GREEN STEPS AT THE TRANSITION DACH CONFERENCE

"Transition" has been almost synonymous with a grassroots movement that has expanded to 2,500 cities, districts, villages, and neighborhoods worldwide since 2009. Its co-founder Rob Hopkins has adopted "Just.Do.Now" as its motto: to counteract the poly-crisis and the increasing divisions in society, hundreds, thousands, millions of local actions by those affected are needed - and a shift towards more cooperation.

For example, if local and regional material and energy cycles are to function as closely as possible, this cannot be achieved without strengthening the autonomy and self-organization of communities and regions. This means that the people on-site, in their region, can and must take their "fate" into their own hands. They are already doing this to some extent: in concrete initiatives such as energy communities, solidarity farming and food communities, donation shops, and hundreds of other social innovations. But also in action alliances such as Fridays for Future or Extinction Rebellion.

The exciting thing is that these initiatives - which are still isolated and fragmented - need to approach each other, join forces, strengthen each other, and create a more resilient economic and social fabric - this is the only way they can really be effective!
The Transition Movement - which emerged in England 15 years ago - has set out to support and accompany this process. It is now doing this thousands of times in many countries. Dozens of such "Transition Towns" have also emerged in the German-speaking world. And every two years they also hold a D-A-CH network meeting, coming together in one place.

This year, the choice fell on Ober-Grafendorf in Lower Austria: a community with an extraordinary commitment to environmental, climate, health, and social issues, which is also the third Austrian community to dare to carry out a common good balance sheet. Mayor Rainer Handlfinger invited the Transition Movement to share their experiences and inspirations "right here" for three days, but also to convey "exactly these" to the outside world.

For this purpose, a conference open to the public will be held on Saturday, September 21, in the Pielachtalhalle, where other movements for locally effective change, such as participatory regions, sociocratic neighborhood initiatives, initiatives for regional economy or improved local education - and many others - will also be present. The main question will not only be: what are you doing for a beautiful, flourishing life locally and beyond? - but also: how can you better perceive and support the various facets of change? And: how does the world that we all really want look?

A bouquet of insights into various aspects of change, practically demonstrated, often arising from coincidences, is intended to be combined to create a new, strong vision of the future of local vitality and the joint design of sustainable living spaces in the town and in the country. Since the Corona crisis at the latest, we have begun to perceive rural areas again as an integral living space - the opening lecture by spatial planner and sociologist Gerlind Weber, long-time professor at BOKU and known for her focus on rural areas, is intended to set an example here.

The program is still being developed and further highlights are in preparation. Anyone who wants to get involved is cordially invited to make a suggestion: short lectures, market stalls, workshops, open space for new project ideas - many things are possible. The conference is all about color, diversity, and mutual support in developing new fields of joint action.

Already on September 6: an introduction to the Transition Movement with the French documentary "Tomorrow – The World is Full of Solutions"  followed by a panel discussion. Details and registration here.