Join the global movement that’s turning ideas into action.

Want to see what a 21st-century economy actually looks like? Global Donut Days is your chance. From October 14–17, 2025, the Doughnut Economics community is staging four days of online and in-person events that connect local projects with a global movement working to meet people’s needs without surpassing planetary boundaries. 

Understanding the Doughnut: A Map for a Fair Economy

Think of the Doughnut as a simple map for a fair and livable future: the inner ring is the social essentials (food, housing, healthcare); the outer ring marks planetary limits (climate, biodiversity); the space in the middle is where society can meet everyone’s needs while staying within Earth’s boundaries. This is the frame that’s reshaping policy conversations worldwide. 

Nanaimo in Action: Applying the Doughnut Locally

The Doughnut model in Nanaimo is not just theory; Nanaimo’s City Plan and Monitoring Strategy is built around it. The Doughnut is embedded in local planning and economic strategy, which means decisions about growth, housing, procurement, and community programs are being tested against social and ecological outcomes, not just economic prosperity alone. That’s rare, and it’s why Nanaimo is drawing global attention as the first North American adopter, joining cities like Melbourne, Brussels, and other future-ready cities.

Putting the Doughnut to Work: Our Role

Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation (NPC), a member of the global Doughnut Economics Action Lab, is taking the lead in bringing Doughnut Economics from City Hall into the wider community. Building on the City’s adoption of the Doughnut model, NPC is expanding outreach through programs that connect businesses, institutions, and neighbourhood projects with its principles.

At the core of this work is the Living Systems Program, an initiative designed to raise awareness of both Doughnut Economics and Living Systems principles, and most importantly, to move them beyond City Hall and into the community, turning shared ideas into collective action.

Several interwoven initiatives fall under this program, including the Compass Initiative and the Public Engagement & Activation Series, which aim to align anchor institutions, community organizations, and the public around a shared vision for a thriving and resilient economy. 

How You Can Take Part

Everyone’s invited! Here’s how to get started:

• Register for the online sessions: Sign up and click this link to find which Donut Days talks are in our time zone or view the full itinerary.
• Learn more: Explore Nanaimo’s City Plan and Nanaimo Prosperity Corporation’s Doughnut Economics page to see how the global ideas connect locally. 

Words By Alec Hansen & Anni Thesen