:: Current projects:::: projects in searsh of partnership:: :: old projects::

Current projects

PONTO DE CULTURA E SUSTENTABILIDADE
(Culture and Sustainablility Point)

This project, designed and implemented by Terra Una and financed by the cultural ministry of the Brazilian government, consists in creating a Cultural Center in the nearby town of Liberdade and holding courses for the local population who’s access to information and cultural activities are very limited. The courses are divided into 3 categories:
1. Professionalization in art, handicraft and sustainable technology that creates better and more diversified sources of income especially for young people.
2. Media and communication technology.
3. Social and economic methods for local abundance and cooperation.

We believe that education is the key to creating sustainability. Through acquiring new skills and perspectives the inhabitants of the region gain self-confidence and are motivated develop socially and environmentally progressive methods for managing human and natural resources. By providing practical tools for transformation of harmful practices into constructive ones and giving capacity for new types of work with higher levels of income, we inspire young people to stay and take care of there place of origin, as opposed to moving to the big cities where in most cases they would end up in the slum areas. Recognizing that knowing how to work with information is an all important key to participation in democratic processes, Terra Una invites highly qualified teachers to teach information and media technology to local youth using modern methods and equipment. By offering these courses along with engaging the population in Liberdade and other towns in the area as well as the rural areas around them in cultural activities such as festivals, exhibitions, readings and concerts, Terra Una invites and inspires the inhabitants of the entire region to take responsibility for these beautiful mountains and their natural resources of water, crucial to tens of millions of people further down the waterways.

PONTO FLORESTAL - arte, vídeo e ecologia
(FOREST POINT - ART, VIDEO AND ECOLOGY) Integrating the project Interações Floretais, and the partnership between the Terra UNA association and the agency Nexo Cultural. This is a course in Art, Technology and Ecology. The course consists of 9 workshops lead by well known professionals from different part of Brazil, 8 exhibitions of videos with relating themes, and a period of practical training in the Terra UNA eco-village. The project is executed by the city of Cataguases/ MG, financed by the of Culture of the Brazilian government through the prize Interações Esteticas - Residências Artísticas em Pontos de Cultura (eng.: Esthetic Interactions - Artist Resedencies in Culture Points) in cooperation with Ponto de Cultura Fábrica do Futuro (eng.: The Future Factory Culture Point), the Institute of the City of Cataguases, the Institute Instituto Francisca de Souza Peixoto, and Estação Ecológica de Água Limpa (The Clean Wate rEcological Station). (Portuguese only)

CIRCUITO TELA VERDE
(The Green Screen Circuit)
The CIRCUITO TELA VERDE is an action promoted by the Department of Environmental Education of the Ministry of Environment (MMA) the Secretariat of Sound and Image of the Ministry of Culture (MinC), with support from the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio) (eng.: Chico Mendes Institute for Conservation of Biodiversity). Its objective is to contribute to the processes of construction of cultural values dedicated to environmental quality, using the language of sound and image in environmental education, by organizing exhibitions of independent films about social and environmental issues. Terra UNA, in cooperation with MMA is promoting these exhibitions in Liberdade/MG during 2009.

PRÊMIO iNTERAÇÕES FLORESTAIS - RESIDÊNCIA ARTÍSTICA TERRA UNA
(FOREST INTERACTIONS PRIZE – ARTIST RESIDENCY IN TERRA UNA)
This is a series of grants for research of Art and Life in Community, making it possible for artists and researchers with different backgrounds to live together in the Terra UNA eco-village during 21 days in order to develop their projects. Participants in the first edition in 2007 were Cristina Ribas, Domingos Guimaraens, Flavia Vivacqua e Nadam Guerra. They now constitute the Conselho do Programa Interações Florestais (Council of the Forest Interactions Program). The second edition that took place in 2008 included 15 participants that were selected through an auto-selective method, and was financed through the prize Conexões Artes Visuais FUNARTE/Petrobras Ministério da Cultura. (Portuguese only)

ENCONTROS BIORREGIONAIS DA MANTIQUEIRA
(BIOREGION MEETINGS OF THE MANTIQUEIRA)
Well aware of the need to act locally and create networks globally, for the last three years Terra UNA has been promoting meetings of ideas and experiences for those who live and work in the Area of Environmental Protection of Matiqueira, aiming for sustainable development, and stimulating reflection on how to create our future together in the region. The meeting that is hosted by a different institution each year aims to work on topics such as: Environmental Conservation, Education, Organic Food Production, Solidary Economics, Communal Organization, Intentional Communities and Eco-villages, Eco Tourism, Culture and Communication, Permaculture and Bio-Construction, Public Policies, and more.

Projects in search of partnerships for their development and implementation

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN PERMACULTURE AND BIO-CONSTRUCTION
The project seeks to provide the youth of the region, who currently do not have any educational possibilities beyond high school, with technical capacities. Thus, broadening the vision and action-range of these youths, who will gain ability in developing ecologically correct infrastructure and systems, as well as making possible the founding of a cooperative in order to sell their products and services.

POINT OF PEACE CULTURE (RJ)
This project, presented by ISER in cooperation with TERRA UNA aims to create a point of reference and convergence for the development of the Culture of Peace in Rio de Janeiro, by mapping and organizing initiatives that are already working with this theme. Meeting will be organized in order to educate “Agents of Peace”, supported by UNESCO, with a total of 110 hours duration for a group of 130 multipliers. Workshops working with themes such as solidary economics, non violent communication, peaceful conflict management, circular leadership and empowerment, participatory decision making, dances of peace, circular dances and more.

SOWING, WEAVING, AND COLORING WORKSHOP
This project seeks to promote the rediscovery of traditional techniques and offer alternative sources of income for the local population (specially the woman), training them for the foundation of a cooperative of garments and more, using local materials, such as wool, leather and natural coloring, used together with handicraft techniques such as weaving, sowing, knitting, crocheting and embroidery, in a way that creates a higher market value by combining artistic handicraft with original and modern design.

CONSERVATION OF WATER RESOURCES
Using permacultural techniques, this project will reverse the process of degradation of the waterways caused by the direct disposal of waste consisting of excrement from humans and animals as well as used water and organic waste. Simultaneously treating these waste products, and creating products for use and commercialization, including the foundation of a cooperative for production of ecological cleaning products.

AGRO FORESTRY BACKYARDS
By creating agro forestry backyards with high productivity, this project makes possible food security and an alternative source of income for the family, and at the same time promotes the economic involvement of the rural woman in the local economy.

RECOVERY OF FORESTS SURROUNDING RIVERS, BROOKS, AND SPRINGS
Using permacultural and agro forestry techniques, this project will create productive reforestation in areas of fundamental importance for the conservation of the waters in the region. At the same time as the rural land owner is acting for the common benefit, he/she also generates food, working opportunities and income for the family, through sustainable use of his/her land.

Older projects

ARTIST RESIDENCY 2007

REDE DE ECONOMIA SOLIDÁRIA FLOR&SER