Anja Lyngbaek, a passionate localization activist and Programmes Director of Local Futures, graced the European Ecovillage Gathering with her wisdom on the urgent need to change course. A dedicated community builder and food grower, Anja emphasized the necessity of slowing down within the current global system and focusing on rebuilding local economies.

Over the years, Anja Lyngbaek has coordinated a variety of projects about the renewing of ecological and social well-being by strengthening communities and local economies, including the Economics of Happiness International Conference Series, the International Alliance for Localization and World Localization Day. Fluent in Spanish, English and Danish, she has been a spokesperson for localization on several continents. Anja divides her time between a Mexican ecovillage and a small island in the Danish Archipelago. She is a passionate community builder and food grower and is happiest with her hands in the soil. Anja holds a BSc in Rural Resource Management and an MPhil. in Agroforestry.

At the European Ecovillage Gathering, she gracefully touched upon the theme of our Gathering, emphasizing the urgency of slowing down to prevent accelerating down the road we are headed to within the dominant ruling system. Anja’s speech deconstructed the notions of debt economy, bringing light to the fact that the system created is man-made and can be remade. As one of the possible solutions she proposed the production of necessities closer to home, advocating for local economies with an abundance of examples from local communities across the world.