Keuruu in Finland: fighting loneliness by uniting all generations
Keuruu is an ecovillage situated in the centre of Finland. After having been a traditional farm and then a rehabilitation centre, dating back to 1997, this enormous space of 53 hectares has accommodated an eco-community of 30 people between the ages of 1 and 75.
“It’s the beauty of observing the collaboration between all generations which has touched me the most in this ecovillage. In cities, loneliness and depression affects more than half of the inhabitants and more than often, young and old people do not mix. In Keuruu, the young people take pleasure in spending time with their elders, learning their stories and helping them in exchange.” – Marc, 27, visitor to Keuruu.
Keuruu has evolved a lot since its construction in the 18th century and while most of its infrastructures are still intact, there are several buildings that still need renovating. Thus, eco-construction is one of the main focuses of the community.
Ecology, arts and sauna
There are plenty of other activities within the ecovillage including: maintaining the traditional sauna close to the lake, a biological garden which follows the principals of permaculture, a house for the current culture and art exhibitions, a seedbank to protect natural species which are threatened by industry, waste recycling, water purification, sport, cinema and production of kombucha.
Simple rules for living together
Within its numerous phases, Keuruu has kept four fundamental rules for living in a community, according to the principals of the consensus and approved by all.
Firstly, violence is forbidden in all forms, i.e. physical but also verbal. Members of the community are invited to use non-violent communication techniques (NVC) in order to resolve issues. Second, drugs and alcohol are prohibited in memory of the alcoholics who came to Keuruu in the previous century in order to rehabilitate themselves.
Third, the politics and region are considered private subjects which are not to be exhibited in public/to the public and finally, the inhabitants value their rights to only be touched/affected if they wish, thus putting consent at the heart of their exchanges.
From consensus to sociocracy
As the community grows, it is considering a shift in their decision-making techniques, from consensus to sociocracy. If consensus is a just and democratic method, considering the opinion of all for each decision, it may not be suitable for larger groups, and this is why Keuruu plans to move towards sociocracy.
“Sociocracy saves time. And by directly giving the power to those who implement actions, this proves that we trust the specializations of each person. Thus, we are directly accountable.” – Fanny, 28, resident of Keuruu.
Looking to the future, Keuruu wishes to expand and to welcome more than 100 new residents. In addition to private apartments that can be rented, land is available for building houses.
Keuruu in pictures
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