The Interactive Dialogues of the General Assembly on Harmony with Nature to commemorate International Mother Earth Day have brought to the forefront the need to move away from a human-centered worldview - or "anthropocentrism" - and establish a non-anthropocentric, or Earth-centered, relationship with the planet. Under this new paradigm, we recognize Nature as an equal partner with humankind.
127 international experts from different continents, totaling 33 nationalities, participated in the virtual dialogue on Harmony with Nature and addressed Earth jurisprudence from the following eight disciplines: Earth-Centered Law; Ecological Economics; Education; Holistic Science; the Humanities; Philosophy and Ethics; the Arts, Media, Design and Architecture; and, Theology and Spirituality.
This Dialogue follows and builds on five interactive Dialogues of the General Assembly on Harmony with Nature that started in April 2010. A first step in recognizing the rights of nature took place at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012. Heads of State and Government adopted the outcome document entitled “The future we want” (resolution 66/288, annex), in which they recognized that planet Earth and its ecosystems are our home and that some countries recognize the rights of nature in the context of the promotion of sustainable development. They also agreed that, in order to achieve a just balance among the needs of present and future generations, it is necessary to promote Harmony with Nature.