Language Weaving in the Transition Movement

A Little Collaboration Goes a Long Way

One of the core principles of both permaculture and resilience is diversity—and not only in ecosystems, but among people. That includes differences in cultural backgrounds, cosmologies, skill sets, generations, spiritual paths, and so much more. When we bring these varied threads together, we weave a much stronger, more resilient fabric than any of us could create alone.

Being part of a global movement like Transition brings incredible joy and richness. But with that beauty comes complexity - and yes, sometimes real challenges, especially when it comes to language.

That’s where Language Weavers come in.

This working group formed to develop processes for more fluid and inclusive collaboration with different language communities across the Transition movement—particularly through translation and interpretation. 

From Centralized to Decentralized, Coordinated, Collaboration

In the past, we’ve tried a variety of approaches. Still we have not found a process or a system that has really worked (i.e. hiring a specific language interpreter for a specific event, only to find that no one from that group showed up!), and quite frankly is not sustainable, equitable (equal access to all language groups) or relational.

Now, we’re experimenting with something more collaborative and decentralized. The new process invites language groups, regardless of size, to engage meaningfully with the movement. Whether it's a small Indigenous language community or a large regional one, every voice matters. Every group that is interested and willing to collaborate, deserves access to the information and updates as well as to join events and listen in their mother tongue.

What is Already Working

Across the Transition Network, we’ve already taken some exciting steps towards language justice:

• Sessions and workshops have been hosted in multiple languages, featuring diverse voices.
• Our website can be automatically translated into many languages.
• The Cultural Transformation Circle is held by a multilingual team enabling sessions and talking circles to happen in many languages.
• The Community Research Project, which gathers stories from across the movement, is available in multiple languages.  

These are achievements worth celebrating. And yet, we know there’s still much more to do.

Where We’re Headed—and How You Can Help

One piece of learning that came for me from a conversation with Filipa Pimentel was that the original purpose of the Hubs group (and the Transionese project back in 2018) was to support with language translation. Given where we are at now, this was both surprising AND made total sense. It's clear that just a little coordination and a few hours of volunteering can create a big difference.

Here’s a real example: in the French-speaking community, there are hubs and groups across numerous countries. Rather than each one translating every update individually, what if just one volunteer (from the entire French language community) per month gave three or four hours of translation support? That alone would enable content that is accessible to the entire French-speaking community.

If each Hub contributes even a small amount of time, just 3-4 hours, twice or thrice a year, we can make this work. Not only will information flow more freely into these communities, but updates and invitations can also flow outward—from local groups to Transition Network International, which would create more visibility, more celebration, and deeper impact for everyone.

Here’s How to Join In

We’ve designed a simple, transparent process—outlined in a short presentation and organized in a shared spreadsheet:

• Step 1: Check out the presentation to understand the process and intention.
• Step 2: Sign up as a Language Weaver for one or more months,
• Or, volunteer to interpret an upcoming event.

Once you’ve signed up, someone from our coordinating team will reach out and welcome you into the working space. You’ll be notified when translation is needed. You can use automated tools for the first pass, then clean up the grammar and syntax, and finally send it to the community’s engagement channel.

An Invitation for This Moment

We are living in a time that calls for deeper collaboration—between people, across cultures, and among those committed to regeneration and justice.

If you feel called to contribute, this is your invitation. A few hours of your time, could enable an entire language community access to information in their mother tongue.

Language Weavers meetup 26 May 2025

Click to Register

THERE WILL BE A MEETUP OF THE LANGUAGE WEAVERS on 26 May 2025, from 16:00 - 17:30 UTC - check the time in your timezone and come to say Hello! 

A little support can really make a big difference! In this meeting we are going to share the process and how you can ‘do a little’ to serve ‘the whole’.

DATE/TIME: May 26 2025, 16:00 - 17:30 UTC

If you are not able to make it at this time - check out the presentation and, as always, let us know if you have any questions.

In community,
Dan and the Language Weavers