Date: Thursday, 29 June
Time: 7:00pm Costa Rica time
Join us in commemorating 23 years since the launch of the Earth Charter!
After nearly a decade of consultation and a drafting process, The Earth Charter was launched on 29 June 2000 in a special ceremony at the Peace Palace, in The Hague, The Netherlands. Following that, the aim was to widely disseminate it and promote its use as an ethical framework and reference, as well as an educational instrument to guide societies towards a more just, sustainable and peaceful world. We take this opportunity to look back, and forward, and specially to consider the purpose of the Earth Charter to the current times and to explore ways to accelerate the much-needed transition to a more caring and responsible global society.
Moreover, 2023 marks the mid-point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The United Nations will be organizing the 2023 SDG Summit in September this year. Last year, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) called for this Summit to “mark the beginning of a new phase of accelerated progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.”
In this context, in the middle of the road towards the intention to achieve the SDGs, questions arise regarding the extent to which these global efforts have had an impact in contributing to planetary well-being and setting us on the path towards ecological civilizations. Some questions and perspectives we would like to contribute to the discussion include:
- What do we mean by ecological civilizations?
- What are some of the good practices in the effort of using and implementing the Earth Charter and implementing the SDGs? Particularly, what are some examples of emerging efforts towards planetary well-being and of building ecological civilizations?
- What are the relationships between the SDGs and the Earth Charter?
- What are the necessary actions we need to take to significantly accelerate our response to address the pressing challenges and build ecological civilizations? How can the Earth Charter be used in the context of a possible planetary system collapse and the possibilities to a great transition towards an ecological civilization?
For the 23rd anniversary of the Earth Charter, on 29 June, we would like to invite you to reflect on these questions and renew our resolve to turn conscience into action.
Speakers
Kazuo Takahashi
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Former Official of OECD and Advisor of the Library of Alexandria
Former Professor of the International Christian University
Evon Ganeson
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Evon is a visionary designer and entrepreneur committed to advancing sustainability in everyday conversations and choices. Since 2022, she has embraced the earth charter principles, infusing them into businesses to create a more sustainable future. With a diverse background in the fashion and edu tech sectors, Evon has cultivated a deep understanding of the importance of responsible practices for social change. As a sustainable design strategist, her primary goal is to embed values that prioritize the well-being of both people and the planet within the business landscape. Evon is currently leading the development of a fashion wellness brand that harmonizes technology, biology, and design to create a healing wardrobe.
Atsufumi Yokoi
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Atsufumi is Senior Vice President for Global Engagement Strategy of Okayama University, and UNESCO Chairholder in Research and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), established at Okayama University in 2007. Atsufumi is also in charge of promoting a whole institution’s approach to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through meaningful relationships and interaction around the world. He contributed significantly to the progress of the SDGs within the university and throughout the county, and resulted in the SDGs Partnership Award at the first Japan SDGs Awards to Okayama University, presented at the Prime Minister’s Office in December 2017.
Mirian Vilela
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Mirian is the Executive Director of Earth Charter International and the Center for Education for Sustainable Development at UPEACE. Mirian has been working with the Earth Charter Initiative since early 1996. She coordinates the UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development with the Earth Charter and served as a member of the UNESCO Expert Reference Group for the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD). Prior to her work with the Earth Charter, Mirian worked for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). She actively participated in the 2002 World Summit of Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg, and the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development/Rio+20. Mirian holds a PhD. in Education from LaSalle University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she was an Edward Mason Fellow. She is originally from Brazil.
Joan Anderson
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Joan Anderson was born in Scotland and graduated from St. Andrews University. She worked as a magazine editor in London, then worked for NGOs for ten years – first with VSO (the UK equivalent of Peace Corps), then with Save the Children UK. She spent nearly 5 years living and working in Cambodia. Already a practicing Buddhist, she then moved to Japan to work for the Soka Gakkai Buddhist organization where she has been for 25 years. She first encountered the Earth Charter in 1999, and became passionate about its inspiring vision of a caring planetary community. For SGI, she has help create a series of exhibitions that introduce the Earth Charter.
Olivia Tyler
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Industry Innovation Lead – Sustainability & Circular Economy at Western Sydney University, Australia. Olivia advises organizations across industry and academia, using her insights, experience and foundation of “how” to materially shift towards better ways of doing business, doing good, and harnessing the purpose-mindset to create benefit economically, environmentally and socially. She is a recipient of the 2022 Chief Executive Women’s ANZ Sustainability Scholarship, a TED Speaker, has degrees in Marine Science and Environmental Engineering, an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Said Business School Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme and Oxford Impact Measurement Programme. She’s held a range of senior leadership, sustainability and risk positions at Edge Impact, the Westpac Group, Woolworths Supermarkets, Treasury Wine Estates, Foster’s Group, Coca-Cola European Partners (formerly Amatil), Goodman Fielder and the Beverage Industry Environment Council.