Earth Charter International Launches YouTube Channel

August 2009


New Earth Charter Channel in YouTube
The Earth Charter International (ECI) Secretariat has recently launched a video channel page on YouTube. The channel currently features 37 videos about the Earth Charter in a variety of languages.

New project to develop indicators for values-based educational experiences
The ECI Secretariat joined a consortium of organizations and research institutions in a two-year research project to develop indicators to measure values components of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) projects. The research work and coordination of the project is carried out by the University of Brighton (UK) and Charles University (Czech Republic). They will work in collaboration with several CSOs (civil society organizations) to learn about their projects and experiences and will guide the process to develop the indicators and assessment tools. These will help participating CSOs to measure their impact and effectiveness in achieving their project’s goals.


e-GLO 2: Call for applications!
ECI is pleased to announce that the e-GLO 2 application process is open now!
e-GLO (Earth Charter Global Learning Opportunity) is a semester-long, online course that provides a great way to learn how the Earth Charter can guide youth leaders towards sustainability action. This sustainability leadership course will be offered in English to 20-30 youth aged 15-33, starting September 19th 2009. Click here for more.

UMAPAZ spearheading EC Teacher Training Programme in schools of Sao Paulo
Since 2007, UMAPAZ (the Open University of Environment and a Culture of Peace) has operated an awareness raising and educational programme in schools of Sao Paulo, Brazil and will offer an Earth Charter Action course starting this August 2009. The purpose of the programme is to promote the values and principles of the Earth Charter within the municipal education network - contributing with the understanding of the sustainability vision and of social-environmental issues. UMAPAZ functions under the Environment Secretary of the city government of Sao Paulo and this teacher training programme is part of the implementation of an agreement between this Secretary and the Secretary of Education (Secretaria Municipal de Educação [SME]) of the city of Sao Paulo. For more information click here.

New book utilizes the Earth Charter as a resource for English teachers
Professor Barbara M. Birch from the University of California, Fresno has used the Earth Charter in a book entitled The English Language Teacher in Global Civil Society (published by Routledge in 2009). This book explains how English language teachers can help spread and promote sustainable peace and encourage global citizenship in our increasingly interconnected global society. The book recognizes the importance of English language teachers and students in global civil society, and it portrays a compelling view of how teachers can be activists for social change. Click here for more information.


New Earth Charter Action Groups!
Following the decentralization for scaling up policy, the Earth Charter International started a process to invite individuals interested in promoting the Earth Charter to create voluntary action groups in their field of interest. These action groups would work to spread the word about the Earth Charter in their field of activity and promote its use. Thirty-four new Earth Charter Action Groups have been formed since May 2009, when Earth Charter International launched this effort. Click here for more information on this.

Recent Endorsements to the Earth Charter
ECI continuously receives letters indicating that organizations and individuals have endorsed the Earth Charter and are starting to use it as an educational instrument, as a reference, as an ethical framework and a guide for their decisions and evaluation processes. We encourage organizations to endorse the EC and to incorporate it as part of their activities, projects, and overall work. Here are some of the organizations that have recently endorsed the Earth Charter: Washington Ethical Society, Global Ecovillage Network - Europe, Damanhur - Italy, Empowerment Works and the Department of Women and Gender Studies of University of Toledo. Click here for more information on this.


Earth Charter International
San Jose, Costa Rica
email: info@earthcharter.org
www.earthcharter.org