Earth Charter Ventura Summit and Awards

Earth Charter Ventura Summit and Awards program will be held at the Wright Library @ 57 Day Road on the edge of the Ventura College Campus on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3:00 p.m. Here is the annoucement:

Hello all, On behalf of Citizens for Peaceful Resolutions I want to congratulate you on your selection as recipients of this year’s Ventura County Earth Charter Awards.

The Earth Charter has been referred to as the declaration of interdependence. It articulates the shared responsibility we have to one another and to the planet itself.

Created by the largest global collaborative process ever associated with an international declaration, the Earth Charter was drafted over a 10 year period by thousands of individuals from 77 countries. It was launched at The Hague Peace Palace in 2000. Subsequently endorsed by thousands of organizations representing millions of individuals worldwide, Ventura County is the first U.S. county to have endorsed the Charter. The Earth Charter is an expression of hope and a call to help create a global partnership at a critical juncture in history.

In keeping with it’s principles of Ecological Integrity; Social and Economic Justice; Democracy, Nonviolence and Peace; and Respect and Care for the Community of Life, our focus is "making the connection" between these critical areas and the fate of the planet.

You have been chosen as individuals who most exemplify the principles of the Earth Charter in action. For that we thank you and want to acknowledge your efforts. As you see you join an incredible group of co-recipients.

Your fellow awardees and their categories are as follows:

Respect and Care for the Community of Life ~

“Lift Up Your Voice” accepted by Rev. Jan Christian. Lift Up Your Voice’s work involves raising consciousness and finding solutions to the problem of homelessness in our community.

Ecological Integrity ~ Paul Jenkin – Paul has spent his life working on behalf of the environment. He is the Environmental Director of the Ventura County Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, and founder of the Matilija Coalition.

Social & Economic Justice - The Richard Weinstock Memorial Award ~ Tanya Cole. Tanya works as the Witness For Peace - Southwest Regional Organizer. In addition she has worked with Venturan’s for a Just Palestine and Todo Poder Al Pueblo.

Democracy, Nonviolence and Peace - In Memory of Betty Eagle and

Bill Hammaker ~ David Krieger – David is the President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and has spent his life devoted to the abolition of nuclear weapons and world peace.

Youth Education and Outreach ~ Julie Medina. Julie is the Youth Mentor for the K.E.Y.S. ACADEMY at Cafe on "A" K.E.Y.S works with high school and out of high-school youth both in and out of the juvenile justice system to prepare them for entering academia and/or the work force.

Earth Charter and the Arts ~ James Menzel-Joseph. James is a Korean war vet, who like many vets today was forever changed by the war experience. He turned to art as a means of healing and last year completed his beautiful book, Art and Survival.

We look forward to seeing you and thanking you in person at the community summit. We hope you will invite your entire community and spheres of influence to share in this special day as we celebrate each of your efforts.

If you have materials on your work or organizations, we encourage you to bring them. We will have tables available to set them out.

Our event is co-sponsored by the Ventura College International Studies Program.

Congratulations again. Thank you again for all you do Please call me with any questions.

Bob Dodge