HAUMEA - Ecoliteracy for the Arts

“It is testament in itself that I take every opportunity to work with Cathy, Nikos and Haumea. Whilst I am not a 'perpetual course attendee', I have found a deep need to be present with what Haumea offer for learning. Having just completed the 'Earth Charter Values' course the richness and kind learning has served to offer me new forms of practice, new ways of considering and new connections to others with similar concerns. The course has had a marked, immediate impact on what and how I engage with others through my practice. Learning the guiding principles of The Earth Charter, acquiring the language to share them through discussion, dialogue, examples and research has had a profound change on how I view my practice and place within this living world. The philosophies of care and compassion that underpin the Earth Charter are beacons of hope and positivity in very challenging times. Cathy, Nikos and Martin have an ability to build positive, deeply rich courses that speak to the best within us. They recognise the capacity and creativity within participants as well as their voice as essential to shared learning and the creation of a peer learning environment. The (Peoples) Earth Charter is a rich andenlightening document drawn together by wise peoples from many traditions. It offers a pathway for co-existing in the living world. The Haumea Course navigates the course whilst embodying its principles. I am immensely grateful for having attended this course, learning a little of what was offered and sharing that journey with other travellers. Thank you.”

“I was first introduced to the Earth Charter during one of Cathy's courses about Ecoliteracy, and immediately I wanted to learn more. Taking part in the Haumea Earth Charter course has helped me to understand the scope of the work of caring for our planet, and to begin to find a personal role I can take in the work. I met a wide range of people from all over the globe which helps me to understand the deep nature of the work, as well as sense the connections all around our globe.”

“I had not heard of the Earth Charter before. World religions and sustainability form the bones of the Earth Charter. Together with the UN Sustainability Development Goals –SDGs a more holistic worldview is created which gives me more confidence that their principles are sustainable and a higher chance they will be achieved, which will benefit all humanity and wildlife. I found this course incredibly informative and inspiring and have recommended them to several ecology friends.”

“I would like to thank Cathy for all her work on the Ecoliteracy and Earth Charter courses, for her generosity in sharing her knowledge and experiences, and for her energy and effort protecting the planet. It has been a truly transformational journey for me.”

“My experience of the two courses with Cathy Fitzgerald and Nikos Patedakis is one of the most enriching of my life. I attended the Ecoliteracy for Arts Professionals and The Earth Charter courses this year (2021). The Haumea Ecoliteracy course first gave me a rich foundation in philosophical, scientific and cultural/arts practices, ideas and values. The Haumea Earth Charter course focussed on values and paradigms, those invisible things that wield their subtle power in the shaping of our world. It was encouraging to find out how much work has been done in developing these values in the Charter. To find out that there are so many groups and individuals working skilfully to bring about change and to restore our living world was uplifting. The wealth of resources shared by Cathy is vast and empowering. I am currently reading through some ofthe recommended books. The role of the arts in this crucial time of change is immense. As artists, creatives and educators we are storytellers, and stories and images are powerful tools for change. Cathy gave us a new language to share our experience of eco-related grief and gifted us with us a reservoir of practical and imaginative tools to share in our facilitation and art making. I am now more than ever aware of interconnectedness, of being part of a community of life on this planet. Nikos philosophical insights and the meditative practices he brought into the sessions grounded those ideas into experience. The ecological crisis is also a crisis of the imagination and the spirit. An “inner and outer” approach to ecological change made this course unique. The support of such a diverse and strong group was vital in bringing energy to the online sessions and in creating a sense of community, something much needed when confronting the reality of environmental collapse. The group discussions were fascinating. Thank you Cathy and Nikos for your important work.”

“As a teacher in the New Zealand vocational education sector I have for some time been wanting to find a way of encouraging learners to explore the wider environmental impacts of their chosen fields. I first heard of the Earth Charter through a conversation with Cathy and thought it might be provide a useful lens through which students could view and analyse the activities of the various industries they were hoping to work for in their careers. I’m very pleased to have then taken the Haumea Earth Charter course. The content of the course comprehensively covered the EC pillars in a way that was both engaging and sympathetic to the audience. I particularly enjoyed being part of the eclectic group taking the course, as it allowed a wide range of opinions to be aired using everyday language. This experience will greatly assist me in communicating wider concepts to my own groups of learners, who also come from diverse ethnicities and social backgrounds.”