Take the Torch!

Take the torch!

Dear Friends around the World!

As the planet and her people still undergo a major transition, with different visions for the future begging for our attention, Ecotopia – we feel – will contribute to a sustainable planetary community. We want to see an Ecotopia, or millions of Ecotopias, that give everybody a chance to share and live their visions, from the Source inside our hearts, and the abundance that is the Re-source coming from all the directions, heaven and earth, east, west, north, south.

For the times, they are a-changin’? 1989-2008

When the first Ecotopia Gathering in Europe took place, in Cologne, Germany in 1989, major historical changes were on their way, with the revolutions in Eastern Europe, the Internet becoming available, removal of borders, and the cultural renaissance of Europe becoming one again. A brave collective around EYFA, an NGO based out of Amsterdam during most of this period, took on the mission of bringing people from all of Europe and the planet together in an annual gathering, building a mighty network of makers, dreamers and activists to use the momentum for positive change. In 2008 EYFA passed on the torch to a group of Ecotopia participants and the community as a whole.

Remixing the Ecotopia Recipe, with the community!

Since 2010, two initiatives have rekindled the Fire of Ecotopia, in Germany and Sweden, with participants from well over 15 countries. It appears, as many of the early Ecotopians, including ourselves, have families of their own now, organizing an event of this scale becomes more challenging and travels become less frequent than when we were younger. We found a few Ecotopia pioneer “oldtimers” coming back, made some great new friends through Workaway and Couchsurfing connections, and wondered what a new, updated Ecotopia may look like, to support Rainbows, protests and Burning Man in their quest to make the world a better place. Please share what You believe a successful Ecotopia Recipe needs!

What does it take for Ecotopia 2024, ...

Is it content, specific people/groups/connections, funds, tools, locations, permanence or nomadism, …? Write to us at welcome2ecotopia@posteo.net, and we will gather and mirror what you write into an open-source manual for How To Ecotopia!

The three of us here, who ran Ecotopia Cafes, Ecotopia Academy Europe, and Ecotopia 2022 here in Sweden, realized that the demands of family life, jobs and studies leave little time for actual organizing – a big thank you to them, Meinhard and the countless other volunteers for taking on this task!

We decided to pass the torch along the Morning Circle of this "Phoenix  Year" to whoever feels inspired to have a Go. In the future we could indicate a newfounded campground on a big lake nearby as a gathering ground for a DIY get-together to envision 2024 together, if someone wants to facilitate this. Meanwhile, check out www.angsbacka.se for an already existing community life in the area, including a big extended community, a free school and very fine folks from around the world.

We need to be the change we want to see in the world…

In this spirit of Gandhi, we pursue our dream of building a permanent Ecotopia, and will start by securing land here and live transformation inside and out, to contribute our part in the cosmic unfolding. Please come visit someday!

All the best, The Ecotopia Collective