Kosha Joubert, Global Ecovillage Network (GEN’s) Executive Director and primary educator, is currently doing presentations and workshops in Aotearoa NZ, hosted by Earthcare Education Aotearoa charitable trust. GEN is a growing network of regenerative communities and initiatives that bridge cultures, countries, and continents, catalysing communities for a regenerative world. Permaculture principles and design methodology as applied to human settlement, are integral to GEN, and many of GEN’s members and active consultants are Permaculture Design graduates and practitioners.

GEN works with policy-makers, governments, NGOs, academics, entrepreneurs, activists, community networks and ecologically-minded individuals across the globe in order to develop strategies for a global transition to resilient communities and cultures.  GEN’s work on climate change adaptation, is currently influencing UN and government policy. The GEN website features a huge ‘Solutions Library’ and is a link-in to many established ecovillages, as well as Ecovillage Design Education courses around the world.     

Kosha’s presentations in NZ, entitled ‘Inspirational Ecovillages around the World & The Work of GEN’, held at Earthsong Eco-neighbourhood in Auckland, Ahi Wai Eco-neighbourhood in Whangarei and Riverside Community in Motueka, have awed us with the diversity of examples of communities that are springing up and connecting around our planet, evidenced by the 6000+ ecovillages registered with GEN over 114 countries, from the depths of impoverished rural Africa to the well-to-do urban high rise co-housing communities in Europe.

Kosha’s experiential workshop, entitled ‘Te Kaha O Nga Tangata - The Power Of Community’, focused on sustainable ecovillage living and design.  The focus was on how to apply GEN's 30 ‘Ecovillage Design Principles’ and GEN’s map of social, ecological, cultural and economic regeneration, to our own lives and the development of our communities.

This framework of whole systems thinking and participatory social design is at the heart of the global ecovillage movement.  Through the Auckland workshop taking place on a marae, a rich dialogue ensued on how Maori Tikanga is positioned within the ecovillage framework and development – well yes, its an underpinning to all of it!

Kosha’s educational and networking tour has catalysed an emerging GEN Aotearoa network, which will eventually sit within GENOA (Global Ecovillage Network Oceania & Asia).  We have gathered mail lists for this initiative at Kosha’s events. If you are interested to be a pioneer of GEN Aotearoa or kept in touch about its evolution, please email: earthcarecommunity@gmail.com

Written by Robina McCurdy