From the Republic day we are starting one more AurovilleNews. Today, we have an interview with Gijs, a volunteer from Holland that has decided to spend his time in Auroville getting involved with the community and its projects, in his case Buddha Garden and AurovilleRadio. Gijs shares with us a bit of his story and perspective for his visit in Auroville. In the announcements we have two important information from L'Avenir: the new road between Arka and Surrender is going to start to be built and they have purchase a Survey Monkey tool to the community. And as today is Republic Day a few services are closed! Check the news to know each one. Read more

Another speaker at the Green Practice workshop held in August was Bhavana Dee, who founded the Auroville Village Action Group (AVAG) in 1983. When Bhavana arrived at Auroville in 1971 it was a barren wasteland and “it was not anything like a city”. She went on to describe how they all worked together, along with the local villagers to help, to build Auroville. Calling it a very colourful time, she said the community was a happy one despite the lack of many basic facilities. Bhavana said if people take up the cause many such barren lands can be restored to their past glory as “mother nature is right there, ready to cooperate”.

The news today features land and sea and the sand connecting them: the beaches. A second beach erosion meeting held at Quiet last week focused on the urgent need for action and for joining forces, beginning with re-constitiuting an Auroville Coastal Group. Secondly to establish clear facts, and long-term as well as short-term objectives, beginning with the fact that the sea-erosion of Tamil Nadu's beaches is caused by the Breakwater of Pondicherry's harbour, which is due to the constructing of the many groynes in the Pondy territory, all of which block the natural flow of sand. See: www.slideshare.net/Pondycan/pondicherry-tamil-nadu-beach-erosion-presentation.Read more

Ross of the Entry Service is featured in today's news in an excerpt from a presentation he made last Saturday, offering insights on what the work is in serving in this crucial group. Also in the news there's an announcement about the upcoming data-collection to begin in the work of updating the records of Aurovilians, a census in fact. Also information from the Auroville Forest Group on the planting of TDEF (Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest) as they planted 18,000 seedlings, restoring the habitat ,waging the good battle against unconscious tree cutting.

Auroville joined the world on 18 September 2010 for the first annual celebration of bamboo to increase the awareness of bamboo's glory globally. Tune-in for an interview with Dominic, as co-designer of Auroville's first bamboo bicycle! “The World Bamboo Organization aims to bring the potential of bamboo to a more elevated exposure – to protect natural resources and the environment, to ensure sustainable utilization, to promote new cultivation of bamboo for new industries in regions around the world, as well as promote traditional uses locally for community economic development.” See http://worldbambooday.org/ for more details.

After 12th of January when earthquake of catastrophic magnitude stroke Haiti, the whole world react on it with different ways of help. Sadhana Forest Group left for Haiti in April to offer help and introduce the model of reforestation project with environmental leadership program. On the South West corner of Haiti, on the border with Dominican Republic, in the poorest area of Anse-a-Pitre the piece of land was offered to them to work on it. Sadhana Forest group wants to share a strong vision, and experience of Auroville with the people of Anse-a-Pitre, which would lead to a different kind of consciousness and different attitude.

Go to READ MORE for more information and photos. Read more

Dans le sillage d'Auroville, d'autres initiatives bourgeonnent... En pleine savane africaine, au milieu d'une végétation sahélienne clairsemée, sur des sols pauvres, voici le premier Aurovillage... Hassan est venu pour la première fois à Auroville il y a 25 ans. Après avoir passé quelques mois à Auroville, il  rentre en France pour faire une formation en pépinière et arboriculture avec l'idée en tête de revenir s'installer à Auroville. Mais le destin en a décidé autrement. En effet son chemin à croisé celui de Pierre Rabih qui à l'époque montait un projet en agro-écologie au Burkina Faso. Il passa un vingtaine d'année en Afrique de l'Ouest et créa Durant toute ces ann?

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Last Friday, the 5th of February 2010, the residents of Sadhana Forest invited numerous guests to their Brazilian Night. A very interesting film about the art of Capoeira and its development was shown, delicious vegan organic Feijoada was served and finally the audience could listen to and watch an amazing play by the Sadhana Forest Band. With a lot of wonderful Brazilian rhythms like Samba and Axé, the band offered a humorous understanding of Brazil´s past, including the story of the slaves, colonization, and the indigenous people from the Amazon.

