International Green Movement

"neither left nor right, but out in front"


The International Green Movement is on the move.

The original "4 pillars" on which the Green Party was founded and enumerated upon by the German Green Party back in the 1980's are as follows:

1. Ecology
2. Social Responsibility
3. Grassroots Democracy
4. Non-Violence

Later, the International Green Party Platform grew into a larger set of 10 core values, tenets and principles. They are as follows:

1. Ecological Wisdom
2. Grassroots Democracy
3. Personal, Social and Global Responsibility
4. Non-Violence
5. Decentralization
6. Community-Based Economics
7. Post-Patriarchal Values
8. Respect for Diversity
9. Social Justice
10. Future Focus

The first ever planetary gathering of the International Green Movement was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Subsequent gatherings occured in Canberra, Australia in 2001 and in Berlin, Germany in 2002. During the Canberra gathering a 'Charter of the Global Greens' was drafted that included a "political action" program/platform in addition to the original 10 core green values and principles above. This political action plan consists of the following:

1. Promoting Democracy
2. Equity (addressing the gap between rich and poor)
3. Climate Change and Alternative Energy
4. Protecting Biodiversity
5. Endorsing Global Economic Sustainable Development
6. Emphasizing Human Rights
7. Focusing on Food and Water
8. Engaging in Sustainable Planning
9. Peace and Security
10. Acting Globally

In May 2003, the European Federation of Green Parties met in Malta in which 32 member parties from 40 european countries participated. As a first step, the gathering adopted the name 'European Green Party'. The official founding ceremony of the European Green Party is due to take place in Rome, Italy in February, 2004.
In the United States, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader ran in the 2000 Presidential election campaign and recieved just under 5% of the national vote. The US Green Party has also run at least 547 candidates for public office in 40 states across the USA in the 2002 elections. A national Green Party Convention is scheduled to be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2004.

Steve Jones
P.O. Box 2124
Burlington, Vermont
05402
USA

E-Mail: dreadzone7@yahoo.com


SOURCES:

1. Global 2000 Report to the President
Commissioned by the US Carter Administration in 1980

2. ***Book- Green Politics
by Charlene Spretnak and Fritjof Capra
Website SEARCH: http://www.amazon.com

3. Dennis Kucinich for President/USA
11808 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44111 USA
Toll Free Phone #: 1.866.413.3664
Website: http://www.kucinich.us

4. Elmwood Intitute/Center for Eco-Literacy
2522 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, California 94702 USA
Website: http://www.ecoliteracy.org

5. Die Grunen (German Green Party)
Platz vor dem Neuen Tor 1
10115 Berlin, Germany, European Union
Postfach: 040609, 10063, Berlin, Germany
Website: http://www.gruene.de

6. ***Green Books-
EF Schumacher: Small is Beautiful
Ernest Callenbach: Ecotopia
Lester Brown: Building a Sustainable Society
Website SEARCH: http://www.amazon.com

7. Solar, Wind and Anti-Gravity
Website: http://www.oocities.org/highpriest777/solar.html

8. Green Party of the USA
P.O. Box 57065, Washington, DC, 20037 USA
Website: http://www.gp.org

9. Ralph Nader Pages
Websites:
http://www.nader.org
http://www.votenader.org
http://www.essential.org

10. European Greens
European Parliament, Rm PHS, 2C85, Rue Wiertz
1047 Brussels, Belgium, European Union
Website: http://www.europeangreens.org

11. Strategic Environment Initiative (SEI)/Mission to Planet Earth
Website: http://www.oocities.org/sapphire2029/sei.html

12. Santa Cruz Green Party
P.O. Box 387, Santa Cruz, California 95061 USA
Website: http://www.santacruzgreenparty.org

13. Green Parties Worldwide
Website: http://www.greens.org