I recommend watching this video. Imo, it's a good example of the spirit and vision shared by many Aurovilians.  ~ ronjon

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A 6.37 minute video pointing out the potentiality of Auroville Universal Township, especially of the International Zone, as a new kind of United Nations, has been posted by way of answer to [the]Davos Question on the You Tube, thanks to timely intimation from Jack Alexander, a former Aurovilian and a close friend of Auroville from USA.

 

Link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtrfRIffAgQ

The highest videos will be shown and discussed at the World Economic Forum starting from 23^rd January. ...

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...Urban utopias took a new avatar in Paolo Soleri's Arcosanti where architecture and environmentalism hit a new [level of] collaboration. Auroville near Puducherry is one such utopian vision conceived partly as an ashram retreat and partly like a rationally organised urban precinct. This book is a documentation of the urban development and architecture witnessed within Auroville since 1964.

Mirra Alfassa, popularly known as the Mother visualised Auroville as an urban experiment to "undertake the work of evolution of consciousness." She commissioned the French architect Roger Anger to give form to her vision. Anger came with a spiral plan that resembled a galaxy with the Matri-mandir at its centre. The entire city was divided into industrial, cultural, residential and international zones with a green belt encircling it. The town was designed for a population of 50,000. The book discusses the features of urban planning and architectural accomplishments in three sections. The first section briefly documents the important stages of Auroville's urban development. It reproduces some of the archival images, sketches and notes that illuminate the ideas leading to its conception. In the second part, the details of the plan, the various zones and important buildings within them are listed and described. The last section profiles the various architects who are part of Auroville and gives brief description of their important works and views. ...    more »

When I first read George Van Vrekhem's virtuoso book *Beyond Man: The Life and Work of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother,* I was moved to tears while reading his chapter: "THE NEW UTOPIA: AUROVILLE." I hope George will forgive me for sharing it with SCIY's readers by typing it verbatim and presenting it here. (I'll be seeing him at Auroville in a couple of weeks and will ask him for specific permission.)

Please note Georges' copyright notices and refrain from circulating it further. If you are also moved by this quoted chapter, I hope you'll feel motivated to read the rest of the book by purchasing your own copy. I've included a hot link to its online ordering page on Amazon. ~ ron

You say that Auroville is a dream. Yes,
it is a "dream" of the Lord and
generally these "dreams" turn to to be
true -- much more true than the so-
called human realities!

- The Mother   more »

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