By Amanda Bennett, USA/Costa Rica.
Amanda Bennett grew up between Costa Rica and the United States, learning to move between cultures and ways of belonging. A semester in Lyon, France, and later a year in Bali, Indonesia, helped her see how culture, spirituality, food, and the natural world shape people’s lives. In Bali, she also witnessed the effects of tourism on local communities and landscapes.
Those experiences deepened Amanda’s sense of connection to place. After completing her studies in the United States, she returned to Costa Rica, where she had spent many years. She worked at a multicultural institute, taught English, and accompanied North American students on educational exchanges.
Amanda brought these experiences to her work as Programme Manager of the Youth Programme at Earth Charter International and the Center for Education for Sustainable Development where she worked for six years leading many workshops and specially the Leadership, Sustainability and Ethics course both in English and in Spanish numerous times. She then transitioned to become a primary school teacher in New Jersey, USA and an Earth Charter educator. Her story shows how the Earth Charter can guide people to carry a stronger sense of belonging and responsibility across cultures and into their communities and how to bring the Earth Charter to different contexts.
