Hello Reader,​
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It might not be making headlines…
But there’s an inspiring document more and more of us are turning to.

It’s called the Earth Charter—a visionary soft law, a set of guiding principles similar but more expansive than the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It calls us all to respect and care for all life on Earth.

Later this month, I’ll be travelling to the Peace Palace in The Hague for the 25+ Anniversary Celebrations of the Earth Charter—bringing creative contributions from Irish Haumea Ecoversity members with me.

And I’ve been reflecting on just how timely and quietly powerful this charter really is…

✨ A compass for a time of collapse

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, was born out of the devastation of WWII over 75 years ago—its vision set out an agreed set of guiding principles to help societies rebuild dignity, justice, and trust, to develop new laws to safeguard the lives of all people.

Today, as we face the collapse of ecosystems, growing inequality, social injustice, war, mass species extinction, and cultural fragmentation…
The Earth Charter could serve a similar purpose.

Already endorsed by UNESCO and the IUCN, translated into over 65 languages (including Irish 🇮🇪), and embraced by:

• Educators, scientists, environmentalists, artists, activists, youth, Indigenous and spiritual leaders
• And now, ahead of UN COP30 in Brazil, there is a formal call for a Global Ethical Stocktake

the Earth Charter is increasingly being recognised as a key, globally agreed and real-world-tested ethical guide to live well with the community of life on Earth.

Though it emerged formally in 2000, the calls for a Nature Charter, which became the Earth Charter, have been arising for decades. From UN environmental meetings in the early 70s, to calls from some UN countries, to a global civil society process conducted over nearly a decade, peoples from all walks of life: environmental lawyers, climate and environmental scientists, Indigenous leaders, spiritual voices, educators, social justice and peace activists across the globe have connected to and supported the vision of the Earth Charter.

🌍 At 25 years old, the Earth Charter still feels remarkably fresh. It was ahead of its time, clearly anticipating the now widespread and now urgent shift in education toward integration, systems thinking, ESD and GCE, and a more ecological worldview that attends to both human rights, respect and care for the community of life, social and economic justice, nonviolence, democracy and peace. It also particularly resonates with youth more exposed to, and to some who are calling for, a holistic environmental and social justice approach, like Greta Thunberg.

Overall, it continues to speak directly to those seeking a compass for cultural renewal and creative leadership in these complex times -for youth and individuals, for businesses, schools, universities and government policy.
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The Earth Charter is still little known in Ireland - we've been a nation attending to social justice politics in recent decades but as Ireland moves further on its ecoliteray and just transtion journeys.. more people are sensing that we need to correct our course, and sail with personal, collective, planetary and intergenerational wellbeing in mind, in all we do. We're also realising that sustainability goals, facts and figures from science and in the media are not shifting the needle for change. Hearts as well as minds are needed to foster cultural change.

💬 What we’re doing at Haumea Ecoversity

Since 2020, we’ve been introducing the Earth Charter as a gentle first step into ecoliteracy. It’s become a trusted framework for Haumea Ecoversity learners to:

• Become more confident with ecological language, ideas
• Align their values and work to live well with the community of life
• Communicate a holistic, ecological, just and peaceful worldview
• Spark meaningful, values-based conversations
• Spread trust and courage in their communities

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At the Hague, I’ll be honoured to briefly present:

• The new Irish-language Earth Charter translation, by artist and Gaeilgeoir Phoebe Cope, the translation supported by Haumea, Creative Ireland Carlow and The Drummin Bog Project, the translation checked by Transferendum Ireland.

• Earth Charter “Prayer Flags” from Angelina Foster’ and creative collaborators' from Blueway Studio inclusive community climate action workshops from the 2024 pilot Future Ancestor Festival in Athy; including The River Goddess Berba folktale, newly accepted into the international Earth Stories Collection (the first folktale from Ireland to align with intergenerational principles in the Earth Charter)
• Creative insights from Haumea member, Irish-born, China-based Niamh Cunningham, sharing her global audiovisual collection: The Memory Palace of Tree Stories
• And I’ll be speaking on a panel with Dr Alicia Jimenez (co-editor of the book: Earth Charter, Education and the Sustainable Development Goal 4.7) about how creatives in Ireland and the diaspora are using the Earth Charter to awaken conscience and care

If you’ve never explored the Earth Charter, now might be the time.

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It’s not just a document.
It’s a living vision—a call to live well with Earth and each other.

👉 Visit the Earth Charter site here​

See the short video below about Earth Charter 25+

P.S.​
Just as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights emerged from the wreckage of WWII,
The Earth Charter is gaining momentum in a time of ecological and social breakdown.
It may yet become the moral compass for our times.

Sometimes, the biggest shifts begin in quiet places.
And in people like you.

🌱 If you’re near Carlow, next Wednesday, 18 June, join us for a special in-person Earth Charter talk at An Gairdín Beo, with visiting US sustainability educator Prof Emeritus Peter Blaze Corcoran. I’ll be introducing Peter (a friend and mentor of mine), and we’d love to see you there. Also, An Gairdin Beo in Carlow town is a living example of a wonderful community endeavour guided by the Earth Charter - see its website and news of its new deep-time Cosmic walk too.

👉 Please book your free place via Eventbrite here:
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And yay and thank you to the many Haumea Ecoversity members who are supporting me and values-based learning for a better world.

Cathy, Nikos and Martin
🌀Haumea Ecoversity

€5.00 Cathy's Tip Jar for Haumea Ecoversity If you’ve found value in this newsletter and want to support my work for the independent, Haumea Ecoversity Community,... Read more Send a tip

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RAHEEN CROSS, BORRIS, Carlow R95 DC7P
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Haumea Ecoversity 2019 - 2025​
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​Haumea Ecoversity.com is an independent ecoliteracy learning community founded by Dr Cathy Fitzgerald in 2019. It offers a pioneering peer-to-peer ecoliteracy learning community membership — The Haumea Ecoversity. We also offer bespoke 1-1 Mentoring and online and in-person ecoliteracy training CPD -continuing professional development for cultural organisations, local authorities, art colleges and universities.
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Our mission is to empower emerging and mid-career creatives, educators, researchers and cultural professionals with holistic, transformative ecoliteracy—enabling them to address environmental and social challenges through deep ecological awareness.

Drawing on Cathy’s pioneering ecosocial art practice, The Hollywood Forest Story (initiated in 2008), her doctoral research The Ecological Turn (NCAD, 2018), and post-doctoral studies—supported by the Irish Arts Council—with Earth Charter International (UNESCO Chair for Education for Sustainable Development, ESD), Haumea Ecoversity champions a global shift in learning aligned with life-sustaining ecological realities. Collaborating with philosopher Dr Nikos Patedakis (DangerousWisdom.org, California), we have developed innovative, peer-to-peer courses grounded in ecoliteracy and the UNESCO-endorsed Earth Charter’s holistic principles. These courses have supported creatives and cultural professionals across diverse fields, helping them engage more effectively with their communities and audiences.
​By late 2024, over 380 creatives participated in our courses, forming a vibrant, growing community of eco-social creative practice. Many have become learning leaders, benefiting audiences and communities in Ireland and internationally, with some gaining recognition and support from Creative Ireland, Irish Arts Offices, the Irish Arts Council, and other organisations abroad.
​We believe integrated values education and ecoliterate creativity are crucial to fostering equitable, sustainable, and peaceful societies. Stay connected for tips, eco-creative news, and updates as we continue catalysing this vital shift in creative education, supporting personal, collective, planetary, and intergenerational well-being.
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HAUMEA ECOVERSITY Hollywood Forest, Killedmond, Borris, Co. Carlow, Ireland