Claremont Eco Forum 2021
14th International Forum on Ecological Civilization
3rd International Youth Forum on Ecological Civilization
May 22-26, 2021 | Fully Online
Ecological Civilization and Organic Communitarianism
The International Forum on Ecological Civilization is one of the largest forums on ecological civilization in the world. Thus far, thirteen forums have been held. The 14th Forum will be held from April 22-24, in a live, interactive, online format. This year’s theme will be “Ecological Civilization and Organic Communitarianism.”
“Ecological Civilization” is the name for what we hope will replace modern civilization. Where modern civilization is leading to the collapse of essential natural systems, we hope for a sustainable world. While our globe is politically organized into sovereign states that compete for power over one another; we hope for peaceful and mutually supportive relations among all peoples. While our present economy concentrates wealth and power in fewer and fewer hands, we hope for wider distribution of wealth and power and much less inequality. Whereas our present culture leads to greater and greater individual isolation and sense of meaninglessness, we hope for individuals to be members of communities and to find meaning in and through relationships especially to one another and the larger web of life. As a way of helping build these communities, we start at local levels. We seek to build communities that are creative, compassionate, participatory, diverse, inclusive, humane to animals, good for the earth, and spiritually satisfying, with no one left behind. These are what we mean by organic communities. Organic communitarianism is our name for a world where such communities flourish. Of course no organic community is an island. Each local community must also be in organic community with other local communities thus forming a network of communities of communities of communities. That is our best hope and our only hope.
The forum will bring together creative academics, non-profit leaders, governmental officials, and leading activists to explore fresh ideas on organic communitarianism in theory and practice.
Possible topics and questions include but are not limited to:
- What are the differences between lifeless and joyless community and organic community on the other
- What qualities of character and capacities for interaction are important for people to help build and enjoy organic community? How can they be encouraged and cultivated?
- What is the status of the individual in an organic community? What is the role of individual rights? How might organic communities promote respect for the dignity of all peoples, especially minorities?
- How might economic systems be restructured for the flourishing of all life?
- How might the cultures of workplaces and the practices of businesses support organic community?
- What is the role of family and community in promoting healthy human relationships in organic communities?
- How might human relations to nature be reconceived for mutual well-being? What attitudes and practices can be encouraged which help people live with respect for all life, not human life alone?
- Are there different ways of being human: pre-modern, modern, and constructively postmodern? If so, and if we speak of constructively postmodern person as an eco-person, what is an eco-person? What is the role of gender, class, race, and religion in helping a person embody the “eco-person” way?
- Can systems of governance, law, and justice be restructured for ecological civilization If so, what will these new systems look like and how do we begin the transition now?
- How should systems of education be structured to enhance ecological civilization?
- What role can faith and/or spirituality play for ecological civilization?