Little Things Make Big Things Happen...

Active local communities are changing how Hungary works, cooperating to re-weave the
social and ecological fabric we all depend on for fulfilling lives: together we learn new ways of cooperation and solidarity, strengthen participation in local democracy, and lighten our ecological footprint. 

Who we are

We are a learning and support network made up of activists and organisations from diverse local communities. We come from urban, rural, roma, eco-village, sub-cultural, in-comer, student and academic backgrounds: this diversity is one source of our creative strength and our diverse social networks are one of our main resources. 

We cooperate with a wide and inspiring range of organisations in Hungary and abroad and participate in many forums and processes that support or accelerate this time of great change. 

We are part of the international Transition Network and the Regional Transition HUB for CEE and the Balkans. We are the Hungarian Transition HUB, representing the Hungarian Transition Movement internationally.

We organize and hold workshops and trainings for our network as well as a wider audience. Two experienced Transition Trainers are involved in our work and we regulary hold workshops teaching facilitation methods.

What we work on

A CULTURE OF COOPERATION

We share experience, skills, practical know-how, dreams and visions to support each others' local work. We organise exchanges and encourage solidarity between rural and urban communities.

HEALTHY LOCALLY PRODUCED FOOD

We recreate a relocalised, healthy food culture. We initiate and cooperate with urban and rural community gardens, farmers’ markets, organic box schemes, seed-swaps, vegetable ‘commando’ community food banks, community orchards and other food self-sufficiency iniatives.

A LIVING ECONOMY

We seek innovative ways to make the local economy work better through gift, barter, local money, relocalisation; community business, social co-operatives, community tool banks, flea markets, re-use festivals.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

Our communities put their energy into efficiency and innovation, tackling energy poverty and empowerment together. We experiment with innovative ways to cut energy use and aim for energy-efficient, comfortable homes. Examples are  efficient masonry heaters, social insulation brigades, community bio-brikket programmes, innovation with bike-energy and heat-from-compost, community self-build models, cobbing and efficient stove building)

ECO-INNOVATION

We develop and help new, essential forms of knowledge and techniques spread quicker.

CHANGING ATTITUDES

Doing transition means understanding how your community works, its needs, aspirations, what inspires and creates change. It means 'stepping up' and catalyzing that change... 

Why do we do all this? 

As human beings at this time in history our chance for a happier, peaceful future depends on our ability to recognise that the many overwhelming crisis we face push us towards changes that are ecologically sensible and ultimately good for us; we need to work for a resilient, more fulfilling and ecological way of living, building on collective and individual creativity, informed by the growing amount of knowledge on how the human community can be part of the ecology of our planet. 

This is home, lets respect it as such. Who can argue with that?

Most of us experience these changes as stress and despair, alienation, loneliness, frustration, and in the worst case the built-up anger is directed towards scapegoats and fictive enemies. Many become apathetic. One aim of working together is to minimise the suffering and stress our communities and we ourselves experience as the ‘old system’ declines. 

As humans, we were not born to be part of a market, full-time consumers, or isolated, go-it-alone families: we thrive as part of inter-connected communities and need an environment that sustains our health and cultural needs. The aim of Transition is to provide a new way of looking at change that supports these desires and brings out the best in us all to work for this.

What will this look like? No one knows, but there are innovative communities and individuals in our networks realigning their values and putting energy into everyday activities that can potentially undermine the ‘old way’ of doing things.  

This was just a little bit of our story. The best way to know more is to invite us to share our story and help your community discover its own. 

The Transition Communities programme is facilitated by
Védegylet Egyesület (Protect the Future Association).

email: contact [at] atalakulo.hu