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The European Permaculture Convergence 2021

Our world must embark on the biggest period of change we have ever known. We all know this, but we don’t always know what to do about it. That’s why we’re holding a European Permaculture Convergence (EUPC) online this October – to bring together those who want to bring about positive change so we can collectively work towards it. 

Since the early 1980s, permaculture initiatives, groups and networks have been pioneering new approaches to food, energy, housing and community. Now, more than ever, we need to share what we are doing and inspire a huge new wave of permaculture action across Europe.

Hosted by the Permaculture Association (Britain) and following on from a successful UK Convergence in 2020, the EUPC will have a programme drawn from across the continent.

National, regional and local organisations will share sessions and workshops, as well as pre-recorded tours of permaculture projects. 

Themes will include everything from climate change action to regenerative agriculture, with something to suit every level. Experienced practitioners will rub virtual shoulders with those new to permaculture to ensure no voice goes unheard. 

The programme will include content such as self-sufficiency and gardening, which many are now interested in finding out more about. For those who have been working in this field for longer, there will be deep dive sessions and strategic meetings focused on the development of permaculture in Europe. 

The aim is to create a diverse and accessible event that sows the seeds for a strong European Permaculture Network and a renewed cross-border community. 

The primary working language of the convergence will be English, with other options explored to help remove barriers, including some edge events in other European languages.

So as many people as possible can attend, there is a ‘donate what you can afford’ structure to this event. Cost is on a sliding scale from €15 to €100 (payments are in Euros rather than GBP). 

A donation of just €30 is the equivalent of just €3 per day! With over 30 hours of curated content between 8-17 October, as well as other sessions being organised over the course of the event, there will be plenty to choose from. 

This event supports the development of permaculture all across Europe. Funds raised will be used to help support and grow our networks, so that more people can bring about their own positive change. Your donation makes this work possible, so we are grateful for whatever you can give. 

Book now: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/eupc2021

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An all round unique volunteering opportunity in the heart of Bulgaria

June 1st –   November 30th, 2021

Would you like to take part in a community building project with a focus on growing food while enhancing biodiversity?

The European Solidarity Corps (ESC) is the new European Union initiative that offers opportunities for young people to volunteer in projects that benefit communities and people around Europe. Green School Village (GSV) is excited to be offering people the opportunity to volunteer at the Balkan Ecology Project (BalkEP) under this initiative. This 6 month project is open to enthusiastic young people aged between 18 – 30 who are interested in developing food growing systems that enhance biodiversity, and want to take an active part in community building.

What will you be doing?

  • Learning from hands on experience how to plan, sow, plant, maintain and harvest produce from a vegetable garden. Experience different methods of processing the harvest using local methods and building simple dehydrators
  • Learning how to identify local herbs and their medicinal uses and experiment with making some homemade herbal remedies
  • Helping to support the local community by designing and creating a community garden and maintaining valuable infrastructure such as a shared garden irrigation system and local mountain trails. Engaging with the youth to help create a social sports club
  • Keeping a creative journal and blogging about your progress, tracking your experiences to share
  • Immersing yourself into local culture. Activities take place Monday – Friday for 6 hours a day, leaving plenty of free time. Included in the experience is Bulgarian language lessons

  Why should you take part?

  • You will gain valuable insight into what it takes to actually run food producing systems and how you can enhance biodiversity within them
  • This opportunity will give you hands-on experience and transferable skills that encourage entrepreneurship or enhance your employability
  • The ESC initiative covers your food, accommodation, travelling, language lessons, pocket money, mentorship and insurance costs
  • If you live in a rural area/outskirts of a city or you are unemployed/on low wage, you will get a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course from GSV throughout the whole ESC project

Interested? Then we look forward to hearing from you!

Please register here!

