Friends of Gaviotas

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Latest News:

Paolo Lugari on a rare visit to the U.S. May 1-5, 2008.

Green Village Philadelphia hosts an interactive weekend retreat with the founder of Gaviotas. Interested? Click here.

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Do Jump presents:

Entusiasmo!
A Show About Hope

based on the story Gaviotas
Playing in Portland
May 17-31

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Marion Institute, ZERI and Centro Las Gaviotas ask you to ...

go neutral at Gaviotas Offsets

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Paolo Lugari was awarded an honorary doctorate by Carnegie Mellon University in May 2007.

See documentary video about Gaviotas, produced for the occasion.

Gaviotas is a village of about 200 people in Colombia, South America. For three decades, Gaviotans - peasants, scientists, artists, and former street kids - have struggled to build an oasis of imagination and sustainability in the remote, barren savannas of eastern Colombia, an area ravaged by political terror. They have planted millions of trees, thus regenerating an indigenous rainforest. They farm organically and use wind and solar power. Every family enjoys free housing, community meals, and schooling. There are no weapons, no police, no jail. There is no mayor.

The United Nations named the village a model of sustainable development. Gabriel Garcia Marquez has called Paolo Lugari the "inventor of the world."


Paolo Lugari visting with Amory Lovins in 2003
Friends of Gaviotas was formed in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to faciliate initiatives such as:
  • North-South research exchanges like the Gaviotas biodiesel project.
  • Periodic get-togethers with Gaviotans (Paolo Lugari and others).
  • Sharing technology information from/for Gaviotas and the world.


Resources
Alan Weisman's 1998 book: Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World
Amazon.com reader reviews of the book



Aerial view of the Colombian llanos.

Contacts


Anyone wishing to participate in Friends of Gaviotas activities, please write to: mail@friendsofgav___.org (to fend off spam, this is not a link you can click on, and you must complete the missing blank part). If you don't mind, mention your city, state/country and postal code (no street address please). We will add your to our mailing list.

There are several Gaviotas listserves/forums available for people to join:

  • Write to gaviotas@lists.greenbuilder.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
  • Contact katherine "at" peakinsight.com to request access to a Gaviotas forum she hosts. Selected greenbuilder list posts are saved/categorized there as well.