Klimabarát Wekerle

The Klímabarát Wekerle project started about 3 years ago on the initiative of the local community association - Wekerle Társaskör, with support from local NGOs such as the Védegylet.

Here you can see photographs of the different events and read accounts of the programmes we've initiated. We've used the Transition methdology to organise ourselves, something made easier by the fact that Wekerle, as Europe's largest Garden City, has a built and natural environment that strengthens community bonds. Information and good ideas spread easily; there is a sense of 'village' life, in spite of the fact we are a suburb of 2 million-strong Budapest.

Presently we are working on catching peoples' imagination through community events such as the "Green Saturday", where there is a mix of the practical with the inspirational: come along and make something, eat something, share something, learn something... The "Green Shoot" night is a forerunner of the workgroups we'd someday like to have, actively bringing together those who share a common interest, by that cycling or sustainable building. The "Garden Circle" has just been formed to promote local food sovereignty, and people are getting excited about the ideas of community gardens. The "Kör Knitting Circle" is knitting together the hearts and souls of local people, also organising recycle art events. The "Energy Brigade" is the first really hands-on project for energy efficiency, training people to insulate their own windows and doors; the first steps are underway to team up with the local Architects Club to work on an Energy Efficiency and Renewable plan for the estate: it won't be easy, as the area is blessed as a conservation area.

We've had help from a lot of places. We are the first community member of the Hungarian Union of Climate Friendly Towns and the first community initiative to take inspiration from the Transition Movement, adapting it to the local context. Things are going well, and others are also drawing ideas from us.

Transition was first talked about here when Ervin Menyhart of Transition Coventry came to the Védegylet's summer school in 2008. A follow up training was organised for 5 people in England in 2009, where we had an express introduction to Transition with Jenny in Bath, and also a training in organising skills with Seeds for Change and People and Planet, who have similar methodologies. Transition Scotland has also been very helpful in sharing ideas and contacts, which has provided a lot of inspiration.

The Global Projekt translated and distributes "In Transition" (Átalakulásban), coupled with a "community brainstorming", to help bring out some of the ideas in the film: this project may grow into a HUB initiative, but it's too early to say yet...

Presently we are looking at the possibility of an exchange visit, to let us have a better look at what people are working on, and also to show what is happening here: while it may not be called transition, there are a lot of community-strengthening low-tech projects which share a similar goal.