For more information (PDF)

Contact:
Misha at esc [at] greenschoolvillage [dot] org or Sophie at balkanecologyproject [at] gmail [dot] com

Deadline for applications 30/04/21

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Forest Gardening Spanish book

Freshly printed and on sale – the first book in Spanish (as far as we know) on forest gardening, where we have tried to collate everything you need to progress from dreaming to designing; planting to pruning. Written from direct practical experience, and with a focus on issues which affect Mediterranean climates. We hope you like it (and if you do not speak Spanish, there are plenty of photos and illustrations).

Available here (and many local bookshops): https://www.lafertilidaddelatierra.com/

Our project (in Catalan and Spanish): https://phoenicurus-permacultura.org/

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The Diploma Process (Nordic)

In this video, we explore how one can develop their Permaculture Design skills by working towards a diploma for Applied Permaculture Design. Featured is Catrine Dolleris, who is a Diploma Tutor in the UK and Nordic Systems as well as the LAND coordinator for the Nordic countries, and is also showing parts of her diploma and her LAND centre in Denmark.

You can learn more about the process and how to register for diploma for Applied Permaculture Design in the Nordic countries on these websites:
https://permakultur-danmark.dk/en/dip…​
https://nordicpermacultureacademy.org/​
http://permakultur.se/projects/nordpi…​

If you want to get acquainted with the diploma and the LAND centre of Cathrine Dolleris, please check the following links:
http://www.geoliv.dk/permaculture-dip…​
http://www.geoliv.dk/demonstration-ce…​

To learn more about starting a diploma for Applied Permaculture Design in the Balkan region, follow the webiste of the Permaculture Association of Bulgaria (currently under construction): www.pab.greenschoolvillage.org.

The movie is created as part of Green School Village’s project “Capacity Building of Permaculture in Bulgaria” and is co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. Producer: Mihaela Tsarchinska Narrator: Mihail Kossev Interviewer: Mihaela Tsarchinska Camera: Philip Varionov Editing: Mihail Kossev Script: Mihail Kossev and Mihaela Tsarchinska Subtitles: Mihail Kossev Music: www.bensound.com, www.mixkit.co и други * We do not own the music, it is royalty-free for non-commercial use * Special thanks to Bogdan Boev and his invaluable advises regarding photo and video equipment! Twitter @Bogdan_Boev www.instagram.com/bogdanboevwildlife/ https://www.facebook.com/Bogdan.Boev….

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Tunaweza Permaculture Project

VOLUNTEER/ INTERNSHIP  AND FIELD VISIT PROGRAM IN ZANZIBAR

Supported by Permakultur Danmark

By Steven Odhiambo Otieno

My journey started when on 3rd December 2020 , I was so happy and eager to see what is waiting for me on the other side of the family Indian ocean. It was nice to reach in Nairobi and evening the right traffic jam,  I had hopes that things would go well for me at the end of the day. I arrived in Nairobi so fine,  took  a taxi to the airport to confirm my flight status and any other things I could have forgotten just to get ready for the next days journey, and after I had to get myself some food for the night and a hotel room which I settled at around 9.00 pm .
My next morning which was 4th December became a little bit hectic, I had to wake up at 5:00 Am to make sure I get ready and beat up Mombasa road traffic jam  to the airport . Of course my flight was at 8:99 AM but I still needed some little rush due to unpredictable Nairobi roads. Luckily by 8:30 Am I was at the Airport, passed through the security check and headed to the immigration. In the process through the immigration I learned that my flight was cancelled and forwarded to 7.30 PM so I had to wait till 6.00 pm to finish the immigration process. Oh Noo,  that was a hard task and what made me feel bad is that I was never informed that they cancelled the flight…no text no call. No one seemed responsible for anything so I had to go to Kenya Airways reservation office within the airport of which they agreed to put me on rescission flight to Daresalaam  via Zanzibar. The flight was  scheduled to jet off JKIA at 8:30 PM  which eventually flew off 9.30 pm. So I had to wait for more than 13 hours .
The delay of course interrupted my plans so I had to arrive in Zanzibar very late at night and by time I could find a guest house it was 12:00 AM.

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