Method Gundidza, from Zimbabwe, one of the first graduates from Gaia’s training for African Earth Jurisprudence practitioners, joins international panelists at the 8th Interactive Dialogue of the UN General Assembly on Harmony with Nature, on Monday 23rd April.
Sustainable production and consumption, through an Earth-centred lens
The focus for this year’s UN dialogue on Harmony with Nature – held in celebration of Mother Earth Day – is on legal and economic frameworks to further the implementation of sustainable production and consumption patterns – looking especially at UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 (target 12.8) of sustainable production and consumption patterns. Click here for more detail and the concept note for this 8th interactive dialogue.
Method joins an international group of panelists, all of them actively engaged in promoting an Earth-centred and non-anthropocentric worldview, at what has become a landmark annual event orchestrated by Maria Mercedes, the dynamic focal point for UN Harmony with Nature.
Together, they will explore Earth-centred law and ecological economics, and how to live more consciously in Harmony with Nature – click here for the programme and panelists.
The event, held at the UN Headquarters in New York, will be live-streamed on the UN Web TV website on Monday 23rd April 2018, 10:00 – 18:00 EST.
African experiences – reweaving the basket of life
Method, who featured in our last mailing (Jan-Mar newsletter), brings the voice of a growing African Earth Jurisprudence movement to the UN.
As one of Africa’s first Earth Jurisprudence practitioners, Method successfully completed a 3-year experiential training course in the principles and practice of Earth Jurisprudence. Together with 5 other African civil society activists he is now mentoring the second group of participants in this innovative course developed by The Gaia Foundation.
In a recent interview Method talks about forgoing a career in corporate finance and how, through working with EarthLore Foundation in South Africa, he began to accompanying communities in their journey of reviving their traditional ecological knowledge and practices, especially seed diversity. He has initiated a “Back to Roots” process with his own community in Zimbabwe, while working with EarthLore Foundation in South Africa, and his presentation to the UN General Assembly will focus on:
Reweaving the basket of Life: Restoring the Earth Jurisprudence practices of reciprocity – case study from Bikita, Zimbabwe.
Gaia’s work in promoting Earth Jurisprudence
At last year’s 7th Interactive Dialogue of the UN General Assembly on Harmony with Nature, Liz Hosken, Gaia’s Director, spoke about Gaia’s journey in promoting Earth Jurisprudence and our trainings for transformation with communities, civil society and change-makers across Africa – a contribution to strengthening the global movement for transformation from an anthropocentric to an Earth-centred paradigm.
Gaia’s work on Earth Jurisprudence began germinating in 1999, in collaboration with Thomas Berry whose book the ‘The Great Work’ calls for a radical transformation of the dominant conception of law and governance systems, for the wellbeing of the whole Earth Community. Trainings for transformation have taken the philosophy and practice of Earth Jurisprudence to indigenous communities and civil society groups across Africa; and a second cohort of African change-makers are currently engaged in Gaia’s three-year Earth Jurisprudence training course.