Response - Ethics and Earth Responsibility

PURPOSE OF PROJECT

OBJECTIVES

The meeting in Samoa is to bring participants together for a forum on water ecosystems, with presentations reflecting particular fields of activity and expertise. The forum will provide the opportunity to share knowledge and experience, identify shared goals and support beneficial collaboration in ongoing projects and research.

Expectations for Meeting

SOME KEY QUESTIONS

The working group has identified some phrases and questions which can be referred to selectively, to guide planning for presentations and projects):
· Principles for integrated governance

· Ethical processes for informed decision-making

· How can the role of indigenous people and the status of indigenous knowledge in governance be advanced?

· In what ways can indigenous knowledge and practices be brought to environmental management and biodiversity enhancement?

OUTCOMES

Beneficial outcomes for the health of water ecosystems are being sought, in sites associated with participant responsibilities. In addition to identifiable environmental outcomes, contributions to policy development will be sought in the countries concerned, as well as contibutions to systems for integrated governance and management.
Anticipated outcomes:
· Contributions to policy development, governance and systems for integrated management

· Development of an ethic of collective, shared responsibility for environmental outcomes

THE SYMPOSIUM IS DESIGNED AS A ROUND TABLE PROCESS INVOLVING MULTICISCIPLINARY TEAMS ADDRESSING KEY QUESTIONS, WITH PROVISION FOR EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION ACROSS DISCIPLINES.

Draft Programme for the Symposium 26 – 30 January 2008
The Agenda is designed in reference to Dialogue as shared inquiry through thinking and reflecting together (W. Isaacs), Integrated Knowledge Management Systems (W Allen and M. Kilvington) and Complexity Theory ( M Wheatley). A provisional structure is anticipated as:
Day One:
o Late afternoon welcome

Ka tangi te titi, ka tangi te tui, tui, tui, tuia
Tuia ki runga, tuia ki raro, tuia nga taha a tane
He mihi nui ki nga tangata whenua, tena koutou.
He mihi nui ki nga tangata Pasefica, talofa lava
Tena koutou ki nga tangata whai muri, kia ora koutou katoa
Tihei mauri ora

Director

Betsan Martin

Te Au o Te Moana: Responsibilty for Healthy Water Ecosystems