16.3.2009

The Montfort Brothers of St Gabriel global network using the Earth Charter

The draft education policy adopted recently for the global educational network of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel has adopted the Earth Charter as one of its important elements. Hence, the Earth Charter will form part of the educational curriculum in hundreds of educational/social institutions in 34 countries, once this policy is finalized, by the end of 2009.

Another important development is the decision taken by the governing body of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel to officially create Montfort Social Institute (MSI) in Hyderabad, India, during the first week of June 2009.  MSI will focus on promoting Human Rights Education (HRE) and Sustainable Development Education (SDE) following the Earth Charter Principles.

MSI will take up a pilot project of introducing an integrated approach to HRE and SDE based on the Earth Charter principles in 23 educational institutions of the Montfort Brothers’ society in two different states in India, during the next academic year (June 2009-April 2010). This is to help MSI finalize a curriculum that can be used in the rest of the 140 institutions in India and also abroad.