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Presented by l'Avenir d'Auroville: an 'Open Meeting' at Town Hall Conference Room, 10 a.m. - 12 noon Friday 4 December 2009. Topic: Regional Planning Presented by Prashant, Coordinator for Regional Planning.L'Avenir members present: Sauro, Lalit, Pino,Toby, Tine and approximately 20 Aurovilians. L'Avenir d'Auroville has expressed its willingness and thanks to make use of AurovilleRadio's offer to record and broadcast its 'Open Friday' meetings. The 10 a.m. timing of these Friday meetings does not, unfortunately, allow but a handful of participants, as that time of day finds most people at work...

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Maya, Srishti and Smiti will be representing Auroville at the Second International Youth Symposium on Biodiversity, in Ottawa, Canada (July 5th - 8th). They have prepared a short delivery especially for the Auroville audience. These girls have conducted a six month research in Auroville canyon areas, to explore and learn more about the local Biodiversity. They have come together to present the products of their exploration and share their unique perception of what they have perceived.

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Each year Earth Day is commemorated in Auroville with a week of celebration and learning. One highlight of the week was the Saturday festival outside of the Solar Kitchen. Many Aurovillians, Units and Guests hosted booths where they sold, gave away or educated on what they are doing to make Auroville a more sustainable place to live. The following is a walk-around interview with the various representatives of the booths. See more pics in READ MORE.Click here to listen and join in on the excitement of Auroville's Earth Day festivities!

Read more

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A major component of Pitchandikulam Forest’s work involves working with communities to empower them towards self-sustainability and involve them in the process of eco-restoration. Currently the Pitchandikulam team works in 25 villages throughout the Kaliveli Bio-Region. Giving the example of Nadukuppam village, Joss talks about planting of Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest, environmental education, establishment of womens; Self Help Groups, awareness programmes, income generation initiatives. The team from Auroville is also involved in the protection and development of local traditional health medicine through the use of indigenous medicinal plants and conducts health camps for people and cattle.

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As usual about 40 people attended the Newcomer Reception at Pitchandikulam forest. Joss, the founder of the community talked about his life experiences and the early days of Auroville. He made a presentation of the Nadakuppam environmental education centre which he initiated and is now fully operational. We also saw a short video of the Adayar Poonga ecological preservation project which is being directed by Joss and in development stage.Click play to listen, or download this program.

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With a background in carpentry and now architecture, Regina built her own house using mostly sustainable products like mud, coconut fiber, red earth, stone, and bamboo. Are you worried about earthquakes or termites attacking your house?  From the first layer of red earth to the woven roof, Regina will tell you how she built her own house. Listen to the following program for Regina's step-by-step guide to build your own earth-sourced house. Regina also offers personal consultation to dedicated builders.

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Sadhana Forest is about growing trees and growing people. Volunteers from all over the world, as well as Aurovillians, work together in this new reforestation project. They practice an eco-friendly way of life including veganism, alternative construction, solar energy, water resource management, and composting toilets. Last week, Aviram who has created this community with his wife Yorit, organized an experimental one week workshop on earthbag construction. Around 40 volunteers and Aurovilians full of positive energy and good will, trying to build an earthbag dome! AurovilleRadio spent an afternoon to capture the warm ambiance and some impressions of this workshop.

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To deepen the relationship between Auroville and Campinas and to create new programs together, came to Auroville the official representative of the Secretariat of International Cooperation of Campinas, Giovana Lima. Enjoy the interview in Portuguese and in English. Conheça a irmandade entre Auroville e Campinas e os projetos a serem desenvolvidos em parceria entre as duas cidades irmãs na entrevista com Giovana Lima, representante oficial da Secretaria da Cooperação da Prefeitura de Campinas.You can download the presentation by clicking here.

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Dopo anni di attivita', chiamiamola cosi', politica, Santo si dedica ora solamente agli alberi, lavorando al Botanical Garden. Lontano dai clamori del Working Committee, dai conflitti dell'Auroville Council, dalle beghe del Pour Tous Distrubution Center e dai dubbi esistenziali dell'Entry Group (gruppi di cui fu parte attiva) Santo oggi parla con semi e piantine cercando come loro la luce.

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