Tu Weiming, one of the most influential Confucian thinkers of the 20th and 21st centuries, contributed to the drafting process of the Earth Charter bringing Confucian thoughts of the importance of interconnectedness and community into its principles. In this conversation he talks about Confucianism, how it can apply to our current societal and environmental challenges, and how it relates to the Earth Charter. 

He also discusses the importance of self-cultivation or “learning to be human” within Confucianism. He emphasizes that the purpose of this it not to attain inner happiness or develop individualism. Rather, the emphasis is on the communal act and becoming part of a network of relationships in four dimensions, the self, community, Earth, and heaven.