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Brian Holden
Endlessly fascinated about life on earth and our place in evolution I maintain my interest in biology and ecology, that I studied at university. We must use our growing understanding of how ecology and all other systems, work, so that our population and environmental impact is brought into alignment. Once again this serves us, individually and as a species, whatever time frames we are given. I have been fortunate to explore as much as I have, in good health, for 65 years. As a community organic gardener, teacher of permaculture, personal investigator and privileged traveller, I’ve met ‘magic’ in places, plants, animals and people; yet still I’m sad and frustrated that so much of our world is at odds with the simple precepts that life on the planet offer. I want all our children’s children to have children, on this amazing planet! We must respond, now and forever more, wherever and whenever we are aware of our choices and their impact. No creed, ideology, ‘ism, nor laziness, localised greed, ignorance or our systems inertias, must be allowed to divert us from this imperative. We fail to get this right at our, even our planets, peril, for there is no Planet B |
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Antje Sommer
Antje is a dynamic woman full of energy and curiosity for life. She enjoys traveling and discovering new lands and indigenous healing methodologies. She is a dedicated mother of two sons, living in Germany. She graduated in the field of engineering in process technician for building materials. Over the years she has worked as a eco-building-biologist and a journalist. She is also trained as a life coach, living now in Weimar, a famous culture-town in East-Germany. |
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Thomas Heuser (ZEGG, Germany)
Thomas studied business administration and worked for almost 20 years in one of the largest German construction companies. He has been living in the ZEGG community since the beginning of 2010 and has been Managing Director of ZEGG GmbH for five years - a challenging task in many ways. His contribution is in bringing together the working and decision-making of a large community with the demands of professional business. What do he loves most in ZEGG? His goddaughter Jessica. She is the child of two friends who ‘joined’ the community two weeks after him. He was asked to become part of the GEN-Council during the 2012 conference in Krishna Valley. |
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Ntokozo (Nonty) Charity Sabic
Nonty is a South African currently living between Europe and South Africa, she is a workshop leader, dynamic Speaker. Her goal is to send a message of empowerment, service, indigenous wisdom, sustainable living and the importance of building community and ecovillages in modern Society. Initiated in the shamanic ancestral traditions of her tribe, she is also trained in various body therapies, studied Buddhism and practiced as a novice Buddhist nun. She is a hospice counselor with a background in business and events management. Currently involved in various organisations that promote youth and women empowerment and advocating for African immigrants in Europe and North/South healing and reconsiliation, with the principles of UBUNTU. Since 2013 She has been involved with the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), where she is currently serving as a board member. She is also a director of RISE (Revivers of Indigenous Spirituality and Ecosystems). She is also a member of the ILA (International Leadership Association). |
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Alfonso Flaquer-Carreras
Alfonso Flaquer (Barcelona 1962) has helped, leaded or promote initiatives like The Base (first inhabited straw bale community project in Spain, 2001), the Karavan (first nomad community in Europe, 2006), Avalon Camps (selfdiscovery program in nature), the Ecovillages'Incubator (2011, that evolved into CLIPS), EmerGENcies (a major thread in GEN), Arterra Bizimodu (first ecovillage ruled on Sociocracy since the beginig, 2014). He was GEN councellor and now serves as a member of GEN Elders' Council. |
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María Llanos del Corral
I´m a social psychologist with an MA in “International Cooperation”. I worked in this field for 7 years with the Red Cross in Peru, Malawi, Niger and Spain in the fields of community development, economic development, Disaster Risk Reduction, strengthening civil society and education (2005-2013). I shifted into being an organisational change consultant and facilitator after a Masters in “Economics for Transition” at Schumacher College. Some of my worked has developed with NGO´s Fundación Tomillo, ECODES, RAIS, Coordinadora Estatal de ONGDs) amongst others and International Companies (Impact Hub Madrid and others). I have co-founded Eroles Project a learning for action centre, I´m part of the team that has developed the Economic University of the neighbourhood in Madrid. Board member of Ulex Learning Centre. My published work includes: Collaborative tools for Social Organizations and “Acitivism and spirituality”. |
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Angel Matilla
Angel Matilla is a spanish telecommunications engineer who has lived most of his adult life in Germany. There he studied and worked for several companies in the automotive industry where he developed and integrated embedded software and later managed technical teams. In 2011 he started developing an interest in the limits of growth, the fossil fuels' peak and the non-sustainable practices of the current society. Since then he has been researching other ways of living life, in more sustainable, self-sufficient and resilient ways. Back in Spain since early 2016, he has been supporting several projects which are in synchrony with his beliefs, such as the Sustainer and Som Mobilitat (a non-profit electrical car sharing cooperative). |
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Conrad Kürzdörfer
Living in Germany, has studied architecture and worked for 6 years in architecture and city planning offices in Germany, U.S.A and India, among others the town development council of the ecovillage of Auroville. Since 2013 he is a lecturer at the Institut for Urban Planning & Design at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where he teaches urban design and city development strategies. His academic focus is on redevelopment and design of public space, based on the empowerment of communities and individuals and using methodologies of collaboration and appropriation. Within his ongoing phd research, he explores the development of pattern language as a design approach for urban commons. His training in permaculture is interconnected with this and gets applied for developing spatial strategies and design for autonomous and wholesome rural living environments, promoting self-sufficient living. As a practicing buddhist, he believes in relational space and the development of holistic design and environments, which are fully alive. |
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The Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) was set up in 1995 to support the experimental creation and preservation of human settlements that not only sustain, but regenerate their social and natural environments. Ecovillages are communities with vibrant social structures, vastly diverse, yet united in common ecological, economic, social and cultural values and goals. They spring from the good intentions and creativity of citizens, and their willingness to make a difference. Today GEN contains an innovative alliance between intentional communities (with some of the lowest per capita carbon footprints in the industrialized world) and networks of traditional villages http://www.gen-europe.org
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