The Community

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 founder Paolo Lugari the "inventor of the world."

The Book

Chelsea Green Publishing has released a 10th anniversary edition of  Gaviotas: A Village to Reinvent the World with an afterword by author Alan Weisman about how Gaviotas has evolved over the last decade.

About Friends

Friends of Gaviotas was formed in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to facilitate initiatives such as:

1. •North-South research exchanges like the Gaviotas biodiesel project.
   

2. •Periodic get-togethers with Gaviotans.
   

Contacts
If you wish to participate in Friends of Gaviotas activities, please sign up for our mailing list using the link below. If you don't mind, provide us with information about your location.

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

1. •Write to gaviotas-request@greenbuilder.com with "subscribe" in the subject line or use the web interface.
   

2. •Contact katherine "at" peakinsight.com to request access to a Gaviotas forum she hosts. Selected greenbuilder list posts are saved/categorized there as well.

Marion Institute, ZERI and Centro Las Gaviotas ask you to ... go neutral at Gaviotas Offsets

A trip to Gaviotas is being organized in March 2010! Be one of the 30 participants! Click here for details.