'Turning Conscience into Action'* with the Earth Charter at Haumea Ecoversity

Dear Reader

On Monday this week, for the Haumea Ecoversity Community, we had the wonderful privilege of hosting Prof. Emeritus Sam Crowell, a holistic educator and Earth Charter Council Member from Vermont, for our very first Special Guest Speaker series. Sam, who was visiting Ireland for the first time, joined us from our home in Hollywood Forest to deliver a powerful online presentation. It was wonderful to see 41 attendees join live, with 10 more booking to watch the replay! Thank you so much, Sam, it meant the world to people in Ireland who have been pioneering the application of the Earth Charter to guide their work for a better world.

We were also joined by inspiring Earth Charter advocates from around the world, including Prof. Emeritus Peter Blaze Corcoran, co-recipient of the Thomas Berry Award (who is currently in Australia and who has previously mentored me and spoken to Haumea Ecoversity Earth Charter course participants a couple of years ago), Dr. Eimear O’Neill (Creative Director, Transformative Learning Centre, Toronto, Canada), and colleagues from Earth Charter Netherlands, who are preparing for the important international Earth Charter 25+ Anniversary celebration in The Hague this 1-3 July. I also greatly appreciate Haumea Ecoversity Adivsors, Founding, Associate and our Members who tuned in too.

Sam’s talk deeply resonated with many of us. He shared how the Earth Charter can help us re-enchant learning, heal our alienation from the community of life, and foster compassion for all beings and future generations. One particularly moving moment was when he introduced the image of “three empty chairs,” asking:

• Who speaks for the community of life?

• Who speaks for the marginalised and disadvantaged?

• Who speaks for the unborn?

Sam reminded us that the Earth Charter is a remarkable ecological visionary global civil society document, a holistic ecosocial compass translated into 66 languages, guiding us to think, care and act for the community of life, the marginalised and disadvantaged and unborn future generations. Its principles transcend self-interest and reflect contributions from peoples of numerous cultures, ethicists, scientists, Indigenous knowledge keepers, educators, faith and peace advocates, and activists for social and economic justice. Many sustainability educators have looked to the holistic vision of the Earth Charter over many decades since it was launched in 2000 for fostering system change and ecoliteracy.

For those new to the Earth Charter, is promotes an inclusive vision that integrates all conservation principles from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, and all the principles from the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which Eleanor Roosevelt helped draft in 1948 at the then-new United Nations in Europe, after World War 2. Known as the “First Lady of the World,” Roosevelt remains beloved across the US for her unwavering commitment to human rights and social justice—principles as we know, are much threatened in the political storms of today.

Considering all the attention on politics in Europe just now, Sam shared with me before his talk, how some higher education professionals in Germany are taking part in the in-depth 5-month Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Earth Charter course that Sam and others from Earth Charter International facilitate. They are exploring the Earth Charter's transformative potential to guide German universities foundational principles for systems change. I was so pleased to hear that, and I’m also thrilled that two learners from Haumea Ecoversity have joined this course with plans to explore how the Earth Charter may guide a primary school and a forest school here in Ireland. These small but vital actions remind me of how lifelong learning that encompasses clear, inclusive intentions and life-affirming guiding principles is crucial for these urgent times.

Considering the attack on many globally recognised post-war institutions recently, that have long been guided by Human Rights, I’ve also been reflecting on my PhD supervisor Dr. Paul O’Brien’s book Total State: Totalitarianism and How to Resist It (2023). Paul emphasises the importance of political literacy, critical thinking, and holistic citizenship education (like the Civic, Social and Politics Education CSPE of the Irish Junior school cycle)—holistic values that I feel the Earth Charter inspires and and articulates so well. It’s heartening to see Earth Charter's eco-social vision and principles are already being explored in Ireland through people who have connected to our previous Haumea Ecoversity courses:

• [Above] Kerry-based Dr. Anita McKeown and colleagues at FutureFocus21 Irish Transition-year (TY) school-age group / place-based STEAM draft micro-module for 21st-century leadership, features the Peoples’ and UNESCO-endorsed Earth Charter to teach teenagers about how principles guide our thinking and actions for sustainability (I was an advisor to this work).

• Community artist Angelina Foster and collaborator’s workshops (through BlueWay Studios, Kildare) have introduced youth to Earth Charter principles through screen printing, shared its vision with youth theatre, a scouts programme, for TidyTowns, the sign language community and for an incredible pilot intergenerational Future Ancestor festival for Athy town last November. They have also re-activated the story of the River Goddess Berba which I'm delighted to share, has been accepted as the first Irish story to be accepted to the Earth Stories Collection, the global story activist project that is collating folk stories that promote Earth Charter principles (convened by Dr Grian Cutanda in Spain, and which is associated with Earth Charter International).

Anita and Angelina tell me young people today are hungry for meaningful conversations about values and their futures, and that they love the graphic Earth Charter symbols to spark conversations on what matters most to them. Many youth are already aware of the mounting challenges they face and are already more exposed to newer holistic approaches in education, than many adults and decision-makers. While the Earth Charter was launched over 2 decades ago, I see it as a fresh means to foster youth’s growing desire for inspiring intergenerational holistic guidance—helping them and elders think and act for personal, collective, planetary and intergenerational wellbeing.

I’m very grateful for my experience taking part in the 5-month accredited ESD Earth Charter course in 2021 (thanks to an Arts Council professional development award). It connected me with incredible people like Sam and inspires Haumea Ecoversity’s mission to develop inclusive, holistic, and caring ecoliteracy learning pathways for adult creatives, educators, and changemakers. With over 100 participants now introduced to the Earth Charter through our courses there are seeds of awareness already sprouting in Irish soils (and also with others who learn with us from abroad) and now many will be encouraged even more by Sam's talk.

There is truly a deeper magic when people gather together to think of the best humanity could aspire to 'to being more, rather than having more'— one of the most quoted lines from the peoples' Earth Charter.

I hope if you joined us, Sam's talk about re-enchantment of learning and the Earth Charter will continue to inspire your work, your teaching, your writing, your policies

👉 Do hit reply if you’d like access to the replay of Sam’s talk (there was a small fee to support Haumea Ecoversity for the replay) or if you simply want to share your reflections – I’d value your insights, especially as I'm going to The Hauge in July with others from Ireland.

Let's remember the collective love and visionary ecological wisdom of the remarkable Peoples' Earth Charter, and use it to remind us, to help us communicate strongly for what we hold most dear.

How can I Join the Haumea Ecoversity Community? ​
Our new independent peer-to-peer ecoliteracy learning community, guided by the principles of the Earth Charter, has just begun in January 2025. We'd love to have you join or support us!
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Read more about the Earth 25+ Celebrations at the Hague, 1-3 July here​

P.S. Do you know any young leaders (ages 18-30) who are passionate about sustainability and creating positive change? Earth Charter International is offering an engaging online course in Leadership, Sustainability, and Ethics from February 17th to April 29th, 2025. It's a fantastic opportunity for them to enhance their skills, expand their knowledge, and connect with like-minded individuals from around the world. Participants will even receive an Earth Charter International certificate and an invitation to join the Earth Charter Young Leaders network upon completion. It could be a life-changing experience for someone looking to make a real difference! Read more here: https://earthcharter.org/courses/lse-online-course-feb-2025/​