As One Network

Alex" and "Antje" who came to Switzerland and stayed at As One Suzuka community for 3 months from September.

They returned to the Swiss community in December and are now living there.



Here is a little bit from Alex's blog about what happened afterwards.

I am now a different person than I was before I went to Suzuka. I think that I was like that now and could just look freely in practical everyday life without effort is also a result of the regular As One meetings with Sakai-san and Diego and Nanako-san and Antje. And the telephone meetings with Marceline. Not all of these meetings were always pleasant for me. Sometimes it was almost too much for me or I had trouble finding something to say.


*They works in Switzerland, baking and selling bread, etc.

Maybe because I had bad experiences with meetings in Switzerland. But I think these meetings in Suzuka have brought me closer to the Alex I really am. This Alex seems to be someone who is calm inside and enjoys life with other people.

I can need more As One meetings.
I feel that I want to go back to Japan to learn more.


*Delicious bread made by Alex and Antje

In the city of Jaguariúna, located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, the creation of a new society has begun. The name of the project is "Jaguariúna As One Community".



The members are Kenji Minowa, Keigo Minowa, Kayo Minowa, Marceline and Diego.
Our brother Ryuji and Lucas and their families and Kenji's son also live with us.



The industry is poultry farming and farmland.

The Jaguariúna As One Community began in 1988 as a farm in the small town of Jaguariúna, in the province of San Patro.

In 2000, the members of the Jagaliuna community and the As One Suzuka community began to exchange experiences and stay in the Suzuka community, gradually creating a new style of community.

Recently, we have been trying to put more energy and heart into our chicken eggs to create a community of happy chickens and happy workplaces.



We are also holding [As One Seminars] in Brazil.

We want to actually create a new society while also nurturing the young people of the future and the people of the community in that place.



We want more and more people to know about this world, and in order for as many people as possible to come into contact with this desire, we are organizing As One Seminars and ScienZ School courses, as well as living and youth project campings, and so on.



Takuki Okada, a member of the As One Suzuka community in Japan, came to the site to interact with the local community and to give a talk about the activities in Japan.



Let's make everyone in the world happy!
With this thought in mind, something small but essential, even in Brazil! The first step in this direction has begun.

Takuki Okada, a student at ScienZ Academy (As One Suzuka Community), has been visiting the As One Brazilian Community in Brazil since November to participate in an exchange program as part of the social development training program.

We asked him to report on the exchange from Brazil.


Takuki Okada, usually studies as a ScienZ Academy student in Suzuka, Japan.

We organize camps for Brazilian youths and children.
It is about a week-long camp set on a farm here in As One Brazil.
They can talk about anything in peace, play to their heart's content, learn and live in a safe environment, while experiencing and playing in agriculture, such as harvesting crops and collecting eggs from chickens.

This time, we held a camp (Chikyu-mura) for its staff to get together and draw about the future.
The staff members of this camp are all people who originally participated in the camp when they were children.
This time, we gathered mainly the younger generation among the staff members.



While I was involved with Gaia Youth in Japan as a staff member, I saw how each participant gradually opened his/her heart and how they naturally got to know each other, and I felt the possibility that human beings could be more.
Before participating in this camp, I had a meeting with the staff of this camp.
At that time, as I listened to the thoughts of the youth about the camp, I felt a sense of certainty that this is how human beings can really connect with each other.
Felix's (a ScienZ Academy student living in Japan) brother Axel, was our interpreter for the three days.



Why do I feel at ease here?
What elements make it so?
Let's first connect with people who want to realize these things.
Let's connect with each other so that we can become an environment where people can be at ease in each place and remain so.
It was a three-day event that seemed to spread the harmony of the connected hearts and minds throughout the world.



And last weekend, we also held a talk session for Brazilian people.
Roughly 35 people attended that day.
I thought it was amazing just the fact that someone had come to listen to a young Japanese man whom they did not know well.
This time, I mainly introduced ScienZ Academy and talked about the As One Network.
I asked Axel to do the interpretation again this time, and I was happy to think that I had gotten to know him well through this opportunity.
Everyone listened to the end of the talk and asked questions, and the two hours flew by.
It seemed that the expressions on the faces of those listening gradually softened, and I would be happy if something was left in each one of them.
I hope that this will lead to our activities not only in Japan but also in Brazil.
This was my first opportunity to speak for two hours alone, and I would like to have such an opportunity again somewhere in Japan.

In the As One Community in Brazil, a camp for young people is held on a regular basis. Many young people participate.



This month, we had a meeting with the members who are staffing the "Brazilian As One Community Youth Camp".
LEO, who is studying as a "ScienZ Academy Student" at the As One Community in Japan, also returned to Brazil for the first time in a while and participated in the meeting.


LEO, a student of ScienZ Academy. Attending a meeting in Brazil from Japan.

"What are we trying to accomplish at the youth camp?"
"What are our goals, what do we want to achieve?"

First of all, it is important for the staff members to get along well with each other and be able to talk about anything and everything, so that the young people who will participate in the camp can understand what we are trying to achieve.

"The staff members this time ranged from 17 to 39 years old. I felt that the young people were very motivated to create something together for the next generation", said LEO.



