Earth Charter workshops on the four pillars of the Earth Charter

A great example of an Earth Charter community activity organized by youth.

Description:

Youth Challenge International/Reto Juvenil group PCR9-5A invited the community of Juanilama (of the Costa Rican province of Alajuela) to an Earth Charter event on August 1st, 2009. The event had four workshops planned throughout the day. The workshops were based on the four pillars of the Earth Charter. As well, the event had a ‘Kid’s Corner’ organized on the side as the workshops happened. A plenary and closing was scheduled for the end of the event. As a result of this particular event, a second Earth Charter event was created and then held on August 5th, 2009.

 

Organizers:

Reto Juvenil group PCR9-5A created an Earth Charter committee who was to take up the responsibility of creating an activity or event that promotes the vision of the charter. The committee consisted of four coordinators: Piramila, Po-yi, Mohan, and Tyrone. Julie and Amanda (YCI and Reto’s group leader) helped with the planning.

 

Roles of the Committee:

• Schedule meetings for the whole YCI/Reto group in order to get together to brainstorm ideas.
• Organize and synthesize ideas for the event
• Create and delegate roles to other members of YCI/Reto to get the Earth Charter event started
• Ensure that things run smoothly and facilitate clear communication among members
• Conduct an Earth Charter ethical assessment for the event(s)

Roles delegated to the Other Members of YCI/Reto:

• Photographer (Denis) 
•  Advertisers (Julie and Christina)
• Cookie/Food (Julie and Kelli)
• Scavenger Hunt (Devon and Ali)
• Earth Music and Dance (Jameel and Amanda)
• Earth Bingo (Julie and Christina)
• Earth Parade (Piramila)
• Workshop planners and implementers (Earth Charter Committee members)
• Craft corner for children (Devon, Elspeth, Kelli, Julie, and Christina)

Schedule:

10:00am – Registration (Attendees were to be split into two groups: group one and group two)

10:30am – Introductions (speeches done by Jameel and Rigo, a community leader from Juanilama)

10:50am – Music and Dance

11:30am – First set of workshops (“Ecological Integrity” and “Social and Economic Justice”)

12:10pm – LUNCH

1:00 pm – Second set of workshops (“Ecological Integrity” and “Social and Economic Justice”). Group one and group two switch workshops this time.

1:50 pm – Third set of workshops (“Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace” and “Respect and Care for Community Life”)

2:30 pm – BREAK with coffee and cookies

2:45 pm – Fourth set of workshops (“Democracy, Nonviolence, and Peace” and “Respect and Care for Community Life”). Group one and group two switch workshops this time.

3:25 pm – Transition time (10 minutes)

3:35 pm – Everyone comes together to discuss and share what they have learned this day.

–          A closing (having the children from the local elementary school present their Earth-Charter related artwork)