Earth Charter +10 celebration:
As one of the world wide celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Earth Charter, the Australia Pacific Earth Charter +10 festival was held in Brisbane from 16th to 19th September 2010. A planning committee was established with the UNAA (Qld) as a partner and their office was used for the Festival Planning Committee meetings.
The Festival was a great success with the attendance of Mirian Vilela, Executive Director, Earth Charter International, Professor Brendan Mackey, Council Member Earth Charter International and sponsored delegates from Pacific Island Nations. The Festival included the Day of Inspiration, held at St John’s Cathedral, three streams conducted on the Day of Action, and a Day of Celebration conducted at Musgrave Park, South Brisbane in partnership with the International Day of Peace Alliance.
The Education stream – Seeds of Change – was recognized as a signature event of the State Government, Department of Education and Training (YES) Year of Environmental Sustainability for all Queensland Schools.
Well over 20 Government and Community organisations were involved in the planning and sponsorship of the Festival events and special thanks goes to all those organisations and individuals who so generously volunteered to make the festival a success.
Web site:
The website continues to be an important tool for the committee to continue the public awareness and promotion of the Earth Charter initiative and the promotion and organization for the Earth Charter +10 Festival. With the help of volunteer student web designers a new website was designed for the festival promotion. The reconstruction of the website for 2011 will be a major undertaking for the committee
Activities of Earth Charter Australia included:
- Louise Erbacher is continuing to support the Brink expedition
- HOPE Toowoomba – continue mutual support to promote the Earth Charter values
- Supported Earth Charter activities in Gympie, UNAA(Qld), Global Learning Centre, Environment day and Friends of South East Queensland and Earthlink organisations
Finances:
The financial support for the Festival was exceptional and with all the labour and management provided on a volunteer basis, this resulted in a surplus of over $10,000 for the continued ongoing operations of the Earth Charter initiative in Australia.
Thanks:
I would especially like to thank Griffith University and Delwyn Langdon and Rhiannon Chamberlain of the EcoCentre for their continued support, Virginia Balmain, President UNAA (Qld) for accepting Earth Charter Australia as a sub-committee of UNAA(Qld), executive committee members Noel Preston for his guidance and friendship, Suzanne and Peter Davies for their continued commitment and hard work, Louise Erbacher for her tireless work and enthusiasm as secretary, Georgina Greenhill for her creative inspiration and commitment and Donnell Davis for their continued commitment to the earth Charter Initiative and to all members of Earth Charter Australia for their support and commitment to a just sustainable and peaceful global society through the Earth Charter initiative.
The Future:
Our major commitments for the year are:
- Development of the www.earthcharter.org.au website
- In partnership with the Mercy Sisters, funding the translation of the Earth Charter into the Samoan and Tuvaluan languages
- Donation to Earth Charter International
- Support Open Harts CD production and education project
- Participate in Greenearth Day and World Environment Day with associated NGO’s.
- Promote the Earth Charter for adoption at the Rio + 20 Summit
My best wishes to you all for a happy and peaceful 2011 and beyond.