It seems that there are many young people in Brazil who would like to visit the As One Community in Japan and are also interested in the ScienZ Academy.
We are sure that exchanges with Brazil will become more and more active in the future.


Diego" (rightmost photo),is studying in the As One Community in Japan.
Diego is also creating the next society in Brazil by studying between Brazil and Japan.

As One Network and Scienz are attracting increasing attention in Switzerland, Germany, and other parts of Europe.

Talks, lectures, workshops, etc. are being held in various locations, mainly by members who have participated in the Scienz School held in Switzerland.





From 8/12 to 8/14, lectures were held at three locations in Switzerland, with a total of more than 120 people attending.

They included young people who dream of creating a new society, a group of women who aim to establish a free school, and others who wish to see a transformation in society.

They listened very attentively for all three days, and the more questions they asked, the more they wanted to know and learn more, and the more they seemed to have hope for the next society.





On August 17, the workshop was held in Una Village (https://unavision.eu/de/unavillage/), a former East German region near the Polish border, two hours east of Berlin by train.

Twenty people with a strong interest in the new society attended.
A student from Ethiopia
A female student from the U.S.
Germans living in Auroville
The participants were diverse, including.
Everyone was really enthusiastic and seemed to have a lot to talk about.

After listening to As-One's attempt to,
"I had been involved in various activities, but I knew something was missing. I realized that it was because I didn't know the importance of relationships between human and human."
One participant shared his impressions with us.



We are now looking forward to seeing more and more developments in Europe.

We were invited to give a lecture in Brazil on the 11th, following the 7th.



This time it was at a community space called Casa da Nonna in Sao Paulo.



This time, along with Masashi Ono of the institute, Diego, who lived in Suzuka for 5 years and is now training at As One in Brazil, also gave a talk.



Enzo, the 28-year-old organizer of this place, attended Gaia Education in Brazil in 2016 and is working to build new relationships in the city of São Paulo, where he grew up.



Although it was a small group, it was a dense gathering of young people and an opportunity to experience new possibilities.

On July 7, Masashi Ono of the ScienZ Institute was invited to give a lecture in Brazil.



Location: Montessori Kindergarten Bambu in Sao Carlos



The theme was "Parenting without Pressure or Punishment.



From the site, we received the following report: "It was an enjoyable time to discuss with enthusiastic participants about the ideal environment for a child to grow up and how the adults should create it."



The photo above is one with Diego and others, who have been learning at the ScienZ Academy in Suzuka for 5 years and have been training at the As One Community in Brazil since April.

From the end of the year to the beginning of the year in Switzerland, three courses of the ScienzZ School are being held.Starting in the summer of 2019, people from Europe have been coming to the ScienZ School twice a year, in succession, in summer and winter.



Switzerland is in the middle of a record number of corona infections right now, and several people have been unable to participate due to corona-related issues. In spite of this, however, we have a group of enthusiastic people who want to participate in order to grow as a human being. (We are also taking all possible measures against Corona)

The photo shows the members of the "Know Yourself Course" that ended on January 1.


A 27-year-old young man - "I experienced a transformation in myself by learning from and among everyone.

A 37 year old woman: "I felt like a butterfly flapping its wings, realizing the prison I created and realizing my true wish that was inside of me.
These were some of the comments I heard.

It seemed to have been a wonderful week for all participants to feel the wonder and potential of humanity.

Happy New Year to you all. I am pleased to be able to work with you this year through the activities of the As One Network.


21 years ago, As One Network Suzuka Community was born in a corner of Suzuka City by a few volunteers. They were eager to "realize a society where everyone in the world can live happily.

A family-like community has been created with various researches and trials since 2001. Now 200 people beyond blood relations join the community. In addition, network activities have been emerging and spreading to the abroad, by people who have come into contact with the community's reality.
And now people both of community and network are trying to create "one world" together.

Especially since last year, new visiters have been increasing. They are trying to create a new future; such as political leaders, government officials, people in the publishing industry, and people who are involved in the creation of eco-villages in various regions around Japan.

In the beginning of 2022, A Chinese Research team asks to cooperate for the rural reconstruction project of East Asia, and the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) call on to join their international exchange meeting for creation of an intrinsic education programs.

Looking around the world, it seems that there are few communities in urban areas that have been able to operate stably for more than 20 years. It' s also rare to find a community in the world that has the function of fostering human resources to create society.

In this sense, the Suzuka community is likely to attract more and more attention as a future social model.

This year, I would like to meet as many of you as possible and move forward together.
Let's do it together!

Hiroko Katayama　（As One Network International office ）

This year is the third consecutive one of the International Conference “Economics of Happiness” in Japan, that Global Ecovillage Network JAPAN and As One Network collaborated with Ms.Helena Noberg-Hodge and Mr. Keibo Oiwa (Shinichi Tsuji). The aim is creating a strong local-community-led economy in each region. We have intended to establish strong bonds between groups and individuals for the base. This year, Kai Sawyer joined the caller group. More than 30 organizations joined together. The guest speakers have come from all over the world and 1600 participants were recorded.
GEN-Japan was in charge of the activities of the Executive Committee for more than half a year, as well as the subcommittees, the pre-forums and the after-forums, to interact with many overseas guests and visitors.


◆Sub Conference C-3　
　Ecovillage is the key for human to survive