Voedselencyclopedie - 10th European Permaculture Convergence

10th European Permaculture Convergence

Categorie: Permacultuur

Dates:
August 17-22 2010 (arrival on the 16th of August in the evening or the 17th in the early morning, departure on the 22nd of August in the evening, or the 23rd in the morning)
Location:
Nethen (Grez-Doiceau), Belgium

Dear permaculture friends,

We would like to invite you to the 10th European Permaculture Convergence (EUPC 10) taking place on August 17th – 22th 2010 in Nethen (Grez-Doiceau), Belgium.

Grez-Doiceau is located in Walloon Brabant, about 30 km from Brussels, on the language border between the Flemish and Walloon parts. Citizens living in this village (Nethen is a village, part of a group of villages for whom the general name is Grez-Doiceau) have started a Transition town process this year. So they naturally offered to host the Permaculture Festival and the European Convergence this year.

After a successful Permaculture festival last year, organized in Sambourg (Burgundy - France) by the non-profit organisation Brin de Paille, a Belgian team proposed to organise this year’s festival in Belgium. It seemed interesting to combine the convergence and the festival. So we’re going to offer the people who attend EUPC 10:
- Three days ( limited to those who have completed a full certified 72 hour design course ) to discuss and think about institutional and organisational aspects of the permaculture movement in Europe
- Three days of festival where, amongst fellow permaculture people, you can choose between lectures, workshops, project presentations … You are also most welcome to present your own projects, or give lectures or workshops.

The Festival will take place in the fields of an organic producer in Nethen. Workshops and sessions of the Convergence will take place in the village school.

EUPC 10 program:

1. The Diploma process and the Education project (Discussion with facilitation or / and working groups - it depends how many people will join the group.)

2. The future of the permaculture movement in Europe - The situation now and the future. Where do we want to go? What kind of networks will be needed and helpful? (Discussion with facilitation or / and working groups - it depends how many people will join the group.)
2.1. Interesting PmC-projects in Europe.

3. EUPC - European Council: Some history. What are the aims and what are the possibilities of the Council? (Report from the Council members and discussion with facilitation)
3.1. The election for the next Permaculture Council of Europe.

4. Transition towns (Keynote-talk): As we will stay on a place where the process to become a Transition town just started, some people can talk about their aims and their situation. We try to plan a conference or video-conference, and maybe a workshop.

5. Training Permaculture teachers (Keynote talk)

6. The host of the next EUPC

The following point should be seen as an example offer for an evening :
7. The report from the International Permaculture Conference in Africa (IPC9) in November 2009 - as an offer for those who are interested - it is a power-point presentation for about 1,5 to 2 hours

Many other activities will take place during the festival, talks, discussions, practical workshops. If needed, we’ll provide a place to go further with the work of the convergence.
If you’re interested in giving workshops or presenting your project during the Festival, you can find the appropriate form on our website.

Languages
There will be two main languages during EUPC 10: French and English. We will manage to provide translators if needed in these two languages. If you don’t understand French or English and would like another translation, you should manage yourself to find somebody who can help you.

Tours
We’re planning a trip to visit two interesting projects in the west of Belgium: “Les Fraternités Ouvrières” in Mouscron and the “Voedselbos” in Nokere (Waregem).

You are invited to bring
- Suggestions for other workshops or topics during the three days Convergence or for the festival
- Presentations of your projects (during the festival)
- Music, songs and stories to share with others around the fire in the evenings

Accommodation possibilities
1. Spacious area for camping in your own tent.
2. In local people’s home.
3. Lodge in a village nearby, a few beds, see the link huisvanrooi.be below.

To register, please check our website: festivalpermaculture.be.

Food:
The food will be organic, local and vegetarian/vegan. If you have a special diet, please let us know.

Travel:
In the application form, please specify how you are travelling to Belgium so we can send you specific travel information about getting to Nethen.

Email:
- Sabine Jaucot, convergence@festivalpermaculture.be ; phone: +32 10 61 51 70
and regional coordinators:
- Hannah Thorogood (Great Britain) - hannah_thorogood@hotmail.com
- Margarethe Holzer (Austria, Italy, Switzerland) - margarethe.holzer@utanet.at
- Pavla Sedláčková (Czech Republic)- pavla@permakultura.cz

All the convergence information will be continuously updated on our web site at www.festivalpermaculture.be

As usual you need the 72-hour permaculture course certificate to attend EUPC.

With best regards,

The Belgian team

Links:

festivalpermaculture.be

huisvanrooi.be/