Earth Charter Podcast: Turning Conscience Into Action

En esta entrevista Edgar Gutierrez, incluye una reflexión sobre el papel de la Asamblea Ambiental de Naciones Unidas, la UNEA por sus siglas en inglés, creada en 2012, de brindar un sistema más eficaz de gobernanza ambiental internacional. Comenta su experiencia, como presidente de UNEA en dos periodos, en hacer que este ente tuviera un papel político, además de técnico. Y comparte algunas anécdotas vividas, en el proceso de negociación para desarrollar la primera declaración política de la UNEA aprobada en UNEA 3 en 2017. Destaca lo especial de la UNEA en cuanto a brindar la participación de actores no gubernamentales en su proceso. Edgar comenta uno de sus desafíos como ministro en disminuir el algo uso de combustibles fósiles en Costa Rica dado la flota vehicular. Termina resaltando le importancia de asegurar enfoques holísticos y no seguir abordando desafíos de manera fragmentada dando el ejemplo de la problemática de seguridad alimentaria y gestión sostenible de suelos en el país y la necesidad de construir puentes entre la agenda de conservación, de cambio climático, de agua...

In this episode, Dr. Michelle Maloney discusses the need for systems change toward an Earth-centered culture where people re-consider their relationship to the Earth and their place within it. She sees Earth Jurisprudence and Earth Law as effective tools to make this cultural shift and to protect the environment from human destruction. In this conversation she reflects on the shift that needs to take place towards Earth Law and Rights of Nature, and on what it means: giving nature legal rights in the same way that humans have legal rights so that it must be legally protected. She shares the examples of both Ecuador and Bolivia that have recognized the Rights of Nature in their constitution, and on a smaller scale, rights can be given to individual parts of an ecosystem like a river or forest. She comments on the work of The Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN), a global organization dedicated to the universal adoption and implementation of legal protection for the Rights of Nature, and on how she sees the relationship between law, economics, education, and ethics. Towards the end of this conversation, Dr. Maloney shares that she sees the Earth Charter as an important tool to help people envision an Earth-centered culture.

In this episode, Mirian Vilela talks with Dr. Lisa Miller about the role of spirituality in mental and emotional health, the importance of spirituality in education, and the connections between her work and the Earth Charter. Dr. Miller explains that while religion is completely environmentally and culturally transmitted, we are born with an innate physical capacity for spirituality. She emphasizes that religion is not a requirement to fulfill this capacity for a transcendent relationship, but that this connection to a whole can be experienced through a god, the universe, ancestors, or another higher power.  However, this innate spirituality is being socialized out of children which she believes is resulting in many of the emotional and mental health problems in today’s societies.

In response to this, Dr. Miller created the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education to develop spaces for spirituality in K-12 schools. She believes that the most important work for a parent, teacher, or caregiver is to strengthen children’s spiritual form by modeling this behavior. To foster spiritual growth, parents must both “walk the walk” and “talk the talk” equally.

In her book, The Awakened Brain, Dr. Miller discusses the need for awakened awareness. An obstacle to this is the transactional, achievement-oriented mindset that focuses on attaining more money, prestige, and material wealth. Instead, we must focus on the “deep in-and-of-itself of living”, spiritual value, and quality of life. Counterintuitively, this will lead to more outward success.

Dr. Miller sees the connection between her work and that of the Earth Charter because of the focus on the interconnectedness and oneness with the environmental, spiritual, social, and political. Her work at the Spirituality Mind Body Institute identifies a need for a spiritual voice in environmental protection and education. In Principle 14, the Earth Charter emphasizes the importance of moral and spiritual education which parallels her work with the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education.  Finally, both the Earth Charter and Dr. Miller recognize the importance of a transcendent relationship through our connection to the greater whole.

