EcCoWell Cork

EcCoWell is about integrating strategies across ecology & economy (Ec), community & culture (Co) well-being & lifelong learning (Well).The concept has been developed by Peter Kearns out of work done by the OECD & PASCAL International Exchanges (PIE) on lifelong learning. The approach provides a platform for integrating strategies such as Healthy City, Green City, Learning City and the Economic Development to create a blueprint that fosters quality of life and wellbeing for people in the Cork region.

An EcCoWell Cork leadership group has been working on ways of applying this concept to the Cork City region. To date it has comprised:

Lifelong Learning: Tina Neylon, Lifelong Learning Festival, Ted Owens, CEO City of Cork VEC (City Learning Forum), Denis Barrett ,VEC & Deirdre Creedon, CIT;

Economics: Pat Ledwidge, Director of Services, Strategic Planning and Economic Development, Cork City Council (CASP Cork Area Strategic Planning group), Elmarie McCarthy, City Council;

Health: Denise Cahill, HSE (Healthy City Co-ordinator), Rebecca Loughry, HSE Specialist Social Inclusion;

Environment: Bernie Connolly (Cork Environmental Forum), Dan Boyle of Green Foundation Ireland, former Senator & TD
Peter Kearns, who formulated the concept, was the keynote speaker at a seminar, organised as part of the 10th Cork Lifelong Learning Festival, on Wednesday March 21st, 2013. He is Co-Director of PIE, and a leading Australian thinker, researcher, and consultant in lifelong learning and learning communities. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his contribution to education & is a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators.

The EcCoWell International Conference has been granted support as a Flagship Gathering event in Cork City and has already received very positive overseas support, as evidenced by a recent quote from the PIE website;
“This is a splendid initiative by Cork.