MELCA Mahiber - Ethiopia

MELCA (Movement for Ecological Learning and Community Action) was founded in 2004 by a group of environmental practitioners and lawyers. The organization arose out of their shared concern about the erosion and destruction of biodiversity and culture in Ethiopia. The word melca also means ‘ford’ in the Amharic and Oromo languages. It is a crossing point on a river, and is used symbolically to indicate the need to take people to a greater understanding and appreciation of traditional ecological knowledge.

The organization is registered with the Federal Ministry of Justice, certificate No. 1918 of 2004. It has a General Assembly led by Dr. Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher, and a Board led by Dr. Melaku Worede. There are currently 8 members of staff including programme officers, administration and accounting.

MELCA aims to work for the revival and enhancement of traditional ecological knowledge and to protect the rights of communities to the same in Ethiopia. This involves research on policies, legislation and initiatives that affect culture and ecology relationships; advocacy and campaigning on community rights and the safeguarding of traditional ecological knowledge; capacity building and in-depth training through experiential learning, to educate youth and other change agents; and raising public awareness on culture, biodiversity and development issues, including culture and biodiversity celebrations.

It currently works with local communities, elders, schools and youth in the Sheka Forest region in southeast Ethiopia, the Bale Mountains National Park, and Menagesha Suba forest near to Addis Ababa. MELCA is also a regional node for the African Biodiversity Network.

Director: Million Belay

Contact:
Haile Gebresilasie Building
2nd Floor, Room No. 209
Haile Gebresilassie Avenue
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 6638736
Fax: +251 11 6638138
E-mail: melca@ethionet.et

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Advocacy Officer for the African Biodiversity Network. Full-time, based in Africa. More detail.

Gaia Learning Centre

2008 Programme of Events.

A range of workshops and evenings, to inspire and strengthen our relationship with the natural world and influence the choices we make in our daily lives.

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Wild Law Workshop - 26-28 September - with the Environmental Law Foundation and the UK Environmental Law Association.

Earth Ethics Series

Summaries from recent Gaia Evenings.

Zero Carbon Britain - by Peter Harper

Restoring the Mythological Paradigm - by Jules Cashford

The Colombian Amazon: An Indigenous Peoples' Journey - by Dr. Martín von Hildebrand

Changing America's Environmental Laws - by Andrew Kimbrell.

Science's Changing Myth - by Prof. Brian Goodwin.

Countdown: Life on a Hotter Planet - by Mark Lynas.

A New Relationship with the Living Earth - by Dr. Rupert Sheldrake.

Get Involved

Other events and links to inspire you:

The Age of Stupid - the unmissable new climate change documentary for the big screen. Documentary footage, drama and cutting-edge animation asks "Why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?"

Earth is Community - DVDs
For anyone who was not able to make our Earth is Community event, celebrating the vision and path of Thomas Berry. A set of DVDs with the main presentations, now available.

Earth Community Network

Schumacher College and Bija Vidyapeeth offer residential courses on Earth democracy and sustainable living. Visit the Earth Community Network for more opportunities in experiential learning - in Brazil, Kenya, India, UK.