In Mexico, linguistic diversity represents a profound cultural richness and a particular way of understanding the relationship between people, community, and nature. In this context, the translation of the Earth Charter into Indigenous languages has become an important path to bring its ethical principles closer to different peoples and territories, with a search to build bridges.
One of these efforts is reflected in the book The Earth Charter in the Languages of Mexico. The publication brings together various translations of the document into Indigenous languages of the country and shows how the universal principles of respect, justice, sustainability, and peace can enter into dialogue with the worldviews of Indigenous peoples. In Mexico, where there are dozens of languages and linguistic variants, these translations allow the Earth Charter to take root in the cultural contexts of each community, strengthening diversity and intercultural dialogue.
The publication includes an introduction by Mateo Castillo Ceja in which he invites us to consider the linguistic and cultural diversity of Mexico and translation as an ethical and political act. He affirms that “Translating does not simply mean transferring words from one language to another… In many cases, terms that in Spanish may seem abstract find in Indigenous languages an expression charged with spirituality and a relationship with nature.” He concludes by emphasizing that “The translation of the Earth Charter into the languages of Mexico is not only an editorial initiative, but also a gesture of respect, justice, and hope.”
Verónica Kugel, who coordinated this project, mentions in her presentation of the book that: “Indigenous languages have a rich vocabulary to describe their environment and worldview that in many cases surpasses in its nuance the less subtle vocabulary that we use in the languages that dominate our planet in the 21st century.”
This project had the collaboration of the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in Humanities A.C., as well as the support of David Eduardo Velázquez (State of Mexico), Eder Medina Morales (Chiapas), Guillermina Pech Pech (Quintana Roo), José Ignacio Rojas González (Puebla), Martín Villa Ibarra (Sonora), Mateo Alfredo Castillo Ceja (Michoacán), Verónica Kugel (Hidalgo).
At the same time, new initiatives continue to emerge that expand this work. In the northwest of the country, the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS) has begun the translation of the 16 principles of the Earth Charter into the Yoreme-Mayo language, with the purpose of strengthening cultural inclusion, respect for Indigenous peoples, and linguistic revitalization.
The project is being promoted by the University Wellbeing Unit, under the direction of Dr. Sofía Angulo Olivas. According to Professor Margot Lugo Machado, this initiative also seeks for young people from Indigenous communities to recognize the value of their language and to feel proud of their cultural identity.
This translation includes the collaboration of María Carolina Ceballos, Adriana Wong Gámez, Mayra Vega Ceceña, María Guadalupe Rodríguez, and the translator Evangelina Cruz Estrella, and it is expected to be presented in April during the Earth Mother Day event in April.
Both the editorial work that brings together translations in different languages of the country and this new university initiative show how the Earth Charter continues to inspire actions that dignify Indigenous languages and strengthen a culture of peace. By bringing its principles closer to communities in their own languages, pathways are opened for more people to participate in the construction of just, sustainable, and respectful societies for all forms of life.
