Mateo Castillo Ceja Continues to Inspire in Mexico

Mateo Castillo Ceja — ECI Affiliate in Mexico, ECI Council member, and one of the first winners of the “Máximo T. Kalaw, Jr.” Prize — continues to bring the Earth Charter ever more deeply into the heart of Mexico. Mateo was recently invited by the Government of President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa to collaborate with the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, and assume the role of ‘Titular en la Unidad Coordinadora de Participación Social y Transparencia’ (Custodian of the Social Participation and Transparency Coordination Unit). His new position within government is “in compliance with the regulations and principles that are the base of the National Development Plan and in accordance with the Environment and Natural Resources National Program.” His new duties are also perfectly in the spirit of the Earth Charter, which he will continue to promote from his new position in Mexico‘s federal government. Congratulations, Mateo!

Some of the priorities of this Coordinating Unit are to work with indigenous peoples and women on the incorporation of gender equity and ethical criteria within the environment and sustainable development policies.

The Unit also works on consolidating citizen participation processes “in co-responsibility with society”, and on planning, execution, evaluation and monitoring of natural resources through Mexico’s Consultative Councils for Sustainable Development, as well as other civic mechanisms. The unit also assures citizen access to information, in fulfillment of Mexico‘s Transparency and Access to Public Governmental Information Federal Law (LFTAIPG).

Mateo’s long history of work on human Rights issues — linked to the fourth article of Mexico’s Constitution — was one of the reasons he was honored with this position, together with the integration of that human rights work with the broader vision of Earth Charter. His government unit will be in charge of promoting, within the environmental sector, the development of a culture of respect and protection to human rights, with special attention to the right of an adequate environment. Mateo will be in charge of evaluating and following up on the policies, regulations, programs and other actions of this sector, so they take into account the criteria of respect and protection to human rights.

The role that Mateo Castillo has carried out with the Earth Charter in Mexico has given him the great opportunity of permeating Earth Charter values and principles within the work of the Mexican government.

This is wonderful news for Mateo, for the Earth Charter, and for Mexico, a country where the Earth Charter’s inspiration is clearly taking deep root.