Manifestos, Charters and Roadmaps: when words (can) help facts to become a reality: creation of socio-environmental networks.
«Facts, not words», ies a say (in Catalan) even used as a motto for political campaigns; it reminds us that any idea or proposal needs to become tangible and become useful reality. The truth is that words can push towards the facts, generating a framework of shared knowledge, which can be key to advancing towards a common goal; and along the way, keep adding followers to that objective. A few days ago at the SIMRA course, Elena Gorriz illustrated us with the concept of cognitive Social Capital in relation to the creation of social networks, and the importance of manifestos in the generation of shared value.
The Aalborg Charter (1994), gave birth in Europe to the Local Agenda 21 local and the movement of cities and towns for sustainability. The Charter, a 7-page document, oriented to set the basis of local action for sustainability, came to have in 2010 close to 3000 signatory municipalities.
The Montesquiu Declaration on Land Stewardship (2000) that I lived in first person, and will always remember the meeting where Miquel Rafa , then head of management of the Landscape and Territory Foundation proposed that the Congress of the same name culminated with a manifesto. In 4 pages, the necessity was established and the path to create, precisely, a network to promote land stewardship in Catalonia. With 84 signatories of the statement, from very diverse collectives, and a motion of support of the Parliament of Catalonia, in March 2003 the network was constituted.
And one last example, that recently has come into public, the result of a work initiated in 2016, is the Declaración del Grupo Campo Grande on the wolf conflicts, which is open to new signatories from its website, by the way. Interestingly, the signatories of this statement do so for the value of the process, without adhering to all detailed conclusions.
If you need support for creating new words, in the form of charters or manifestos to move towards the facts, we are at your disposal.
Pictures: Aalborg, Montesquiu, llop