“Local. A simple concept with the potential to change the world. The antidote to consumer capitalism. The key to solving our seemingly endless ecological crises. A guiding principle to take us back home: to community, to the natural world, and to prosperous, place-based economies.”

For more than four decades, Helena Norberg-Hodge has been raising awareness about the need to return to local – to move away from dependence on global monopolies, towards decentralised, regional economies.

Since the advent of colonialism and globalisation, the fabric of local interdependence has been steadily unravelling. We have been made dependent on distant bureaucracies and vast technological systems for everything from our food to our jobs, from the information we receive to our means of social interaction. To our own detriment, we have been distanced from the complex, interdependent web of life that is not only the real, localised economy, but a perpetual source of wonder and fulfilment.

In this Masterclass you have the opportunity to work closely with renowned localism pioneer Helena Norberg Hodge to unpack the opportunities for economic localisation in your community, and in action around the world. Together, we will explore:

Helena’s personal experience in the place-based, community-centred culture of Ladakh, in contrast to the competitive consumer monoculture surrounding us today
In addition to the unravelling of natural life forces, the escalating psychological and social challenges caused by our rapacious economic system
Localisation as a strategy for systemic change, with an emphasis on the central role of food and farming
Adopting and acting from a big picture perspective
The global localisation movement unfolding

This is a comprehensive masterclass for change makers seeking opportunities to support the localisation movement through policy change, as well as bottom-up, community initiatives.

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About Helena Norberg-Hodge:

Helena is a pioneer of the local economy movement. Through writing and public lectures on three continents, she has been promoting an economics of personal, social and ecological well-being for more than 30 years.

She is a widely respected analyst of the impact of the global economy and international development on local communities, local economies, and personal identity, and is a leading proponent of localisation, or decentralisation, as a means of countering those impacts.

Helena is the founder and director of Local Futures and The International Alliance for Localization (IAL). Based in the USA and UK, with subsidiaries in Germany and Australia, Local Futures examines the root causes of our current social and environmental crises, while promoting more sustainable and equitable patterns of living in both North and South. Helena is also a founding member of the International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture, the International Forum on Globalization and the Global Ecovillage Network.

Helena’s seminal book, Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh, has been described as “an inspirational classic,” providing insightful solutions to the unintended impacts of development, based on her decades living and working in Ladakh, India. Together with the film of the same title, it has been translated into more than 40 languages, and sold about half a million copies.

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Concession Rate:

We offer concession rates to support those who are unemployed, studying or working for non-profits and B Corporations. Please check out using the concession ticketing option.

Accessibility:
If you require Auslan Interpretation, please contact us at info@smallgiants.com.au at least 2 weeks prior to the event. We will be very happy to arrange this for you.

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About Small Giants Academy:

Our vision at Small Giants Academy is for a just and inclusive transition to a global economy that supports human flourishing while living in harmony with the natural world. Through articles, podcasts, conversations and masterclasses that illuminate the work of global thought leaders, Small Giants Academy is leading its communities towards a hopeful future, the Next Economy.