Who are we?
The three organisations that set up this partnership are locally rooted and share a common objective of bringing change, social and environmental justice to the villages and areas where we work, given that all of us also share, in different degrees, experience in adult education. Although similar in objectives and structure (we are three local associations working in mostly rural areas, but sometimes also beyond), each partner can bring specific strengths to the common work:
Asonautas (Association for Rural Transformation) is based in Cantabria, northern Spain. We are currently six people of different backgrounds living in a rural area, the Asón Valley, with the common objective of being able to stay in our villages and work here while taking steps towards rural transformation. We’d like to prove that there are other ways of doing things, focusing on social justice, environmental sustainability, care, the common good, etc. In our short life history, we have been involved in environmental activities, such as the control of exotic invasive species (both in the field and through dissemination activities) and environmental education for adults, activities in the social field, such as mediation workshops in schools, the first study on elderly women and loneliness ever made in Cantabria or the creation of local participation/support networks, and networking activities, supporting other associations to carry out their work, for example.
Maltae (Memorie à lire, territoire à l’écoute), based in Hyères on the Var coast of France, is an association with 25 years of experience, committed to popular education and participatory and eco-citizen approaches on the many subjects of the vast theme of “developing the territory, together, differently, tomorrow”. The structure explores a territorial cultural engineering around architectural, urban, landscape and environmental heritage, as close as possible to territorial resources and in an approach of innovation and action research. Identified among the actors of the social and solidarity economy, for the last 5 years, it is committed to the ecological and energy transition, especially in the face of climate change; recycling and circular economy have taken an important place. Its coastal location has led it to often deal with territories between the sea and the mountains, and in particular the problems of watersheds, from the source to the sea (issues of too much and too little, between drought and flooding).
Gramigna ODV is an Italian association that offers social inclusion and sustainable development for disadvantaged people in social farming (refugees, migrants, people with psychiatric disorders, prisoners). We develop educational projects for people and for schools on environmental sustainability issues, rural development, and social integration. We work in cooperation with local, national and international partners. Gramigna ODV promotes sustainable development, inclusion, empowerment, employability, informal learning, restorative practices, diversity, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, common values of freedom, tolerance, and respect for human rights as well as aiming at enhancing media literacy, critical thinking and sense of initiative of young people. Gramigna ODV offers social inclusion in urban regeneration for the most disadvantaged people, urban social gardening for all citizens, non-formal education, network building of active citizenship, etc.
