COMMUNITY DESIGN EXPERIENCE

We are living in times of profound transformation at all levels, social, economic and human. Many feel that these are times of chaos and uncertainty as we are witnessing a breakdown of conventional wisdom, and a massive transformation of world economy. Many scientists and concerned politicians warn us that our human civilization is at risk, and that we need to immediately transform our relationship to the planet, and the consequences of human impact on it.
They call for urgent new policies, for a world governance capable of meeting the challenges not as zero sum problems, but as opportunities towards an environmentally responsible, pluralistic and more awakened world.

In this context, the experience of intentional communities like the Federation of Damanhur can provide useful insights and models. Damanhur has now reached a stage of maturity, with almost 45 years of experience, hundreds of resident citizens and many more around the world.

Damanhur Foundation is committed to help share the best practices of the Federation, especially in relation to new “human technologies”, ie the positive effects of chosen and shared social models in the creation of sustainable, equitable and happy societies: it is in the hearts, minds and behaviors of humans of all ages that every transformation start from.

Existing new societies can create a benchmark for others, despite all pessimistic and doom ridden prophecies, so prevalent today. Communities are human laboratories for the future, where new paradigms, systems and economies can be tested. From these experiences, it is possible to distill elements and ideas that can be applied to society at large, towards the creation of a culture of peace. New forms of society are possible and practicable. They are the indispensable pathways to the creation of a new planetary balance in social, economic, human and cultural terms.

Professor Paul Ray, sociologist and co-author of “The Cultural Creatives” taught a seminar at Damanhur in 2008 and at the end of his visit he declared: “The issue of our time is how can we try out new approaches to community that will actually work and spread. We desperately need at this time to have something that will actually work. So the real value of Damanhur is giving permission to people to try out a new world, to show that a new world is possible.”

This was a long time ago and, fortunately, many more people around the world have been “trying out a new world”, and we feel hopeful that new formula will be found, based on true sharing, mutual understanding and support, gender equality, on-going education, inclusiveness and diversity.

Click here if you are interested in exploring and understanding the Damanhurian Community Design Experience.

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We created a university to share the knowledge we have researched and put into practice over these forty years.

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Damanhur welcomes guests from around the world to explore spiritual, artistic and social research.

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