GreenFriends began in India in 2001 as a movement for the preservation and protection of the environment. It is based on the principle that it is our duty to take care of nature and its purpose is to reestablish the harmony lost by humankind. It was initially oriented toward young people but today is a rapidly expanding international movement with thousands of followers of all ages; even very small children participate actively.

AMMA IS OUR INSPIRATION

Sri Mata Amritanandamay Devi, known as “Amma”, is a humanitarian and spiritual leader who has consecrated her life to serving and helping humanity. Through her extraordinary acts of love and service, she has touched the hearts of millions of people, passing on wisdom, strength and inspiration to them, motivating them to follow the path of selfless service.

She has developed humanitarian aid programs throughout the world and her observations on topics of current affairs — such as climate change, terrorism, intercultural tensions caused by poverty and women’s rights — invite us to become involved in the process of reconstructing a more supportive and loving society.

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EMBRACING DE WORLD (ETW)

This is the network that unites all the humanitarian projects inspired by Amma in over 40 countries that are aimed at meeting basic needs for food, housing, medical care, education and sustenance, in addition to others related to the environment, disaster aid and research.

The environmental branch, known as GreenFriends, promotes tree planting, kitchen gardens, recycling, cleanup campaigns in India, environmental education and creating sustainable communities around the world. This last activity is one of the most important of those carried out in recent years by Amma’s followers in Europe.

GREENFRIENDS EUROPE

GreenFriends was set up in Europe in 2009. Twelve European nations organized a network of projects in which each country acts independently but is linked to the rest under a single leadership to be more effective.

The three primary lines of action in Europe are:

·         Sustainable communities: Developing and maintaining the centers founded by Amma as community models of ecological living. They foster the practical application of sustainable development and are planting the seeds of a better future. The main centers in Europe are La Ferme du Plessis and Lou Paradou in France, the Hof Herrenberg Center in Germany, and the Piera Center in Spain. There are also centers in Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.

·         International exchanges focusing on sustainable living: Offering innovative formulas for teaching, based mainly on practical projects that enable participants to acquire knowledge and experience, especially in permaculture, tree planting and organic gardening.

·         Outreach tools: Promoting more ecological life styles, especially through the InDeed campaign, which encourages all of us to take simple measures in our everyday life and disseminates numerous techniques to achieve a sustainable future.

Many of the projects and activities have been formally recognized by UNESCO as part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

GreenFriends develops programs in permaculture, tree planting, organic gardens and the restoration and preservation of wildlife sanctuaries.

It also organizes gatherings and meditation groups in forests and nature areas.

GreenFriends volunteers build ecological housing, act as health workers to promote the use of effective microorganisms (EM) and develop recycling projects as a way to preserve the earth and conserve water.

As members of the UN Billion Tree Campaign, GreenFriends has planted more than a million trees all over the planet since 2001.