For about eight days, 37 visitors from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, USA, stayed in the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela. Professors Anne Fischel and Peter Bohmer brought 30 students enrolled in the study abroad course, “Venezuela: Building Economic and Social Justice.” During this week, the group visited a poor barrio, a rural community in the mountains, the Bolivarian University, Centro Madre, a chocolate cooperative, a national park, the new national police academy, and met several social leaders. We provided each person a bunkbed, three meals a day, and optional yoga classes. On January 29 the group left for the cities of Mérida and Barquisimeto, where they will stay individually in the homes of Venezuelan families for seven weeks and do study and film projects with cooperatives and community organizations. They will return to the institute in March for their last five days before returning home. Here are some of their comments:
“Potentials and Risks of Cooperatives for a Socialist Construction” by Camila Piñeiro Harnecker, (Cuba) researcher and professor at the Center of Studies on the Cuban Economy, University of Havana. Listen to the audio file in Spanish. Read the original Spanish presentation.
Panel 4, “Ethics for Personal and Social Transformation” Translation of questions and answers. Facilitator: Nieves Pino, economist, social worker. July 8, 2011. Listen to the audio file in English or audio file in Spanish. - Read the Spanish text.
"The Prout Fish"In the days prior to the First Global Prout Conference in Venezuela, the Institute was looking for a solution to the front wall of the house which was damaged. Then, motivated by the preparation work of the conference, I decided to intervene and the result was "The Prout Fish." Carving with a grinding machine and cutting the shapes directly in the concrete of the wall, I made a pattern resembling fish scales. It seemed a metaphor to see the Institute as a fish that travels the seas linking people, countries, continents. This fish has the mission of spreading the Prout theory to the world, creating links between all those who believe in a better world.
"The Eternal Light of Baba""The Eternal Light of Baba" came after a request by Dada Maheshvarananda to make an original painting for the Institute. I immediately accepted his proposal, because I always had the same desire. After months of searching for the subject of this painting, I came to the Institute with some idea of what I wanted, because in my spontaneous style of painting that arises within me, I'm never sure how to finish a work. In the atmosphere of the meditation room, Baba threw light on me, and so while painting I realized that we are here thanks to Baba who is our inspiration and who guides our steps along the way. His light is our food, our hope, our purpose and our destiny. Holding his hand we walk, turning into warriors or children, but always aware of life and love. The creator of Prout has inspired us with his philosophy that now underpins the work of this institucion. Thank you, Baba, and fill our path with light.
Letter from the Director:
Centro Madre's agriculture project has developed wonderfully during the last six months. With the help of a loan from the Ministry of Agriculture (FONDAS) of Bs.F. 75,000 (about US$9,000), we built a large, new house for the chickens that is 72 square meters, plus we fenced in an additional 450 square meters where they can freely roam. We have 100 young chickens which will start laying eggs in three months.
Economy, ecology, community health, indigenous rights, cooperatives, women's rights, and spiritual wisdom were presented by nationally and internationally recognized authorities at the "Building a Solidarity Economy based on Ethics and Ecology" conference in downtown Caracas. Approximately 400 people attended the three-day conference on July 7-9, 2011 organized by the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela. Twenty-nine speakers presented, representing 15 progressive non-government organizations, a government-owned bank, two large cooperatives, and four university professors.
MORNING PANEL PRESENTATIONS: Click on a title to see the translated transcript. Listen to the audio recordings of the English translations or original Spanish here
Panel 1: “Solidarity Economy in Latin America: Lessons and Possibilities from Venezuela, Brazil and Cuba”: Facilitator: Leopoldo Cook
1. Nora Castañeda, president of Banmujer,the Women’s Bank: “The Bank of Development of Women:A Grassroots Tool for the Construction of a Feminist Solidarity Economy.”
2. Claudio Nascimento, (Brazil) Historian, activist, popular educator, author of several essays on self-management and the Solidarity Economy. Cabinet member of President Lula da Silva, member of the National Secretariat for Solidarity Economy of President Dilma Rousseff: “The Solidarity Economy and Self-Management: Principle of Communal Power.”
3. Camila Piñeiro Harnecker: (Chile-Cuba) researcher and professor at the Center of Studies on the Cuban Economy, University of Havana: “Potentials and Risks of Cooperatives in Socialist Construction”.
