2021

Through World Localization Day 2021, a diverse network of people and organizations, united by a shared dedication to building vibrant local economies, came together as a worldwide localization movement. WLD included a week of online events by Local Futures; partner celebrations on six continents; and a worldwide Local Food Feast campaign.

A week of extraordinary talks, interviews and live sessions:

Russell Brand, Charles Eisenstein, Brian Eno, and Naomi Klein recorded video messages for World Localization Day.

David Holmgren, Dr. Gabor Maté, Satish Kumar, and Camila Moreno recorded conversations with Helena Norberg-Hodge.

Local Futures hosted live sessions on heart-centered activism, policies, food systems, youth action, and more, featuring: Mary Graham, Anne Poelina, Michelle Maloney, Camila Moreno, Chris Smaje, Daniel Wahl, David Korten, Pat Mooney, Ronnie Cummins, Shilpa Jain, Pat McCabe, Alnoor Ladha, Vandana Shiva, Colin Tudge, Sarojeni Rengam, Nelson Mudzingwa, Michael Shuman, Judy Wicks, Richard Heinberg, Kunzang Deachen, Thais Mantovani, GoWoon Kim, Jane Davidson, George Ferguson, Sarah McKinley, Stephan Harding, Manish Jain, Ella Noah Bancroft, Tyson Yunkaporta, and Trudy Juriansz.

Event recordings and descriptions are available on the Events page and at the bottom of this page.

In 2021, organizations and individuals organized more than 60 events in 30 countries:

Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jersey (Great Britain), Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, UK, USA, Zimbabwe.

Event organizers:

Agroecology X · Alliance of Agriculture for Food · Alter Nativa · Architecture Centre · Asian Peasant Coalition · Aula del Mar · Australian Earth Laws Alliance · Ayuntamiento de Xalapa · Bhoomi College · Bhopal Medical Appeal · Bioma · Center for Educational Practice and Policies · Cape Town TV · Digo Bikas Institute · Ecologistas en Acción · Economia della felicità Italia · EcoUni · Frocal · Future Dreaming · Social Climate · Global Ecovillage Network Japan · Global Tapestry of Alternatives · Greenz · Gunna Jung · HearthFire Gathering at the Mullumbimby Commons · IUCN Med · Institute of Wellbeing · Japan Workers' Co-operative Union · Kalpavrisksh · KMP, the Peasant Movement of the Philippines · Lab 2050 · Local Futures Ladakh · Local Spark Torbay · Lokalekonomidagarna · Mangiasano · Miguel Angel Escalona · Mobilized.News · National Coalition of Natural Farming · New Economy Network Australia · Núcleo Muda · Organic Tuscany · Patricia Moguel Viveros · Peliti · Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific · Post Growth Institute · Rancho Limón · Regenerative Songlines Australia · Ruby Reed · Sambhavna Clinic Bhopal · SCOOP, The Sustainable Cooperative · Shikshantar · Sloth Club · Solidarité Rurale · Suma Yapu · Svet Tvorivo · The Climate Journey · The Cottage Market · Tianguis Alternativo de Puebla · Tipping Point Foundation · Totnes REconomy Project · Tosepan Titataniske · Transition Japan · University of London SOAS Law, Environment and Development Centre · University of Malaga · Universidad de Puebla · Universidad de Veracruz · Uri Fruchtmann · Uruna Bay Retreat · Utopies · Vikalp Sangam · WellGood Projects · Xalapa Secretaria de Desarrollo Económico y Portuario · Ximena Celis · YoCo, the York Central Co-Owned Neighbourhood · Youth Climate Emergency Action of Korea · ZIMSOFF, the Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers' Forum

In addition to the events above, hundreds of groups all over the world celebrated World Localization Day 2021 with a Local Food Feast, as part of a global campaign with focus on localization and local food economies. Get inspired to connect with local farmers and enjoy a delicious meal in community with the Local Food Feast 2021 image gallery, video montage, and promo video.

More details and links to recordings of Local Futures' 2021 World Localization Day online sessions. These can also be accessed from the Events page.

