MANIFESTO NFI 2007 MANIFESTO FOR A NEW EUROPE - ΜΑΝΙΦΕΣΤΟ ΓΙ | Página 5

committed to social justice, solidarity, democracy and peace
Friends of Nature are called upon to act
FRIENDS OF NATURE CHAMPION A
EUROPE that is committed to the balanced
pursuit of economic output, social justice and
ecological compatibility as well as to an active
role in a peaceful, global domestic policy. The
achievement of this goal is conditional on the
close involvement of the civil society. Friends
of Nature wish to take an active part, which is
perceived as a collective contribution to de-
signing a future-oriented policy of sustainable
development.
One of the most pressing tasks is to point out
the blatant dissonance between knowledge
and action: It is a fact, that the prospects of
using societal values as the yardstick for ac-
tion dwindle, whenever these values have to
compete with the neoliberal conceptions of the
human race.
Friends of Nature wish to overcome this contra-
diction in the practical implementation of their
activities and projects.
Below a few examples:
• sustainable development translated into prac-
tice in the form of cross-border regional de-
velopment fashioned on the ‘Landscape-of-
the-Year’ model
• Europe-wide projects, such as ‘Prima
Klima’, ‘Blue Rivers for Europe’, ‘Natura
2000’, etc.
• practising sustainable tourism in compliance
with a catalogue of criteria for eco-travel
and participating in the air travel offsetting
system
• greening of more than 1 000 Friends-of-Na-
ture houses in Europe
• solidarity with partners and Friends-of-Na-
ture associations in Africa
• education for sustainable development
• practising the small steps along the road to
an ecological life
These and similar activities are designed to set
examples and to establish the experience of how
to fundamentally change cultures and life styles.
Such a sea change is what we expect Europe-
an policy makers to effect by putting in place a
strategy for sustainable development.
We are aware that many people have started out
on this road, working their way towards a viable
world. We can change the face of the planet, by
joining forces with them, with the multitude of
groups, initiatives, organisations as well as with
trade unions and political parties that support
and pursue similar goals.
International Friends of Nature 5