Himalayan Roots

The vision for the Earthville Network was first conceived in 1992 when Earthville’s founder, Mark Moore, was on a five-month study program in Nepal. He was inspired by the extraordinary wisdom, resourcefulness, and kindness of the peoples of the Himalayas, yet also alarmed by the destructive impact of unplanned and unsustainable “development” in the region. Recognizing that change is inevitable but can be shaped to some degree for the better, and aspiring to help build bridges of understanding, appreciation, and altruistic collaboration across cultures, Mark began organizing a global community of kindred spirits committed to developing and promoting holistic and replicable solutions for compassionate living and sustainable development, focusing locally while networking globally.

Five years later, in 1997, Mark and his friends Scarth Locke and Dara Ackerman, in partnership with local collaborators and supported by international volunteers, opened the doors of the first Earthville project, the Dharamshala Earthville Institute (DEVI) in the Indian Himalayas. DEVI was intended as a first step — a staging ground for launching other activities that would gradually flesh out the global Earthville vision. This expansion happened quite naturally, as many altruistically oriented people from around the world who passed through Dharamshala made connections at DEVI, which naturally led to friendships that evolved into partnerships and projects… and over the next few years the international network began to take shape.

Global Fruits

In 2000, the Earthville Network was incorporated in California as a 501(c)(3) public charity. Earthville’s team focused for a few years on building the “west” side of the “east-west” bridge, establishing educational, ecological, and charitable programs in the US while continuing to cultivate relationships and develop programs with strategic partners worldwide (including the Sulha Peace Project in the Middle East, Dharmalaya Society in India, SanghaSeva in the UK, the Vietnam Fund for Education, Music, and Infrastructure in Vietnam, et al.).

In 2021, the Earthville Network relocated from California to Colorado, and is now a Colorado nonprofit organization maintaining the same 501(c)(3) public charity status.

Since its founding, the Earthville Network has expanded to include over a dozen charitable and educational projects spanning six countries, with more on the horizon.

Meet the Earthville leadership →

← Earthville’s accomplishments to date

Get Involved

We welcome you to explore Earthville,  find your place within it , and add what only you can bring.