Support 50 Global South Environmental Leaders

Social interactions are described as the very building blocks of society: through them, people design the way in which they seek to live. At GEN (Global Environments Network), we believe these interactions are often the driving force for action. Conversely, the lack of it breeds negative mind states—demotivation, indifference and apathy—in both our personal lives as well as in the workplace.

Over the years, participants of our Global Environments Summer Academies (GESA) have commended our programmatic approach which encourages meaningful interactions and builds positive, long-lasting relationships built of mutual support and respect. At our first Academy in 2011, we developed what we called the Research Cafe, a platform for participants to present their work. This opened up opportunities throughout GESA for practical feedback and the exchange of ideas by fellow participants as well as resource people, such as on alternative approaches adopted in other parts of the world. Over the years, our Research Cafes evolved to a TED-style format, when the delivery of inspiring presentations was enhanced through learning sessions on effective communications and filmmaking. As an example, watch Daniel's inspiring talk, in which he challenges us to reflect on our innate feelings and rekindle the wisdom, innocence and knowledge we had as children to bring the change the world needs.

Each year, as we shape the three-week GESA schedule, we repeatedly ask ourselves “How do we promote an atmosphere of collaboration, trust and respect?” This task is particularly challenging given the nature of the group: in selecting our participants, we always seek to convene individuals who bring with them a distinct set of knowledge and experiences. This means that at any one GESA gathering, participants are from a range of sectors and academic backgrounds, and hail from all corners of the world. Different, yet with the highest degree of commonality in their passion and commitment to improve local livelihoods, resolve conflicts and restore environments.

With this question in mind, we developed the five-day Nature Connection Opening Retreat. The transformative teachings from Joanna Macy’s ‘The Work That Reconnects’, the spiritual ecology practices based on the teachings of Sufi master and teacher Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee and the interactive, performance-based process of Theatre of Transformation led by Rama Mani held during the retreat created a safe container and laid the foundation for a mutually supportive, respectful and creative community for the rest of GESA 2018.

As GESA participants join the Global Environments Network—alongside alumni from our Regional Academies and Community Exchanges—we turn our focus to nurturing and maintaining the strong bonds and nascent collaborations that blossomed during the three-week Academy beyond its boundaries in time. We revamped our internal newsletter, renamed GEN in Action, turning it into a platform for members to share their calls for action. We reach out to members via one-on-one calls and establish online tools to support GEN members through engagement, information and networking. We understand that oftentime, our members work in isolation without an adequate support network beyond their discipline, location or practice. They feel the need to connect. Thanks to our generous GlobalGiving donors, we are able to support GEN members by offering tools and practices for regenerative and restorative ways of living and working in the world.

(Photos by Inanc Tekguc)