Helena norberg-hodge (Virtual)
HELENA NORBERG-HODGE, director of Local Futures, is a linguist, author and filmmaker. For 50 years, she has been promoting re-indigenisation or localisation while raising awareness about the disastrous impact of the global consumer culture.
Helena is author of the inspirational classic Ancient Futures which, together with a film of the same title, has been translated into more than 40 languages, and sold half a million copies. Other books include Local is Our Future: Steps to an Economics of Happiness, Bringing the Food Economy Home: Local Alternatives to Global Agribusiness andFrom the Ground Up: Rethinking Industrial Agriculture, as well as a Local Food Toolkit, which won a prestigious UK award for investigative journalism.
Helena is the producer of the award-winning documentaryThe Economics of Happiness, which has been described by the media-activism site Films for Action as “truly one of the most important and useful films for inspiring change that has been made in a generation”. Her other films include Closer to Home: Hope in a time of crisis, and Planet Local: A Quiet Revolution.
She is the founder of the International Alliance for Localisation, and a cofounder of the International Forum on Globalization and the Global Ecovillage Network.
Helena’s 50 years of activism has gained her the Alternative Nobel prize, the Arthur Morgan Award and the Goi Peace Prize for contributing to “the revitalization of cultural and biological diversity, and the strengthening of local communities and economies worldwide.”
More: https://www.localfutures.org/about-local-futures/who-we-are/helena-norberg-hodge/
Sarah longlands
Dr Sarah Longlands is the Chief Executive of UK-based organization the Centre for Local Economies (CLES).
CLES is a think and do tank dedicated to the development of local economies and is the lead organisation in the UK for community wealth building. Sarah is an expert in regional and local economies with a PhD in Urban Studies from the University of Glasgow. She is an advocate for economic and social justice and the creation of places that enable people to live good lives. Her work is deeply influenced by her experience of growing up in Northern Ireland. Before joining CLES she worked for the Institute of Public Policy Research in the North of England (IPPR North). She began her career working in local government in the North of England.
christopher googoo
Christopher Googoo is a proud member of We’koqma’q First Nation, who lives on the unceded territory of
Mi’kma’ki in Millbrook First Nation.
Since 2000, Chris has dedicated his career to supporting and building the Indigenous-led and governed
non-profit organization, Ulnooweg. He has focused on supporting the success of Indigenous
entrepreneurs, businesses, and communities across Atlantic Canada and establishing three charitable
arms under the Ulnooweg umbrella. As a result of his accomplishments, he now serves as Ulnooweg’s
Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of The Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation.
Since 2017, he has been working to enhance the relationship between the philanthropic sector and
Indigenous communities. As a founding member of the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund, Chris is the
current co-chair. He also sits on the Investment Committee of Boann Capital, recipient of an initial $154
million contribution from the Government of Canada’s Social Finance Fund to accelerate the growth of the
social finance market in Canada. He recently just accepted a board position on Nova Scotia’s Research
Council.
Committed to supporting the next generation of Indigenous leaders and professionals, he established the
Ulnooweg Education Centre, which now fosters the development and delivery of science-based programs
for youth in science, forestry, and agriculture. Additionally, he led the recent acquisition of a multi-
generational forest, Asitu’lɨsk, covering 200 acres. This endeavor aims to revitalize language and culture,
reconnect Indigenous communities and individuals to the land, and provide a place for healing and
balance.
A graduate of St. Francis Xavier University, Chris holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
In addition to being a well-respected member of the Mi’kmaw community, Christopher Googoo is
committed to Ulnooweg serving the Indigenous communities of Atlantic Canada.