Abant Izzet Baysal University Architecture Department in Bolu, Turkey, hosted the third Gaia Education International Workshop on Sustainable Living.
The third pilot Ecovillage Design Education in Turkey organized by Guneskoy Ecovillage, Abant Izzet Baysal University Architecture Department, Abant izzet Baysal University Development and Research Foundation and Gaia Education hosted 40 students- some of them partly sponsored by previous participants of Gaia Education programmes in Turkey!
The workshop covered many aspects of social and ecologic design and included a presentation on Transition Towns. Faculty members included May East and Michael Shaw from Findhorn, Mehmet Tuncer, Hale Meric Karabekir, Inci Gokmen, Ali Gokmen and Deniz Dincel from Turkey.
The response to this workshop from both the students and the organisers was remarkable. Specially the social dimension of sustainability attracted the attention of the participants as being a new concept for Turkey. The written evaluations from the workshop participants - the barometer of success- were extremely positive. Geographically, the workshop drew participants from around the nation. The participants profile included a cross-section of students, architects, urban planners, engineers, educators and social change activists.
Orchestrated by Deniz Dincel, this third week-long EDE training in Turkey has served to consolidate an active communication network of Turkish sustainability designers and educators- about 100 of them!
