Ancient Wisdom, Sustainable Future

 

Earth Charter Taiwan, Province of China Secretariat

 

 

Focusing principles of EC

    As an affiliate of ECI, TESA has been focusing on the following 5 principles:

4.b. Transmit to future generations values, traditions, and institutions that support the long-term flourishing of Earth human and ecological communities.

8.b. Recognize and preserve the traditional knowledge and spiritual wisdom in all cultures that contribute to environmental protection and human well-being.

9.c. Recognize the ignored, protect the vulnerable, serve those who suffer, and enable them to develop their capacities and to pursue their aspiration.

14.d. Recognize the importance of moral and spiritual education for sustainable living.

16.f Recognize that peace is the wholeness created by right relationships with oneself, other persons, other cultures, other life, Earth, and the larger whole of which all are a part.

 

Background Understanding of Ancient Wisdom and Modern Civilization

Ancient aboriginal culture is a totally different sphere apart from modern civilization. It is only possible to create a dialogue between the modern and the ancient on the very premise that our world today is indeed short of ancient wisdom.

Being stable in nature, ancient cultures have little negative impact on the environment. Modern societies on the contrary, act completely otherwise. If modern civilization keeps growing at its present speed, the first problem it will face is the exhaustion of natural resources.

Taiwanese indigenous people in the past held a sacred attitude towards nature. To them, nature belongs to a sacred domain and human beings are part of nature, just like trees, birds or animals, but never ruler of nature. Humans are to follow rules of nature, observe all species and learn from them how to co-exist with Mother Nature. Human beings depend on Earth’s resources for survival and therefore they should request permission to use these resources with a humble heart. The indigenous peoples’ idea is that humans are allowed and permitted to access nature by means of performing certain rituals. Here we can see a clear difference between traditional aboriginal society and modern society.

The respect for land disappeared when humans began to think that natural resources are easily acquired and utilized. The pride of being able to overcome nature makes humans take everything for granted, so they do not think the use of resources requires permission. In the meantime, humans also institutionalized political systems, transaction rules, state machines and even laws to facilitate their desires. All these look sensible, but as a matter of fact there is no ground for justification. Human beings can’t exploit natural resources at will, but such realization only comes with the result of deficiency, extinction and pollution of natural resources from overuse.

We would be wrong to believe the life we are living currently draws on both modern and ancient wisdom. This compels us to find another possibility, which may exist in ancient aboriginal cultures, or perhaps exists in a future that we need to shape together.

The greatest catastrophe facing modernity is that humans are living in a world without soil and making judgment based on abstract written language. We sincerely hope to awaken our society to the ancient indigenous wisdom with the fragrance of soil from nature.

 

Based on the above understanding, TESA accept the invitation of ECI secretariat to host the EC+10 conference in the Asia Pacific Area, with the title of “Ancient Wisdom, Sustainable Future”.

 

2010 Asia Pacific EC+10 Conference

 12-15 October, 2010, Taitung, Taiwan, Province of China

 

Ancient Wisdom, Sustainable Futures

Objective: To share TESA’s effort in integrating prehistoric civilization, indigenous cultures and permaculture in order to secure the earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations with the theme of EC+10: Dialogue, Collaboration and Action. .

Conference Venue: National Taitung University

Tours: Archaeological Cultural Park and tribal villages (Bunun, Peinan, Rukai, Peiwan tribes) in eastern Taiwan, Province of China

 

Program Schedule

Tuesday October 12th 2010

Opening Ceremony                                           Peiwan tribe   Welcoming Address                                        Hen-biau King   I. Earth Charter and Climate Change                         Brendan Mackey       II. Towards a Sustainable Way of Living                      Tzu-chau Chang   III. Earth Charter and Sustainable Future                         Ella Antonio   IV. Earth Charter and the Declaration of Human Rights  Hsin-huang Michael Shiao   V. Ancient Wisdom and Permaculture          1. Peter Morehead 2. Shu-te Huang   Panel Discussion   Celebration Dinner and Entertainment                              Amis Trib

Wednesday October 13th 2010       08:30-09:00 Registration

Pasibubu Chorus                                             Bunun Tribe The Vision of EC+10                          ECT President: Hen-biau King   VI Gift to the Modern World from Indigenous People             Da-chu’an Sun VII Development of Taiwan’s Indigenous Communities          Yohani Isqaqavut VIII Land Conservation and Cooperative Economics                Walis Beilin IX. Earth Charter and Indigenous Cultures  Case Reports: Forest Museum                                              Aliman Aboriginal Arts and Crafts                                     Fei-yu The Hunter’s School and Community Center                       Sakinu Slate House and Culture Center.                              Jung-ci Liu X. Endorse the Earth Charter                              All the Participants

Thursday October 14th 2010

Tour to Forest Museum of Bunun Tribe   Visiting Museum of Prehistory and Peinan Archaeological Cultural Park Dinner at Youth Center of Peinan tribe

Friday October 15th 2010

Tour to the Traditional Slate House and Culture Center of Rukai Tribe And the Hunter’s School and Community Center of Peiwan Tribe