Brink Adventures receives international recognition

• Brink Adventures, Australia
• Mateo Castillo, Earth Charter focal point, Mexico
• Rustem Khairov, Foundation for Survival and Development of Humanity, Russia

The Award Ceremony was held on 8 November 2005 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands during the Earth Charter+5 event. Following presentation on the ten finalists, Commissioners Maurice Strong and Princess Basma announced the winners who received 5,000 euros each for their extraordinary work with the Earth Charter.

A special award was granted to ITAIPU Binacional, Brazil for its Programme “Cultivando Agua Buena”, under the leadership of Nelton Friedrich, as an example of a socially and environmentally responsible public enterprise.

The Earth Charter Awards were offered as an expression of appreciation for outstanding efforts taken by the organizations/individuals that have fulfilled a number of criteria including:

• Projects with an explicit relationship with the Earth Charter document
• Implementation of Earth Charter values and principles in an action-oriented project
• Creativity and innovation
• Long-term benefits
• A significant impact on the awareness of people and their engagement in sustainable development.

In February 2005, the Earth Charter Secretariat announced the Award and invited applications to be submitted by 15 June 2005. Information inviting individuals and groups to submit their applications was disseminated through the Earth Charter Secretariat mailing list, newsflashes and was also posted on the website during the first semester of the year.

Twenty-six applications were received and analyzed between July and September. A Selecting Committee consisting of representatives from the Earth Charter Steering Committee, the Earth Charter Secretariat, the NCDO and senior advisors to the Initiative was formed to review all applications and select ten finalists. Based on recommendations from the Selecting Committee, the Earth Charter Commission and Steering Committee approved the decision on three winners of the Award and on the special prize.

In addition to the above-mentioned criteria, the selection process also considered efforts that demonstrated outstanding work carried out with the Earth Charter in accomplishing one of the following goals of the Earth Charter Initiative:

• To promote the dissemination, endorsement, and implementation the Earth Charter by civil society, business, and government.
• To encourage and support the educational use of the Earth Charter in schools, universities, faith communities, and other settings.

Photo: From left to right are | Maurice Strong | Rustem Khairov | Louise Erbacher | Mateo Castillo | Nelton Friedrich | Princess Basma Bint Talal | Henny Helmich |

Brink Expeditions and the Earth Charter... 

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