Gerben van Straaten is the founder and CEO of World of Walas. This international company, specialized in Sustainable Urban Development, uses the Earth Charter as the ethical compass in all levels of the organization, for its projects and all its other activities.
Gerben was inspired by the principles of the Earth Charter from very early on and decided the document had to be used as the guideline on which all decisions were based. This drew the attention of Earth Charter International and a partnership with the World of Walas was developed. Gerben thought it was necessary to develop an Earth Charter adaptation for cities to make it easier to put its principles in practice in urban development and city planning.
As a result, the Earth Charter Cities Manifesto was created and presented at the 2010 celebration of the Earth Charter in The Hague, The Netherlands. Driven by the Earth Charter, the Earth Charter Cities Manifesto guides people everywhere in creating communities that are healthy, inclusive and sustainable. The Earth Charter Cities Manifesto defines 16 principles to inspire and guide all citizens, urban organizations, businesses, communities, governments, and institutions.
The interview tells a personal story of dedication to create a just, sustainable and peaceful global society based on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. This video interview also shares how this company, working in the field of urban sustainability, implements the Earth Charter principles in its business model.
Watch this interview with Gerben van Straaten:
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