Please find below an open letter from GEN Europe to its members. The financial situation in 2015 is critical and GEN Europe is asking for your help. You can read more below. If you would like to help this wonderful network, please become a Supportive Member for € 30 per year or more, and/or consider giving a one-off donation (https://gen-europe.org/donations/index.htm). ZEGG is responding with a donation of 500 euros! Thank you very much! Best regards, Thomas Heuser / ZEGG Managing Director and GEN Europe Council Member
Dear Members of the GEN Europe network,
As you surely all know by now, at the last General Meeting (in Findhorn in July 2015) the new Board was elected and the new office confirmed for Arterra Bizimodu, Spain. If you want to get to know the new Board and staff members, please take a look at the GEN Europe website: https://gen-europe.org/about-us/gen-europe-council/gen-europe-staff/index.htm
We all know that GEN Europe is reliant on the active participation of all its members. In the coming months and years, you will therefore hear from us in the Arterra office regularly. We would like to ask you for your ideas, request your support and involve you in projects being planned.
The first issue which GEN Europe needs to resolve is the negative financial situation we are currently facing. We have been supporting the establishment of GEN International in Findhorn for several years, and since GEN International was responsible for the largest part of the GEN+20 Conference we also shared the surpluses from the conference with GEN International. In other words, to ensure that GEN Europe does not record negative figures in 2015, additional income to the value of €20,000 has to be created by the end of December 2015. That is the figure for this year only! As explained at the General Meeting in Findhorn, for 2016 we are expecting to balance the books again.
The Board is responsible for generating this additional income and they are voluntarily providing their time, energy and knowledge to make it happen. So we are now asking all members of GEN Europe to join in and help us meet this challenge. Let’s connect and benefit from our network of people, ecovillages and networks of ecovillages.
We are inviting all members to:
- give an additional donation to GEN Europe if you have the financial resources to do this.
- translate this e-mail into your local language and circulate it to the members of your community and your networks.
- help us to find new funders (foundations, philanthropists, companies, individuals) to ensure long-term, sustainable backing for current and future projects.
- help us to attract new members and supportive members, strengthening our organisation and connecting their expertise with that of our existing members.
We are looking forward to your thoughts, creative ideas, contacts and cooperation!
We are aware of the achievements made in the past twenty years by GEN Europe, its staff, its Board and its members: GEN is a well-established organisation – recognised at UN-level – in the fields of combating climate change and developing alternative sustainable ways of living. As a network of innovative grassroots communities, it is our duty to make available our ideas, experience and deeds in order to support the transition to a sustainable way of living on our planet.
Let’s continue the good work GEN has been performing so far. We believe that these challenges will strengthen us and bring us closer together. Thank you in advance for your support, in whichever way you can help GEN.
Genny Carraro, Managing Director
GEN Europe Team
