Written by Franz Nahrada in July 2010
A good idea is that each group in a social network should have a resume like a person. So here is the Global Villages Network resume:
History
* Global Villages Network was founded by a considerable number of visitors at the 3rd international Global Village symposium in 1997 in Viennas city hall. In its founding declararation it says: "...we have to use our local resources more wisely and that we can increasingly do so with the access to global knowledge, the sharing of experiences, the division of mental labour and the local connectedness that new information technologies make possible. The discovery of the full potential of this combination between local resources and global knowledge is the purpose of the GLOBAL VILLAGE NETWORK."
* The network lay dormant for some years and was recently revitalised (and slightly renamed) by its founder Franz Nahrada considering the necessity to speed up and focus research for a widely acceptable alternative to still mushrooming hyperurbanisation and rural depletion. The main tool to gather the critical mass of 500 globalvillagers will be the social networks.
Vision
* The Vision of Global Villages is to create an Earth that has enough place for all of us - by eliminating geographical disadvantages in access to education. knowledge and culture and by fostering the potential of all regions of this planet to host a meaningful symbiosis between man and nature.
* We dream of a planet full of cultured landscape and full of lean and green settlements connected by a global nerve system and distributed brain of communication lines enabling us to do 80% of what we do locally, yet constantly see to the other side of the world and learn from each other.
* We dream of an Open Source world, where knowledge is a common property of mankind whereas there is lots of opportunities for everyone to choose the lifestyle and the company they prefer. Villages are the optimum form of human development, they allow people to unfold physical communities around shared values.
Goals
* Global Villages Network seeks to establish a network of experts big enough to carry out research on all aspects of village development and still small enough to maintain friendly and meaningful relations between members. We want to test and experiment, implement and improve and we seek global cooperation with businesses, governments, international organisations and the civil society.
* Besides that research we want to build and consolidate a network of strongholds and hubs around the globe where Global Villages principles are becoming tangible realities. Not each village might want to be a Global Village: but its good to have one nearby.
Actions
* Establish communities of practise and research groups
* Establish a stable ecosystem of partners (like for example the Clear Village Foundation)
* Working out criteria and principles for Global Villages
* Starting Global Village Groups in locations around the world
Links
* Future main site: http://www.globalvillages.org
* Vienna core group: http://www.give.at
* NING venue: http://globalvillages.ning.com
* Yahoogroup: htp://groups.yahoo.com/globalvillages
(to be continued)
see also: http://transitionus.ning.com/group/globalvillagesintransition