The National University of Distance Education (UNED), the largest educational institution in Spain, with 250,000 students, endorsed the Earth Charter on September 26th, 2016. The endorsement was possible thanks to the support and sponsorship of Professor Maria Novo, holder of the UNESCO Chair in Environmental Education and Sustainable Development of UNED.
The document was signed by Alejandro Tiana, Rector of the National University of Distance Education (UNED), and had as honorary witnesses Federico Mayor Zaragoza, president of the Culture of Peace Foundation, Juan María Alzina de Aguilar, Secretary General of the Spanish Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, María José Carrillo, president of Values Foundation and Professor of UNED, and Prof. Maria Novo. The ceremony was also attended by Esther Souto Galván, Vice Rector for Research and Internationalization of UNED, and José Luis García Llamas, Dean of the Education Faculty at UNED.
The news article published on UNED´s website deepens on the meaning of this endorsement, in the words of the Rector, and the motivational and commitment words of special guests, including Federico Mayor, who clearly and inspiringly referred to the implementation of the values and principles of sustainability, expressed: “We cannot just be observers, we must be actors.”