ECI continuously receives letters indicating that organizations and individuals have endorsed the Earth Charter. This is highly appreciated. We want to have organizations using the Earth Charter as an educational instrument and as a reference, ethical framework and guide for their decisions and evaluation processes. We encourage organizations to endorse the EC and to incorporate it as part of their activities, projects, and overall work. Here are some of the organizational endorsements we received recently.
Washington Ethical Society
In May, the Washington Ethical Society (WES) endorsed the Earth Charter and described their endeavors in actively promoting the Earth Charter, contributing to the Initiative and implementing the Earth Charter in their work. The WES is a humanistic religious community, without formal creed or dogma, united in the belief that the greatest moral and spiritual values are to be found through raising the quality of human relationships. WES is a member of the American Ethical Union, a federation of Ethical Societies in the United States. Ethical Societies set standards, distribute Ethical Culture materials, train leaders, award grants, publish statements on moral issues and public policy and coordinate national projects such as youth programs. For more information see www.ethicalsociety.org
Global Ecovillage Network – Europe
In May, the Global Ecovillage Network – Europe has endorsed the Earth Charter and will hopefully use it as part of their activities. GEN-Europe is a European ecovillage association promoting environmental protection and restoration of nature through the creation of ecovillages as models for sustainable human settlements. GEN-Europe is a membership organization founded in 1996, and it forms part of GEN International, an NGO with special consultative status at the UN-Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) commission and a partner of United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UNITAR. More information here at: www.gen-europe.org
Damanhur – Italy
Early this year, the Damanhur Federation endorsed the Earth Charter and expressed its commitment to using it. Damanhur is an eco-society based on ethical and spiritual values and was awarded by an agency of the United Nations as a model for a sustainable future. Founded in 1975, the Federation has about 1,000 citizens and extends over 500 hectares of territory throughout Valchiusella and the Alto Canavese area, at the foothills of the Piedmont Alps in Italy. Further information can be found at: www.damanhur.org
Empowerment Works
In August, Empowerment Works declared their endorsement of the Earth Charter and commitment to using it. Established in 2001, Empowerment Works is a charitable organization registered in the USA which is devoted to the advancement of a global partnership for a socially, economically and environmentally secure future. Through the Global Summit bi-annual conference, Artists in Action events series, and other educational outreach, EW fosters a society that values and protects our world’s cultural and natural heritage. They pledged that they will promote the Earth Charter throughout their activities. For more information see: www.empowermentworks.org
Department of Women and Gender Studies – University of Toledo
This spring the Department of Women and Gender Studies of the University of Toledo, in Ohio, USA, endorsed the Earth Charter. They embrace the spirit and aims of the Earth Charter and pledged to work for the realization of its values and principles in working toward the realization of a just, sustainable and peaceful world. For more information about the University of Toledo see www.utoledo.edu