EYFA (European Youth For Action) developed from a tour that was initiated by a Swedish/German group in 1986 to save the old forests in Europe: then named European Youth Forest Action. From these ‘routes’, it developed into a platform for grassroots movements working to transform local and international communities in their approach to environment and social, political and economical positions.
The international office located in Amsterdam coordinates EYFA’s activities. We support grassroots projects and initiatives in the following ways:
• Giving advice, knowledge and support in the activities and assist with fund raising and application writing, putting together projects and networking.
• Dissemination of call outs and information on environmental and social justice issues
• Organizing exchanges, seminars, trainings, network gatherings, projects & actions
Our main aim is to encourage people’s initiative and autonomy; people feeling empowered to act and to raise their voices in decision making processes that effect their lives. Our environmentalist perspective is based on the understanding that most environmental problems are also a question of social and economic injustice. EYFA works to challenge the current dominant social and economic system, while creating new methods based on social and environmental sustainability.
EYFA projects
It is characteristic of EYFA that projects initiated by EYFA become independent sustainable long term projects. Some projects, however, are central to the EYFA platform and the regular activities of EYFA office. These are:
> East-West European networking and collaboration
> Ecotopia annual summer gathering. www.ecotopiagathering.org/
WHO does EYFA support
Grassroots groups, organizations, and campaigns that combat environmental degradation, xenophobia, homo- and queerphobia, racism, fascism and sexism, and all forms of exploitation and injustice. Grassroots groups, organizations, and campaigns that promote cultural and biological diversity, and the rights of women, LGBTIQ, indigenous, migrants, animals and workers. EYFA gives activists an international perspective, but it is very important to us that we keep our focus on the grassroots of social and ecological change.
e-mail::: eyfa@eyfa.org
address::::::::::
minahassastraat 1
1094 rs amsterdam
the netherlands
ph. +31 [0]20 665 7743
fax +31 [0]20 692 8757