Naturefriends is an international movement which aims to make nature accessible to the wider community by providing appropriate recreational and travel facilities.
It is a non-profit organization which -- in addition to encouraging green tourism, which has a minimal effect on the environment -- also aims to promote international friendship and understanding.
It is also known as Naturfreunde (German), Les Amis de la Nature (French), Amici della Natura (Italian), La Naturamikoj (Esperanto) and Friends of Nature.
The organization began in Austria in 1895 as Naturfreunde among people associated with the emerging Social Democratic movement who enjoyed outdoor activities and began to build their own huts and overnight chalets.
The movement spread and it now has 600,000 members, 3500 groups and runs some 1000 houses mainly in Europe. The houses vary in size and facilities.
The International Friends of Nature (IFN), based in Vienna, is the umbrella organisation of the national Friends of Nature federations.
Publications of the various sections include a handbook detailing all the houses and magazines published by various sections (such as Naturefriends - Great Britain - Bulletin, Les Amis de La Nature, La Migranto – in Esperanto by "Esperantistoj Naturamikoj" etc.).
External links
International Friends of Nature (http://www.nfi.at/)
Naturefriends is an international movement which aims to make nature accessible to the wider community by providing appropriate recreational and travel facilities.
It is a non-profit organization which -- in addition to encouraging green tourism, which has a minimal effect on the environment -- also aims to promote international friendship and understanding.
Publications of the various sections include a handbook detailing all the houses and magazines published by various sections (such as Naturefriends - Great Britain - Bulletin, Les Amis de La Nature, La Migranto – in Esperanto by "Esperantistoj Naturamikoj" etc.).
In 1993 the Naturefriends' Congress in Budapest (H) was held under the slogan "Solidarity in the New Europe".
The Naturefriends demanded support for the new states instead of this, and called for the European market to widen rather than to "deepen" or seek the integration of a "European core".
Naturefriends worked, in co-operation with organisations from the workers movement, to oppose the inhumane and unhealthy living and working conditions in the towns, flats and factories and to make the vision of a humane and socially fair industrial society a reality.
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