The Different Face of Lake Balaton

Behind the crowded beaches, trendy restaurants and poolside holiday homes, barely visible among the vineyards, lies the Other Balaton. It is populated by people who work their gardens, tend their animals, build their houses from natural materials, care for the soil and water and enrich rather than destroy the landscape with their work. It is time that their activities are brought to light, as amid the global crises, more and more people become interested in lifestyles cooperating with nature. We will conduct interviews in the region and organise meetings in five municipalities to learn more about these values, get to know and learn from each other and share experiences.

In the summer of 2023, enthusiastic participants and interested parties and experts from distant parts of the country will spend five days on Hideg-hegy (Cold Hill) on the Balaton Uplands to seek answers and practice what it takes to live a close-to-nature lifestyle in the 21st century. In addition to farming and natural building solutions, the package of issues that will shape the destiny of this Other Balaton includes energy and water supply, physical and mental health, communities and the future of children.

• April, Barnag: Healthy farming – focus on regenerative landscape management
• May, Vöröstó: Natural homes – focus on ecological architecture and gentle technologies
• June, Vászoly: Collaborative communities – focus on community decision-making, community governance, kaláka [voluntary, mutual and unpaid co-operative work in rural areas]
• July, Pécsely: 'Living in the Landscape' training camp – focus on healthy, gentle ways of living with the landscape and methods of living in a cooperative community, in the form of thematic training, in-depth theoretical and practical sessions
• August, Dörgicse: Health and spiritual harmony – focus on a healthy lifestyle, nutrition, exercise, meditation
• September, Pécsely: Education and culture – focus on alternative teaching methods, cooperative communication, celebrations linked to traditions