4. Elvy Monzant, Dean of the School of Communication at the University Cecilio Acosta de Maracaibo, member of Gestión Participativa Cooperative: “Diagnosis and Perspectives of the Social and Solidarity Economy of Venezuela: Where are we and where are we going?”
5. Dada Maheshvarananda, monk, author, activist, director of the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela: "What is Prout?"
Panel 1 questions and answers.Panel 2: “Consciousness, leadership and will: preserving our environment”: Facilitator: Leopoldo Cook
1. Belkys Urbina, Ecologist, Masters in Tecnology Management and Risk Control, and Masters in Industrial Maintenance: “The Planet and Consciousness”.
2. Chelo Nogueira, architect, founder of the Turtle Foundation: “Objective Earth”.
3. Frank Bracho, former Ambassador of Venezuela in India, ecologist and author: “Environment, Health and Happiness.”
4. Jody Wright (Acharya Devanistha) (USA), Prout activist for 35 years, studied under P.R. Sarkar: “Sadvipras: Prout’s vision of enlightened leaders.”
Panel 3: “Cooperatives: Diagnosis and Solutions in Building Economic Democracy”: Facilitator: Gustavo Fonseca
1. Prof. Carlos Molina Camacho, former National Superintendent of Cooperatives and Savings Banks, professor of cooperative law at UCV: “Simón Bolívar and Cooperativism” and “Prout and the creation of a socioeconomic system that reconciles justice with freedom”
2. Lizeth Vargas and Dario Gonzalez, CECOSESOLA–Lara State Central Cooperative: “Building Here and Now the World that we Want.”
3. Prof. Benito Díaz, Editor of CAYAPA (Venezuelan Journal of Social Economy), Venezuela Board of CIRIEC, Professor at the Universidad de Los Andes – Trujillo: “Innovation in Organizations of the Social Economy.”
4. Dada Jinanananda, (Congo-Brasil) Yoga monk: “Spirituality and Social Change”
Panel 4: “Ethics for Personal and Social Transformation”: Facilitator: Nieves Pino, economist, social worker
1. Sandra Castillo Castro Delegada UCV to the Organization of American States, and member of the Economic Advisory Committee of AnimaNaturalis Internacional, and Luís Verdú Brito president of the Student Center of Economic Faculty of UCV: “Economic Trends Towards the Ethical Treatment of Animals”
2. Víctor "Vyasa" Landa, (Peru) founder of the School of Life, Shanti Yoga Center for Harmony in Bethesda, Maryland, USA: “Aparigraha: A New Economic Paradigm for a Culture of Peace.”
3. Juan Sarmiento, (Philippines-Venezuela) psychologist, lecturer, business consultant, founder of the Will of Excellence Foundation: "Human Excellence: Seven Keys to Success and Happiness."
Panel 5: “The Creative Force of Community: Women, Identity, Health and Consciousness.”: Facilitator: Lelia Delgado, anthropologist, author
1. Didi Ananda Sadhana, (Netherlands-Venezuela) Director, Centro Madre, Barlovento, Venezuela: “The Importance of Cultural Identity to Empower People: The Example of Barlovento.”
2. Dr. Alba Carosio, Director of Womens Studies Center of UCV, author: “Feminist Contributions to the Good Life.”
3. Maya Shita, General Coordinator of the Warao Tribe, leader of the El Moriche indigenous community: “Living Together in One World.”
4. Dr. Adalberto Barreto, (Brazil) psychiatrist, anthropologist, theologian: “Community Therapy: supportive social networks to promote Life”
5. Leopoldo Cook, former telecommunications chief of PDVSA, columnist, author, member of Board of Director of PRIV: “The Awakening of Consciousness: Prout and Socialism, Face-to-face.”
José Albarrán of the Prout Research Institute of Venezuela: "Closing Remarks".
Panel 5: “The Creative Force of Community: Women, Identity, Health and Consciousness.” Translation of questions and answers. Facilitator: Lelia Delgado, anthropologist, author. July 9, 2011. Listen to the audio file in Spanish. - Read the Spanish text.
Panel 3, “Cooperatives: Diagnosis and Solutions in Building Economic Democracy.” Translation of questions and answers. July 8, 2011. Facilitator: Gustavo Fonseca. Listen to the audio file in Spanish. - Read the Spanish text.