The Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) was born out of the experiences of long-existing communities and cutting-edge educators in order to teach how to create a new way of living which brings together the four key dimensions of an ecovillage: social, cultural/worldview, environmental and economic.
From 2011 to now, Damanhur Education has been a catalyst for implementing the EDE, organizing annual courses in Damanhur, in partnership with Gaia Education. Gaia Education is an active member of UNESCO’s Global Action Programme on Education for Sustainable Development. The UNESCO GAP on ESD is a global effort to generate and scale up action in all levels and areas of education and learning to accelerate progress towards sustainable development.
The EDE course touches upon multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15.
The course teaches many elements about how to create human settlements. One of the outcomes is showing students a new way of living which brings together the before-mentioned four key dimensions of sustainability.
Ecovillage Design Education is an education
- where a thorough and objective assessment of the state of the planet is followed by regional, community, and place-based solutions.
- that empowers individuals and communities with the knowledge for shaping their worlds and becoming more self-reliant while engaging in bioregional as well as international cooperation.
- that is universal in scope but local in application, directed toward preserving precious cultural diversity.
- where investigating theory is followed by practical application.
- that imparts useful and instrumental life-skills as part of the curriculum.
- relevant to people in rural and urban regions.
- promoting and facilitating healthful planetary evolution, as well as the well-being and quality of life of individuals and their communities everywhere.
- exploring and expanding the perceived limits of human potential.
- that informs, enables and inspires community-based visions of a sustainable human civilization as well as the means to turn such visions into reality during the course of the 21st century.
Goals of the course
- Learning social tools for leadership, participatory decision making, group building and conflict resolution
- Gaining familiarity with holistic education in the four dimensions of sustainability
- Exploring solutions and experiencing effective models to transform society
- Experiencing a “real life” visionary community that has been existing and transforming for 42 years
- Transmitting design and implementation skills for effective projects
- Having ecological knowledge and practice from permaculture, green building and renewables
- Developing an artistic approach to life
- Understanding the importance of spirituality and creating sacred space in building new societies
You will gain
- Certification by Gaia Education as an EDE designer
- Integrative design skills in the four areas of sustainability: ecology, economy, social aspects and culture
- Basic tools for setting up EDE-courses in your region
- New friends, ideas, inspiration and hope!
Costs and funding possibilities
Course fee: € 1200, Food and accommodation not included (different options available). Reduced prices for young people up to age 25, and scholarships for people from developing countries.
For more information
ede@damanhur.org
+39 348 6432318
Where is the course
Damanhur, Italy, via Pramarzo 3, 10080 Baldissero C.se (TO)
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