NATURE RIGHTS DAY campaign
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An Earth Odyssey Initiative to mobilize people around the World to Declare 14th June annually: Global Citizens “Nature Rights Day”.
There are 174 International Days, observed by the United Nations and normally proposed by Member States, to mark events and topics in order to annually enhance awareness, commitment and actions.
Of the total, some 151 Days are devoted to Human Issues including an overarching Human Rights Day celebrated on 22nd April annually.
There are just 23 International Days devoted to Nature Issues, namely Wildlife, Forests, Water, Meteorology, Mines, Earth, Tuna, Migratory Birds, Bee, Biodiversity, Full Moon, Environment, Ocean, Desertification, Tropics, Asteroid, Clean Air, Ozone, Disaster, Tsunami, Environment Protection, Soil, and Mountain.
The Year 2020 declared as “The Worst Year Ever” with the Covid19 pandemic, climate catastrophes lingering on the horizon, escalating extinction of species as well as the widening societal crisis of Human Divisiveness of disrespect and inequities in a world of 25% living prosperous Modern Lifestyles, driven by Material, Greed, and Power whilst some 80% live in a world of relative poverty with socio-economic-political exclusion. It is time for the world to come together, living Sustainable and Responsible Lifestyles in Harmony with Nature.
We cannot survive even for a moment without Nature and yet our activities go on mining and destroying Nature. Why then, as rational human beings, do we continue walking an unsustainable suicidal pathway? Nature with its inherent harmony will recover, survive and thrive long after the Human Species disappears.
We need to establish systems “of jurisprudence that see and treat nature as a fundamental, rights-bearing entity and not as mere property to be exploited at will. Human acts or laws that infringe these fundamental Nature Rights violate the fundamental relationships and principles that constitute the Earth community and are therefore illegitimate and unlawful”.
Whilst recognition of legal rights of Nature exists in 12 countries worldwide, including some 50 cities and counties, we need to reach out to out to the remaining 168 Nations States and some 9950 cities. We stand at defining moment in time and the global imperative ahead is for the peoples of the world to come together and find pathways to People-Harmony-Nature-Peace to secure a sustainable future of Humans and all species that inhabit our One Planet Earth.
Nature Rights is an imperative that can no longer wait for political, business, and civil society leaders to debate and deliberate the Rights of Nature. It is time to mobilize a Global Citizens movement to embrace an annual Nature Rights Day, complementing the Human Rights Day, recognizing the interdependency of all living species.
Let us, the citizens of the World, embrace 14th June annually embrace our humanity and create a humane sustainable world in harmony with Nature, for our own sake and survival of all future generations of all living species.
Notes:
- 5th June 1972 Stockholm Conference International Environment Day
- 5th June 1992 Rio UN Conference and Earth Summit, Convention on Biodiversity
- 14th June 1992 Rio Earth Summit Final Day
14th June Closing Remark by Maurice Strong, Secretary-General Rio 1992 UNCED and the Earth Summit.
“Parents used to be able to comfort their children by saying, ‘Everything’s going to be all right; we’re doing the best we can and it’s not the end of the world’. But you can’t say that to us anymore. Our planet is becoming worse and worse for all future children. Yet we only hear adults talking about local interests and national priorities. Are we even on your list of priorities? You grown-ups say you love us, but we challenge you to make your actions reflect your words.” Severin Suzuki.
We are all challenged, in the responsibilities we carry as we leave Rio, to make our actions reflect the words which have testified to our commitment here.
Mindful Simple Ideas for celebrating 14th June Nature Rights Day and a following weekend of Actions: Parents in the home, teachers in schools and Professors in Colleges as well as leaders in Governments, Business and Civil Society devoting an hour or two pondering actions in support of Nature and in the following weekend implement actions such as:
- plant a tree,
- walk in Nature,
- leave out food for the wild birds and animals,
- be kind to pets,
- visit a national park, animal shelter, or Zoo,
- write a Poem or a Nature story,
- organize a neighborhood waste cleaning,
- do some gardening,
- a day of healthy consumption,
- a day of exercise,
- volunteer for some nature-related activity,
- host creative actions in support of Nature, involving everyone from toddlers to elders in communities everywhere,
- be creative and do something good for Nature.
Join us in this campaign, to make annually June 14th Nature Rights Day.