ILIOSPOROI NETWORK

Iliosporoi Network (www.iliosporoi.net) is non-profit network of researchers, trainers, activists and practitioners established in 2004 in Greece, although officially registered as an NGO in 2014. The aims of Iliosporoi Network are to provide a bridge of communication and cooperation among the various aspects of the ecological, transition and degrowth movement; to exchange and disseminate thought-provoking information, experiences and best practices; to undertake campaigning, capacity building, networking, awareness raising and educational activities; to promote an ecological way of living for socio-ecological transformation; and to undertake affirmative action for positive change and the creation of another world based on the principles of ecology, freedom, self-sufficiency, resilience, non-violence and self-governance. Areas of specific expertise include degrowth, transition societies, conscious consumption, solidarity and cooperative economy, equality, social ecology, direct democracy, networking of grassroots transition initiatives, adult education, capacity building, facilitation, participatory action research, deliberative decision making, project management, development of training and awareness material (books, videos, brochures, posters), campaigning and youth work. Iliosporoi Network currently develop the Degrowth, Transition and Resilience Community-Hub “Heliotropon”, in Vlachia, Evoia island, Greece. “Heliotropon” will be a Community- Hub focused on applied research, experimentation, demonstration and dissemination of ecological and social innovations, by utilizing best practices and experiences from the European Transition Town, Ecovillage and Degrowth Networks, as well as from current grassroots initiatives in Greece. “Heliotropon” will operate with the purpose to research and disseminate best practices on how to create Degrowth/Transition/Resilience Community Hubs, as well as, to develop and apply a practical Degrowth/Transition Community- Hub model, based on the principles of self-sufficiency, sustainability and resilience that could be transferred and applied in any European region. Adult education, training, awareness raising and capacity building activities will play a central role in the development of the Hub, as well as networking and exchange of experiences and best practices with other affiliated networks. The Community Hub will include seminar and workshop spaces, offices, incubators for young researchers and practitioners, cultivation areas, camping site, demonstration site and communal spaces. Milestone activities of Iliosporoi Network so far, include: the realization of the first Greek Degrowth Conference (2015); the production and dissemination of five-books on: collective decision making; sustainable degrowth; building visionary eco-communities; non-violent civic action; seed sovereignty (), the production of a long length (90 minutes) documentary on degrowth and solidarity economy initiatives in Greece (2013) – “Enas allos kosmos”; the co-production of 3 grass roots festivals () on solidarity and cooperative economy with the participation of dozens of initiatives; the development of a grassroots networking e-platform of collectives on degrowth and solidarity economy named “Another world” with the participation of dozens of initiatives (2011); the realization of 2 degrowth picnics (); the realization of a ten-day intensive eco-camping seminar in Samothraki island (2009); participation as a non-formal network in 5 international Youth Exchanges (); and many capacity building, awareness raising and non-formal education activities.