Future of Rural
Nature and Belonging
Nature and Belonging
Exploring Connection Through Ecology, Identity, and Place
Short Course
Dates: October 3–4, 2026
Time: 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Eastern | 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Central | 3:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. UTC
Platform: Online (Zoom)
Facilitator: Maya Galimidi
Nature and Belonging
What changes when we slow down long enough to truly notice the places around us?
Nature and Belonging is an invitation to explore your relationship with the natural world and discover how that relationship shapes the way you see yourself and the place you call home.
Drawing from deep ecology, ecological psychology, and place-based learning, this course offers time to slow down and pay attention. Rather than studying nature from a distance, you’ll be invited to experience it with curiosity. Through guided practices and conversation, you’ll begin to notice what has always been there.
You don’t need a background in ecology to take part. Whether these ideas are new to you or already part of your work, this course meets you where you are. Together, we’ll consider what it means to belong to a place and how that understanding can continue to unfold long after the course ends.
Who This Course Is For
This course is for anyone who wants to build a deeper relationship with the place they call home.
You may be an educator, an artist, someone working in your community, or simply someone who feels most at home outdoors. Wherever you’re beginning, you’ll be welcomed into a learning experience that values curiosity and shared discovery.
During Our Time Together
Together we’ll explore:
- What it means to truly know a place.
- How our relationship with nature shapes the way we understand ourselves.
- Ecological identity and belonging.
- Simple practices that invite us to slow down and notice.
What You’ll Take With You
You’ll leave with new ways of noticing the world around you and a deeper understanding of ecological identity. The practices introduced during the course are simple enough to carry into everyday life, offering gentle ways to stay connected to the places that shape us.
Meet Your Facilitator
Maya Galimidi
Maya Galimidi is the founder of Empower with Nature, an international transdisciplinary education platform and UNESCO Greening Education Partner. She also serves as an International Ambassador for the Global Ecovillage Network.
Her work brings ecology into conversation with education, inviting people into a deeper relationship with the natural world. Maya has facilitated learning experiences across Europe, the Middle East, Brazil, and the United States, working with universities, international organizations, the European Union, and the United Nations.
As a multidisciplinary artist, Maya explores the meeting place of ecology, poetry, and embodied learning. She holds a Master’s degree in Ecology and Spirituality from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
More than anything, Maya invites people to experience the world with fresh attention. Her teaching encourages us to slow down, become more present, and see the places around us with new eyes.
We Believe in Open Access Education
In the spirit of regenerative economic reciprocity, Rē is offering Fall 2026 Pilot Cohort spots at no charge. Your participation, engagement, and feedback offers our organization an opportunity to learn about the student experience, to continue developing program supports, and to further imagine what Future of Rural can become.
(Of course, as Rē is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations of any amount in support of this work are always welcome, appreciated, and thoughtfully stewarded.)