Connecting to Place, Caring for Country and Caring for Each Other: Mary Graham and Anne Poelina, two indigenous women elders, joined Helena Norberg-Hodge and Michelle Maloney for a groundbreaking discussion exploring the links between indigenous economies and localization. What does 'localization' mean in Australia? How do we achieve deep localization and a society based on well-being? Four remarkable women shared insights into their approaches to building a localized, Earth-centered, socially just society. Watch the recording.

Coming Back to Life with Camila Moreno, Chris Smaje and Daniel Wahl explored how we can break away from technology-centered development and envision a human-scale, regenerative path instead. Watch the recording.

From Corporate Control to Local Regeneration with David Korten, Pat Mooney and Ronnie Cummins offered wisdom on systems change from four elders with lifelong involvement in critiquing globalization and building alternatives. Watch the recording.

Connection at the Heart of Activism with Shilpa Jain, Pat McCabe and Alnoor Ladha, offered wisdom on how spiritually-anchored relationships with others and with nature can inform and enhance activism efforts. Watch the recording.

Want Change? Focus on Food - Vandana Shiva, Colin Tudge, and Sarojeni Rengam, with Helena Norberg-Hodge, offered a call to challenge corporate control of our food economy and shift towards local food systems and peasant-led agroecology. Watch the recording.

Strengthening Food Sovereignty Movement Building through Localizing Food Systems - Nelson Mudzingwa, a founding leader of the Shashe Agroecology School in Zimbabwe, discussed their work building healthy, resilient local food systems. Watch the recording.

Global to Local: Who has the Map? Michael Shuman, Judy Wicks, and Richard Heinberg explore concrete projects to build strong local living economies for a post-carbon world, such as public banking and citizen-led local investment. Watch the recording.

It’s Far from Over: Young People Carrying the Torch - Kunzang Deachen, Thais Mantovani, and GoWoon Kim, young activists had a conversation about finding the courage to embrace radical hope for the future and envision a localized world. Watch the recording.

Making Policies Work for the Future We Want - Jane Davidson, George Ferguson, and Sarah McKinley, three visionary policymakers, discussed their work implementing policies that consider future generations, put local food first, build community wealth, and more. Watch the recording.

The Way Home: Returning to Nature, Community and Self - Stephan Harding, Manish Jain, Ella Noah Bancroft, and Helena Norberg-Hodge explored the profound benefits of living in close relationship with local human and ecological communities. Watch the recording.

Localism: the ‘Ism’ to End All ‘Isms’? - Tyson Yunkaporta, Trudy Juriansz, and Helena Norberg-Hodge dove into the apparent paradox of how localization can simultaneously offer a united trajectory for change while encouraging a pluralistic flourishing of diverse cultures and worldviews. Watch the recording.

Co-creating a Movement for the World We Want: In these two sessions, community leaders, groups, and networks from 15 countries shared about inspiring localization projects they have initiated in their own communities, and engaged in dialogue about co-creating a global movement for localization.

Session 1 - Nelson Mudzingwa (Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers' Forum), Salim Dara (Solidarité Rurale, Benin), Jesus Iglesias Saugar (Social Climate, Spain), Imelda Havers (York Central Co-Owned, UK), Jay Tompt (REconomy, UK), Stephan Schürer (UferLeben, Germany), Elsa Schagen (The Tipping Point Foundation, Netherlands), Gunna Jung (LAB2050, South Korea), Kankana Trivedi (Kalpavriksh and Vikalp Sangam, India), Stella George (Development Alternatives and Vikalp Sangam, India), and Shankari Raj (Nudge Group, UK) with Helena Norberg-Hodge and Anja Lyngbaek. Watch the recording.

Session 2 - Arnold Padilla (PAN Asia Pacific, Malaysia), Kathryn Manga (KMP/Peasant Movement of the Philippines), Keibo Oiwa (Sloth Movement, Japan), Patricia Moguel Viveros (Mexico WLD/Global To Local coalition), Thais Mantovani (EcoUni, Brazil), Chris Wood (BALE/Building A Local Economy, US), Shail Shresta (Digo Bikas Institute, Nepal), Debra Efroymson (Institute of Wellbeing, Bangladesh), and Michelle Maloney (Australian Earth Laws Alliance, Australia) with Helena Norberg-Hodge and Anja Lyngbaek. Watch the recording.