Rights of Nature Global Gathering in Siena, Italy

As the Rights of Nature movement keeps rapidly expanding to all corners of the world and to new ally movements, so does the need for collaboration, coordination and networking. In response to the increasing need for deeper and more direct connection among its members, the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature (GARN) hosted a global gathering from October 15th to October 18th at La Certosa di Pontignano, in Siena, Italy.

The Alliance brought together its Executive Committee members, Hub leaders, Advisory Board members, Rights of Nature Tribunal members, and movement leaders for four days of convening and integration. Amongst the attendees were more than 60 economists, lawyers, scientists, Indigenous leaders, community activists and authors hailing from 22 countries and 4 indigenous nations: Ecuador, Sarayaku, Canada, Ponca Nation, Turtle Island, Netherlands, Brazil, UK, France, USA, Philippines, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, Italy, the Balkans, India, South Africa, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina. The gathering marks the first time leaders of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature are coming together since the pandemic.

The Gathering kicked off with the launch of the Eco-Jurisprudence Monitor, an interactive online platform that compiles ecological jurisprudence initiatives globally as well as related resources for researchers, lawyers, policymakers, and activists. The Monitor was presented by Alessandro Pelizzon and Craig Kauffman from GARN’s Academic Hub.

The overarching goal of this gathering was to define a framework of action to keep expanding the global implementation and integration of the Rights of Nature all around the world. With that objective in mind, GARN members and allies presented the latest news and updates on the Rights of Nature movement cases around the world, from Mar Menor in Spain, to the Philippines, Germany, France, Sweden, Ecuador, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Panamá, going on to Indigenous territories (ranging from the Ponca Nation to Aotearoa), sharing their experiences to keep inspiring and driving the movement forward.

The gathering also served as a vehicle towards building GARN’s strategy, governance and vision for the next 10 years, with the expression of the common dream for both the alliance and the movement moving forward. The International Rights of Nature Tribunal, its role and its future cases were also touched upon during one of the sessions.

Strategic alliances between GARN’s regional and thematic hubs were forged, affirmed and deepened: the European, Latin American and African Hubs worked together in an interactive dialogue with the Academic, Legal and Youth Hubs, as well as the Indigenous Council and the Tribunal Judges Assembly. During these sessions, the Asia-Pacific and North American Hubs were created.

Amongst other activities, attendees were able to enjoy the presentation of Vilcabamba, de Iura Fluminis et Terrae artistic project on Rights of Rivers and Rights of Nature presented by A4C-Artsforthecommons at the 2022 Biennale of Arts of Sydney through Alessandro Pelizzon, Francesco Martone, and Rosa Jijon.

The global gathering provided a venue for all of its attendees to convene and work both on a Gathering Declaration (The Seed of Siena) and on GARN’s Constitution, which was voted on and approved at the General Assembly, held hybridly for all of the alliance’s members, with a presentation its three-year plan and global strategy to keep advancing the Rights of Nature movement around the world.

The Global Gathering nurtured and broadened peer-to-peer relationships that foster a deep understanding across the diversity of cultures, philosophies and life experiences that make GARN a reference in the field of the Rights of Nature, and that work every day to transform our society’s relationship with the larger Earth community.

If you want to learn more about the gathering, you can visit its website here.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature, click here.

Press contact: