Members of VCIL Community & The Soil Project have just attended the first gathering in Asia, organized by Ecoversities Alliance at Wongasnit Ashram, Bangkok, Thailand from September 13 to September 16.
Participants include many large organizations and communities in alternative education in Asia, such as representatives of Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) and As One from Japan; Wongsanit Ashram community, Awakening Leadership Training (ALT), International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) from Thailand; representatives of Swaraj Univerversity, Shikshantar from India and other representatives from Philippines, Myanmar, UK, Bhutan, etc. Vietnamese representatives attending the Gathering included VCIL Community/The Soil Project/VCIL Travel School and Money IQ - Money EQ.
This program offers an opportunity to meet and connect individuals, organizations and projects involved in social transformation, towards the re-imagining of education: including internal programs, and outside the traditional education system and universities; as well as educational spaces that are locally relevant, promoting the reproduction of local culture, nature, and economy, and deeply connecting with the land where they live, towards sustainable practices that regenerate Ecosystem includes ecology, society and culture.
During the 4-day stay in Thailand, the members listened to the story of the birth and development of Ecoversities Alliance from Uncle Manish Jain. He graduated from Harvard, worked from Wall Street financial institutions to United Nations NGOs. With that experience he gave an honest and critical look at the global system of these organizations. From there, everyone has a better understanding of the whole picture of the global system, of what is going on, and motivates everyone to "rethinking" - rethinking and "questioning" - questioning the development and current educational and economic system.
In addition, the members sat together to discuss more in-depth about the story of education. For example, discuss the effects of education on nature, economy, society, indigenous knowledge, local communities; or whether modern education is the cause of social injustices, poverty, discrimination and other crises facing the world. From there, everyone discussed more about what we need to "Unlearn", and how we need to rethink and re-imagine education.
One of the most interesting sessions at the Gathering was a meeting with Ajarn Sulak Sivarasak one of Asia's most influential figures besides the Dalai Lama or Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh; with the support of two Buddhist leaders, he is considered the spiritual father of the international network of engaged Buddhists (INEB). Ajarn Sulak is known as a veteran social activist, Buddhist researcher and activist, author of books and programs on Thai political and social transformation, as well as other fluctuations in the world.
The conversation wasn't just about education, it expanded to a whole picture of events happening in the world, from the story of China in the South China Sea, to the story of unrest in Myanmar, the story of Royal Thai royal family or the Russian-Ukrainian war, but also warm and sincere sharing about happiness, life, conflict resolution and about human love and natural harmony.
In addition to broadening our knowledge and understanding of education - one of the central themes in both VCIL Community/The Soil Project/VCIL Travel School and Money IQ - Money EQ, we also have an association and cooperate with many different organizations and individuals through this gathering, such as cooperating with GNH Center Bhutan so that they can visit and study in Bhutan, cooperate in organizing a personal finance course with Friends & forest from Thailand.