Ecotopia gathering
Ecotopia is an annual summer gathering for activists in Europe, since 1989. Typically, the event draws young environmental activists from both east and west Europe. In most years, Ecotopia has at least one large direct or symbolic political action associated with it near the end of the two to three week long camp.
The camp has dozens of workshops on various topics, including both ecological campaigns and lifestyle/general interest topics. Ecotopia attempts to use a Leave No Trace philosophy, in which the camp site is left in the same or better ecological condition than when the event started. Ecotopia is historically organized by local groups on the site of the event in conjunction with the EYFA international office in Amsterdam. Participants pay differential rates for the event based on the country they come from using the Eco-Rate system.[1]
The project is originally initiated by European Youth For Action and takes place in a different European country every year. In 2008 EYFA announced that it would no longer take part in the organisation of Ecotopia gatherings.[2] Following this announcement former participants of the gatherings started preparing a follow-up event called "Ecotopia 2010" in the Fläming region near Berlin, Germany.[3]
Past Ecotopia gatherings
- 2010 Wiesenburg (Flaeming), Germany [3]
- 2008 Sinop, Turkey[4]
- 2007 Aljezur, Portugal
- 2006 Zaježová, Slovakia[5]
- 2005 Saharna, Moldova
- 2004 Gorinchem, Netherlands[6]
- 2003 Sheshory, Ukraine
- 2002 Tuamgraney, Ireland - Organised by Gluaiseacht for Global Justice
- 2001 Bulgaria
- 2000 Maisaari, an island close to Naantali, Finland
- 1999 Romania
- 1998 Freiburg, Germany
- 1997 Scotland
- 1996 Czech Republic
- 1995 Poland
- 1994 Romania
- 1993 France
- 1992 Bulgaria
- 1991 Estonia
- 1990 Bugac, Hungary
- 1989 Cologne, West Germany
History
EYFA - the European Youth Forest Action movement - was a daughter organisation of YEE - Youth Environment Europe,[7] the umbrella organisation for all independent youth led organisations by and for youth in Europe working around nature and environment. EYFA was created to develop a platform for all those interested in working on the acid rain problematic in the 1980s. When this issue was solved because the Sulfer was removed out of the fossile fuel for cars and trucks and the NOx problematic was addressed by catalyst in the exhaust pipes, the organisation changed its name to European Youth For Action.
References
- ↑ "The Ecorate System [ecorates]". Eyfa.org. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ↑ "Belgian/Dutch Climate Action Camp August 3-9 2009, near Antwerp". Eyfa.org. Retrieved 2009-09-05.
- 1 2 "Ecotopia 2010". Ecotopia2010.org. 2010-08-21. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ↑ "Come to the 20th annual Ecotopia gathering!". Ecotopiagathering.org. 2008-08-23. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ↑ "Activism Meeting / Ecotopia 2006". Ecotopia2006.org. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ↑ "ECOTOPIA 2004 The Netherlands". Ecotopia.nl. Retrieved 2012-08-10.
- ↑ "Youth and Environment Europe". Yeenet.eu/. Retrieved 2012-08-10.