In celebration of the 26th anniversary of The Earth Charter launch, the webinar “One Human Family, One Earth Community: The Earth Charter at 26” was held on June 29, 2026. Addressing attendees from around the world, Executive Director Mirian Vilela opened the webinar with a reminder of the purpose of the call, and of what differentiates the Earth Charter during this time of great transition.
Among the many groups and individuals, she thanked and acknowledge for their partnerships with The Charter is Steven Rockefeller, who was invaluable in his dedication to the development of the Earth Charter and furthering its legacy. She emphasized that the Earth Charter was built on the valuable ground work done before in identifying existing key principles of international law that served as the basis for the drafting and consultation process in the making of the Charter which is encapsulated in the research document Principles of Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development: Summary and Survey.
Over the past two decade, much of the work of Earth Charter International is focused on education, engagement, and empowerment of education and young leaders. The speakers selected for this very special webinar highlight the multifaceted ways The Charter is being used in education for sustainable development. The featured speakers in this webinar are:
- Sam Crowell, a professor and author who serves as a faculty member of the Earth Charter Education Center for Sustainable Development and ECI Council spoke on his view of the Earth Charter movement as a family. He finds inspiration in the commitment he sees in younger generations, as it reaffirms his decision to dedicate his life to The Charter and nurturing the big changes that it manifests.
- Mahlet Girma, a Youth Leader with Earth Charter International who is featured in the 7th Edition of the Earth Charter Magazine, shared how ECI helped her develop global connections that reignited her childhood passion for sustainability. Since completing her young leaders course with ECI she provides training for young leaders in Ethiopia, encouraging them to lead with empathy, curiosity, care, integrity, and respect.
- Miguel Martínez, a faculty member at the University of Granada in Spain, who has successfully infused the Earth Charter into curriculum as a foundational instrument to transform student experiences. He continues to expand the application of The Charter, sharing it with the Spanish Union of Teachers, and in a research project involving developing partnerships with Italian universities who share their eco-pedagogical approach.
- Maggie Vetter, an educator at an Earth Charter School Seal (ECSS) school in the United States, was inspired to apply the ECSS to her school after attending the 2024 Earth Charter conference. Participation in this school self-assessment process resulted in students creating an Earth Charter club which focusses on creating global connections and allowed the students to participate in the assessment and application for the ECSS.
- Banachek Garcia, director of an ECSS school in Costa Rica, has now completed the ECSS assessment twice, after first participating in an Online Certificate Program for Education in Sustainable Development hosted by ECI. Banachek has developed an Ecological Park at the school which allows students, their families, and the community to benefit from education for sustainable development as well as economic development from the resources of the park.
Michael Bracken, Chair of the ECI Board, concluded the conversation by encouraging attendees to allow The Charter to transform them and become a vessel for global connections and change. He stated, “the future is not something we inherit, it is something we build together,” and offered a wide interpretation of what action can mean to each of us: a conversation, a vote, a choice in consumption, attendance, or a refusal to look away.
The webinar was hosted in English, with a live Spanish translation. Two speakers gave their remarks in Spanish, with a live English translation.
You can watch the recordings here
