representing GEN Europe. It has been a rich and dynamic program, a wonderful opportunity to craft and share stories, to learn, reflect and celebrate ECOLISE’s 10-year anniversary, to strategize about future developments, strengthen collaboration and get to know each other better. During the formal General Assembly, ECOLISE welcomed 4 new national members – Permaculture Association Finland, GEN Germany, Evolving Cycles (Permaculture NGO in Greece) and Transition Belgium – and said goodbye to Croatian Permaculture resigning as a member. The GA selected 5 new Council members for a 2-year term to start or continue working alongside Leonor Alfonso (GEN Europe) and Merushe Zeleni (PVN Albania): Mieke Elzenga (GEN NL) and Claudian Dobos (Transition Romania) to serve for another term and Jason Nardi (RIPESS Europe), Magali Paulus (CELL Luxembourg) and Ana Margarida Esteves (CEI-Iscte Portugal) newly joining.
read reflections on ECOLISE’s first decade
They reviewed the financial report of 2023 and budget plans for 2024 with input from our accountant at Axyom and celebrated previous work through the ECOLISE activity report 2023. Throughout the gathering program ‘stories’ and ‘collective action’ was a red thread linked to four themes for each day: land & nature, imagination & creativity, democracy & participation, and economy & action. We heard stories of the land and community of Arterra during a tour of the place and walk to a river, stories from the origins of ECOLISE and its development over the last decade at a campfire, stories of achievements from members as well as crafting CLIs stories for the advocacy campaign, or exchanging diverse perspectives, ideas and projects during the Open Spaces.
Furthermore, there were discussions on work activities across different domains in a World Café, and a beautiful positive future collective imagination journey was done that explored systemic patterns and strategic priorities through group dynamics, and also there was room to play an ECOLISE quiz and have fun together. This gathering has also been an opportunity to engage more with people from ECOLISE’s membership, Council and team members both new or already engaged for many years. They are happy to share with you this follow-up folder, containing notes, images and other materials from the gathering.
