THE SUSTAINABLE KNOWLEDGE

By Irene Izquieta, OYED.

In the XIX century, the industrial revolution started and with it, the urban revolution appeared and a new way of understanding the world began. The cities seemed to have the secret of happiness. The people that lived in the countryside saw the big capitals as places full of opportunities for success. They were just promising. As the American dream before, it then seemed that the “big city dream” had started and for a long time, the “big city dream” was the sweetest idea for many people. Today though, a change is taking place and it seems that many of us are going “back to the roots”. The small villages and rural areas are offering now something that has become necessary to success. I would call it the “sustainable knowledge”. This “sustainable knowledge” has to do with ecological awareness -the need to respect the world in which we live- and the empowerment of rural areas and rural projects through the implementation of modern and sustainable projects that respect the environment and that involve young and creative people.

Europe is facing one of the most difficult economic and political crises in its history and businesses, companies and organizations are looking for individuals that have something new to offer; people with skills that make them “sustainable citizens”. Now the question will be: how can I get that “sustainable knowledge”?  There is a very good opportunity to do it. The initiative “ Rural Youth Europe” , an NGO founded by the Council of Europe, and Youth in Action, works to activate young professionals in the countryside. It provides the opportunity to participate in the formation of rural youth policies, to learn about and familiarize with other cultures and ways of living and to establish sustainable rural projects that empower rural areas.

As it can be seen, this NGO provides that “sustainable knowledge” and it allows people to meet those new demands. However, above all, this initiative with its projects allows young individuals to engage into a community that shares the same values and that definitely believes on the idea that in order to change the world, you must be the change you want to see on it.

You can find more information about Rural Youth Europe here.

OYED, Organization for Youth Education and Development
www.OYED.org