The Ark of Hope and the Earth Charter

Ark of Hope visited the Yale Campus in New Haven on November 4.

During the first week of November, the "Ark of Hope" passed through Connecticut. This magnificent large sycamore chest was conceived as a visual message of peace, sustainability and concern for the Earth. It was pulled via wagon every inch of the way from northern Vermont to New Haven, Connecticut as part of its journey to the United Nations. It was built to hold a copy of the Earth Charter, along with 300 Temenos Books and their images of global healing.

The need for the Earth Charter, an international people’s treaty, was foreseen and initiated at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. Its composition followed eight years of work involving the Earth Council, Green Cross International, and thousands of individuals in 51 nations. It is a declaration of interdependence founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice and a culture of peace. After the tragedy of September 11th, the Ark of Hope has taken on an even greater significance. The United Nations will consider the Earth Charter as a resolution in September 2002.

The handmade Temenos Books carried in the Ark of Hope are an expression of artists, citizens and school children of Vermont. Using the written word or simple drawing, they movingly relate the call for peace, love of nature, and hope for tomorrow that are embodied in the 16 principles outlined in the Earth Charter.

The Ark of Hope was designed and painted by Vermont artist Sally Linden. Cabinetmaker Kevin Jenness built the chest out of a single English sycamore plank from a German forest. The unique 49" x 32" x 32" chest has inlaid woodwork and brass ornaments, with spiraled, unicorn-horn carved poles run laterally for carrying. A painting on the lid, called "Spirit," depicts children and young animals of the world. Each side panel depicts a direction, an element, a season, and a universal symbol in flora and fauna as seen through the world’s traditional artists. A papyrus scroll—on which, in one 26-hour session, Sally hand-printed the text of the Earth Charter—is mounted on the inside lid of the chest.

Some of the tenemos that were carried inside the Ark were displayed during the stop in New Haven.

Two years in planning, the Ark of Hope and Temenos Books were unveiled at the "Celebration of the Earth Charter Festival" held on September 9 at Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, Vermont. The program featured keynote speaker Jane Goodall, global peace walker Satish Kumar, musician Paul Winter, and Steven Rockefeller, professor emeritus of religion at Middlebury College and a member of the Earth Charter Commission. Then, as preparations were under way for crating and transport of the Ark of Hope to the United Nations, terrorists struck in the skies of America. Sally and the other artists felt a need to change their plans, and decided to "start walking with the Ark."

They proceeded across meadows from Shelburne Farms onto Route 7 near Burlington, Vermont, where they transferred the Ark onto a small wagon and continued south. In Vermont the migrating monarch butterflies rested on the Ark, and Massachusetts brought the shade of field maples for the weary walkers. I had the pleasure of a short rendezvous with them on November 1 as Sally and fellow walkers pulled the wagon south on Route 10-202 through Granby, Simsbury and Avon.

On November 4, I joined the procession walking from Cheshire to the Yale University campus in New Haven. After 14 miles of walking we came upon the Bellamy family at the outskirts of the city. Their smiles and conversation confirmed that the day was well spent. Sally then explained the purpose of the temenos, and asked if they would like to write or draw a concern they had for the Earth, its people or places on a slip of paper. It would then be put in one of the books and stay with the Ark on its travels. The father Willie helped his six-year-old son, and with pencil and paper they added the words: "For all people to become one color in the world. We as one." It joined the voices of so many others within the temenos.

After a weekend at the Yale campus, the Ark was brought to the Clearwater Sloop on the Hudson River, sailed to Manhattan, and was walked through the streets of New York City to the United Nations.

The Ark made its way down Iron Horse Boulevard in Simsbury on November 1.

According to statement on the Ark of Hope web site, <www.ark-of-hope.org>: "The Earth Charter is the first treaty in history to be drafted and promoted by the people—over 100,000 people in 51 countries have contributed to its creation. The Charter offers principles of living that can be used by multinational institutions like the United Nations, or by towns, organizations, individuals and families everywhere."

Gwendolyn Hallsmith, one of the organizers of the effort to get the Earth Charter endorsed by town meetings in Vermont, says: "If we want to raise consciousness about the importance of the Earth Charter, it's critical that we find ways to communicate its values … Town meetings offer a great forum for discussing these issues and raising awareness … If towns endorse the Earth Charter, it will send a strong signal to the U.S. administration and the United Nations that this treaty is what the people want." For a copy of the Charter, and to find out how you can help spread the word about it in your community, visit <www.earthcharter.org>.