Findhorn Foundation to host national community learning exchange to focus on post-COP26 environmental legacy
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A FINDHORN-based charity will welcome representatives from all over Scotland to an environmental community learning exchange from April 22-24.
The Findhorn Foundation and the Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN) will host the event funded by a £6600 National Lottery Community Fund grant, to build on the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow last year.
A Foundation spokeswoman confirmed the collaboration culminated in an exhibition in the Green Zone at the event that showcased the work of various SCCAN members under the heading ‘We Are Net Zero Nation.’
She said: “The exhibition showcased the work of Scottish communities in tackling the climate crisis and shared stories of international climate community resilience. It included a display of projects and services of those who are leading the way on climate action within local communities including short films, posters, workshops, virtual tours and displays of upcycled work.”
She added: “COP26 was a network-strengthening opportunity. It allowed organisations to come together, articulate work and solidify connections. Community groups continue to inspire, stand in solidarity and address climate change from the bottom up.”
April’s community learning exchange will invite around 20 participants from climate focused organisations to Findhorn Ecovillage. They will stay in accommodation provided by the Foundation on-site and engage in collaborative learning, sharing best practice and post-COP discussions to support the development of climate action.
Findhorn Ecovillage combines a social-cultural environment with a low-impact lifestyle. Over 60 years of experimentation, it has become a demonstration centre for how tot forge a new path for the planet.
The community learning exchange will showcase sustainable technologies on the site with visits to eco-houses, organic gardens, windmills and a biological waste water treatment plant. Encompassing the social element of sustainability, the event will also look at social structures that create caring, sharing communities.
The Findhorn Foundation aims to connect more with the wider local community in the face of growing climate instability.
The spokeswoman said: “The Foundation has appointed partnerships project lead Tara Pinheiro Gibsone to focus on developing work in the local context. The site has long been used as a teaching resource for educational programs, from spirituality and personal development, to sustainable technologies and alternative models of living. Having previously catered to a largely international audience, energy is being given to sharing the resources developed over years of experimentation with those closer to home. By making new connections locally, the Foundation aims to collaboratively create community solutions to the issues we are currently facing.”
The spokeswoman finished: “Last year, the Foundation partnered with Moray College to deliver a pilot program on sustainable agriculture to support young people’s employability in the local area. They aim to deliver a second round of the Moray Food Systems program in 2022. In August, the partnership area took on the remobilisation of the Care Farm that provides a day service of social and therapeutic horticulture for adults with learning disabilities and autism.
“Beyond what’s currently established, we are seeking other means to share resources through emerging projects focused on wellbeing, employability, sustainability and organic agriculture.”
