SUA Deepens Commitment to Sustainability at 25th Anniversary of the Earth Charter

• Campus News

Twenty-five years ago, world leaders, scholars, and activists gathered in The Hague to adopt the Earth Charter, a landmark declaration weaving together human rights, ecological responsibility, and a shared global destiny. This July, 340 participants from 35 countries returned to mark the charter's anniversary and reflect on whether the world has lived up to its promise.

Among those invited to the three-day event was SUA President Ed Feasel, who participated in a plenary panel session on education and the Earth Charter. Speaking to an audience of educators, policymakers, grassroots leaders, and youth activists, Feasel shared that "a global citizen is someone who creates value in their life and community by putting courage, compassion, and wisdom into action."

Feasel also discussed SUA founder Daisaku Ikeda's focus on four areas of global citizenship education - peace, human rights, sustainability, and development - in "Thoughts on Education for Global Citizenship," his address at Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1996. The Earth Charter, adopted four years later, echoed those same priorities, providing an ethical framework that gave institutions around the world a common language for advancing sustainability and justice.

Building on this philosophical foundation, the anniversary program created space for reflection, creativity, and intergenerational exchange. Each morning began with "Light Across Generations," a candle-lighting ceremony symbolizing the link between past legacies and future responsibilities. Sessions ranged from storytelling circles on the beach and film screenings to discussions on education, sustainability, business, and ethics, all designed to foster dialogue and shared learning.

On the final day, Earth Charter International Council Member Paul Lubber recognized Mirian Vilela, the 2024 Soka Global Citizen Award recipient, for her ongoing dedication to the Earth Charter movement, including her role as executive director of the Earth Charter International Secretariat. Echoing other speakers throughout the event, Vilela underscored both the global urgency around sustainability and the possibility of hope.

The SUA delegation - which also included Professor of Latin American Studies and Soka Institute for Global Solutions (SIGS) Senior Research Fellow Ian Read and Visiting Assistant Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies and SIGS Managing Director Tetsushi Ogata - attended the anniversary event as part of the university's increased emphasis on sustainability and ecological stewardship in the years since the pandemic. Over the past year, SUA reclaimed its STARS Silver rating, which measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education, and established new partnerships between SIGS and the Soka Amazon Institute and Earth Charter International to expand curricular and research collaborations in sustainability education.

The delegation's participation represents a deepening of SUA's partnership with Earth Charter International, which now includes an annual Learning Cluster visit to the Earth Charter Education Center in San José, Costa Rica. The first such visit, "Sustainability after Colonialism: The Costa Rica Example," was led by Professor Read and 12 students last January. The group learned about the Earth Charter and Costa Rica's pioneering sustainability efforts and engaged in dialogue with the Earth Charter team about the intersection of sustainability and social justice in a post-colonial context. Earth Charter International will also provide online certification courses in sustainability for SUA students, faculty, staff, and alumni this fall.

Looking ahead, Feasel emphasized SUA's growing role in international sustainability education. "As part of this global network," Feasel said, "SUA is committed to fostering leaders who see sustainability not only as environmental stewardship, but as a question of human dignity and justice. Together, we are shaping the values and vision needed for a more sustainable and humane future."