Gathering Journal #1: The Planning Board
The first in a monthly series following the preparation for the International Transition Gathering — Portugal, May 2027
June 2026
So, fellow Transitioners — how does it feel to know we might be meeting in less than a year?
We’ve decided to document the preparation for this gathering as a journal, to give a glimpse into the process and the decisions as they happen. This is the first in a series of monthly entries running through to May 2027. They’ll be written by different people involved — from the organising team (Dan, Don and myself at the moment), from Transition communities around the world, from people who’ve been part of this since early on and people who’ve only just found it. Some entries will be practical, some more personal, and some will invite your thoughts. The aim is to share the process as it unfolds, while including what’s still uncertain.
I’m writing this in June 2026, which sounds like plenty of time until you look at what actually still needs to happen: venue contract, funding for travel scholarships, visa support, programme, catering, organising the volunteering teams, communications, accessibility — each one its own project. Things are moving, but a lot is still being worked out as we go.
For now, the basic framework is in place. We know the country (Portugal), the month (May 2027), and the broad shape of the programme: a main gathering with opening and closing ceremonies, skill-sharing workshops, Open Space sessions, World Café discussions, regional meetups, and evening celebrations; optional one- and two-day intensives, tours, and other activities for those staying longer; and a multi-day strategy retreat on the future of Transition and the wider movement for regenerative communities.
In all Transition gatherings in the past, starting with a small conference in Nailsworth, UK in 2007, something has happened that doesn’t quite happen in other settings. At all those Conferences, regional gatherings, and national meetings across dozens of countries, one thing keeps coming back - that being together in person changes how the future ahead of us feels, and how people relate to each other.
Next year it's the Movement’s 20th anniversary, and it feels like the right moment to be in the same place together, so we can keep that rooted collective vision strong and thriving.
More on all of this as the months until the Gathering pass by. It would be good to hear your thoughts along the way. And if you’re able to share the Fundraiser, or contribute to it, you may help someone in the movement make it to Portugal.
Abraços, Liza