GREAT NEWS IN TRANSITION

[Theresa]

Transition Network is highly honoured to have won first prize in the European Economic and Social Committee’s Civil Society Prize.http://gg.gg/106a This is great recognition for the work of so many people in hundreds of European local communities who are engaging their local civil society in developing low carbon futures and livelihoods which promote wellbeing for all in the community.

There are more than 500 Transition initiative community groups in 23 European countries (more than 1000 groups worldwide) who are working on the “transition” to a low-carbon, socially-just future. Many are already setting up enterprises, creating sustainable livelihoods or helping develop a stronger local economy. Examples include:

· The Green Valley Grocer in Slaithwaite, Yorkshire, UK, which is owned by a community share issue, and is set up to sell locally produced, sustainable food, and provides local jobs. This has stimulated the establishment of other new local food enterprises and employment, to supply the shop.

· Around Monteveglio, Italy, the Transition initiative developed a new farming enterprise called Streccapogn, working on land owned by people who can’t use it. Streccapogn produces organic wheat, milled locally and used in the local bakery; organic vegetables, fruit and jam, saba, vines and vinegar. They are moving onto local organic pigs and chickens.

Transition Network’s REconomy Project has been set up to help Transition groups and other community groups set up local green enterprises and pioneer and develop more sustainable and resilient local economic strategies, to help communities respond to the economic crisis in Europe. Our view is that localisation of services can become a key source for employment and economic activity. See www.reconomyproject.org and www.transitionnetwork.org .

If anyone has time to edit this Irish style we should do a press release

Great to be a part of it :)

 

T

[Davie Philip]

December 19th 2012
Transition Network Wins EESC Civil Society Prize

Transition Network has won the 2012 European Economic and Social Committee's Civil Society Prize and last week in Brussels Rob Hopkins accepted the award on behalf of the 500 Transition community groups that are active in 23 European countries. The theme of the 2012 prize was 'Innovate for a sustainable Europe!'

At the heart of the Transition process, which started in Kinsale in 2005 and is now taking root throughout the world, is the building of relationships with our neighbours and working with them on projects of common interest. 

In only a few short years Transition has gone viral and an international network of Transition initiatives has rapidly grown as cities, islands, towns and rural villages experiment with the process. Thousands of Transition initiatives now exist and are collaborating to radically reduce their carbon emissions while at the same time developing their resilience to cope with a future that is very uncertain. Transition is a process that offers pathways, new ways of thinking and a set of tools that could help us respond to the shocks that we face.

 
The Transition model helps communities come together to develop the capability to provide most of its essential needs—food, energy, water and raw materials—from a number of local sources.  The model ensures that in the event of a system failure, communities can look after themselves. One of the most striking characteristics of Transition initiatives is their positivity and creativity; the process is purposely designed to be non-threatening and engaging, so people feel at ease to explore different ideas and approaches. 

The overall objective of the EESC Civil Society prize is to reward excellence in civil society initiatives and to celebrate the achievements of civil society organisations which have had the ingenuity to develop projects that have had a positive impact on Europeans' lives. 

Three months ago the Cloughjordan ecovillage, the latest Irish Transition Initiative, was visited by Seamus Boland, the Irish representative of the EESC as part of the judging for the Civil Society prize. Davie Philip gave Seamus a presentation on the current state of Transition in Ireland and a tour of the many different community resilience initiatives located in the Cloughjordan Ecovillage. 

This prize is recognition for the work of so many people in hundreds of European local communities who are developing low carbon futures and livelihoods which promote wellbeing for all in the community. 

http://transitiontownsireland.ning.com

http://www.transitionnetwork.org

2012 EESC Civil Society Prize - Rewarding excellence in civil society initiatives


http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-civil-...