Learn more about Dr. Miller’s work at the Spirituality Mind Body Institute and the Collaborative for Spirituality in Education at these websites:

https://spiritualitymindbody.tc.columbia.edu/

https://spiritualityineducation.org/

In this episode, Dr. Amr Abdalla, professor emeritus and former vice-rector at the University for Peace, talks with Mirian Vilela about his 25 years of experience teaching peace and conflict resolution. He discusses the importance of participatory, interactive approaches when teaching peace and conflict resolution, and how the University for Peace created a space to develop this. To him, the connections between education for global citizenship, peace, and sustainable development are clear: giving people the tools for peace promotes development and prevents violent conflict. While there will always be conflict, education is crucial to creating long-term peaceful solutions and to prevent violence. Amr believes that learning critical thinking skills is key to creating lasting peace. This involves a 360-degree approach that helps the learner to deconstruct assumptions and embrace universal values.  He talks about the importance of helping people learn how to deal with conflict to avoid violence. In reflecting about changes in education and cultural differences, he relates an anecdote from his son’s Kindergarten show-and-tell that made him confront the conventional education style that he grew up with and tells an example of when a student made him think differently about violence.

In this episode, Nika Salvetti reflects on the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh and its impact on the garment industry. When the Rana Plaza building collapsed in 2013, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring another 2,500, it served as the tipping point for reforms in the garment industry. The tragedy spawned not only safety reforms but environmental ones as well, as the clothing industry is one of the most polluting. Today, garment factories in Bangladesh are subject to regular safety inspections, and companies are required to treat their wastewater so that chemicals do not pollute the soil and water. Salvetti also discusses the factors that motivate businesses to move towards socially and environmentally responsible practices. Finally, she recommends steps that consumers can take to encourage businesses to be more socially and environmentally responsible.

In this podcast episode, Mirian Vilela, Executive Director, Earth Charter International, interviews Leonardo Garnier, former Minister of Education of Costa Rica about the UNESCO’s Futures of Education initiative and its report "Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education," which was launched in 2021 and some highlights of his work as a Minister of Education. The podcast provides a thought-provoking discussion on the need to rethink education and redefine the future and purpose of education in the current times and the potential role education has in creating a more just and sustainable future for all.

En este podcast, Laura Chinchilla ofrece un análisis sobre los desafíos y el deterioro de la democracia y la polarización en América Latina.  Nos habla de la importancia de luchar por mantener los derechos civiles, de la transparencia y del liderazgo ético. Nos invita a considerar que hay que mantenerse firme en contra del populismo y la corrupción y trabajar en conjunto por el bien común, así como para mejorar el acceso a la justicia y garantizar la participación inclusiva en las discusiones políticas.

In this podcast, Rolf Winters shares some of his experience and learning from a five years journey with this family seeking to learn from indigenous people’s beliefs and values. This experience, visiting indigenous communities in different regions of the world, led to the development of the Down to Earth film which has the purpose to share the knowledge and worldviews of Indigenous leaders. “The film invites us to see the world through the eyes of the Earth Keepers. It takes us on an inner journey, re-connecting us with the source and the mutual path we are walking.” For Rolf, there is so much we could learn from the Indigenous people’s worldviews and ways of being, he indicates, a true leader is someone who “has the ability to create an energy field so that others can flourish”. Rolf dives deep into his family life, his business background and how his perspectives on life and death greatly changed from these experiences. This is an interesting and thoughtful podcast episode worth listening to!

“We are interconnected with nature, and with each other. What we do to the planet and its living creatures, we do to ourselves.” This is the phrase that opens this thoughtful and interesting podcast episode with Severn Cullis-Suzuki. She talks about intergenerational justice and its relation to climate change, her experience as part of the drafting commission of the Earth Charter, and her new role as Executive Director of the David Suzuki Foundation. She also looks back to the summit in Rio in 1992 and delivers a hopeful message of the hits (and misses) she has seen since then.

Tiokasin Ghosthorse begins this podcast by painting a picture of his childhood and experiences as an indigenous person growing up in the United States and being forced to ignore his own culture. He talks about how western education is very binary and restrictive, whereas non-western education (for lack of a better word) allows one to make choices and actually grow. He also mentions how indigenous cosmovision and spirituality can help us address the current challenges humanity faces, especially in regards to education and climate change. He help us see that Earth is always changing and moving…. but, we, the humans are the ones who need to change with the Earth, and this may only happen if we live with the Earth and on her rhythm and not on Earth. Tiokasin creates an insightful, thought-provoking atmosphere in this extremely interesting podcast interview.