Dear Friends,
PAL is thrilled to
be hosting the 8th International Permaculture Conference (IPC8) in Brazil
in May 2007 along with our Brazilian partners. The theme of IPC8 is “Greening
Our Economy with the Principles of Permaculture,” and all parts
of the meeting will incorporate this combined theme of permaculture practice
and green economics (green economics simply means that aspects besides
the bottom
line, such as environmental and social welfare, are taken into account
in determining economic viability). The principle objective of the conference
is to connect the on-the-ground effectiveness of permaculture with the
powerful global analysis of green economics, and provide participants
with literacy in both fields. Permaculturists are often unfamiliar with
economics, and economists often have, at most, only a vague idea of permaculture.
We believe that permaculture can be a more potent force in the world if
permaculturists have the skills and knowledge to frame their work in terms
of economic viability, and if we help economists recognize that permaculture
can make sense in terms that they and the rest of the world can understand.
Our conference and
workshops will provide a unique forum for an international range of prominent
green economic theorists, successful businessmen who incorporate ecological
guidelines, a banking sector opening up to new ideas, and, of course,
experienced permaculturists.
The IPC program consists of four components: Conference, Convergence,
Tour, and Permaculture Certification Course. The Conference will be held
in Sao Paolo, as will the Permaculture Design Course, with the Convergence
following in Pirenopolis – home to PAL’s Instituto Permacultura
do Cerrado (IPEC). Permaculture Site visits will also take place at the
PAL projects of The Organization of Permaculture
and Art (OPA) in Salvador, and the Instituto Permacultura da Amazonia
(IPA) in Manaus.
This is an amazing opportunity to create a dialogue we feel is crucial
to create a healthier, happier, more sustainable world. And we could not
be prouder of the part PAL is to play in this. Please visit www.ipc8.org
for more details.
Have a great summer!
Many Thanks,
Ali Sharif
Founder / International
Project Director
Melissa Stevens-Briceño
Executive Director
pal@permacultura.org
As seen in the Santa Fe New Mexican
Growing
Green Economies
by
Staci Matlock
In true Ghandian style, Ali Sharif has spent time with Third World pit
toilets and
high-level government officials.
As projects director with the Santa Fe-based nonprofit Permacultura
America Latina,
Sharif is putting his decade-long experience with low-tech solutions
and political power brokers to use as coordinator of next year's 8th
International Permaculture Conference
and Convergence in Brazil. The conference
will focus on designing true, prosperous
green economies. "We need to go beyond inspiration to a real definition
for green economy," Sharif said during a recent
Santa Fe visit.(continued)
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