Local Futures

International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC)

Qui sommes-nous

Local Futures was known as the International Society for Ecology and Culture, or ISEC. The International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization of cultural and biological diversity, and the strengthening of local communities and economies worldwide. Our emphasis is on education for action: moving beyond single issues to look at the more fundamental influences that shape our lives.

ISEC´s work began as The Ladakh Project more than thirty years ago in the Himalayan region of Ladakh. The organization initially focused on supporting Ladakh´s indigenous culture by bringing information to balance the idealized images of the consumer culture flooding into the region through tourism and development. Over the years, the organisation´s focus has expanded to address more global concerns and in 1991 changed its name to the International Society for Ecology and Culture to reflect that shift.

ISEC´s mission is to protect and renew ecological and social well being by promoting a systemic shift away from economic globalization towards localization. Through its "education for action" programs, ISEC develops innovative models and tools to catalyze collaboration for strategic change at the community and international level.

Programs:
• Global to Local: Our wide-ranging Global to Local outreach program informs the public about the need for a shift in direction: from global dependence to local interdependence. Our current Global to Local initiatives work to catalyze and promote the emerging movement towards localization. Our projects include a feature-length documentary, The Economics of Happiness, and the formation of an International Alliance for Localization.
• The Ladakh Project: Since 1975, ISEC has been providing Ladakhis with information about the impact of conventional development in other parts of the world while exploring more sustainable patterns of development in Ladakh itself, based on the use of local knowledge and resources. ISEC has helped to establish several important indigenous organisations in Ladakh. We have produced community theatre, radio shows, Ladakhi language schoolbooks, the first Ladakhi-English dictionary, and an educational comic book, "A Journey to New York", that has been used in schools throughout Ladakh. ISEC has also supported farmers in resisting the pressures of industrialised agriculture.
• Roots of Change: Study Circle Program: The curriculum, comprising voices of leading political, economic and ecological thinkers from around the world, lays out both how we´ve arrived at our present predicament and what we can do about it. The emphasis is on education for action: moving beyond single issues to look at the more fundamental influences that shape our lives. Roots of Change is a guided study circle program. ISEC helps people organize small groups in their own community and provides a series of readings to generate discussion.
• Local Food: ISEC´s Local Food Programme aims to raise public awareness about the environmental and social problems, in order to lay the foundations for community action and political change. We organise regular meetings - from local workshops to international conferences - and have written extensively for a wide range of audiences. We are also very active in promoting farmers´ markets, vegetable box schemes and other forms of community supported agriculture.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.