Question: What is a Declaration?
Answer: A Declaration
is a statement of intent.
It states a defined purpose.
In 1776, The Declaration of Independence was written. It was a revolutionary action that changed the world!
Using principles from the Age of Enlightenment, Thomas Jefferson wrote that all people are created equal, and that every human being should have equal rights to the preservation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This was a very BIG idea in the 18th century when most people still believed in the divine right of kings!
Now the world has changed, and the way we look at the world has changed, too. With knowledge and creativity, we have gone from an agricultural society–to an industrial society–to a technological society. And as we begin a new millenium and a "new age" in the 21st century, we have learned a very important truth:
Each individual is part of an intricate web of life. And the web is in need of respect, understanding and repair!
If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, he could be thinking about a new declaration
– a Declaration of Inter-dependence.
In this spirit, the task has been assigned to you.
"How could I write such an important document?" you ask.
"Only YOU can write it," would be Jefferson’s reply.
The master architect has left you his plans. Lets take a look.
To see a copy of the Declaration of Independence together with a story about its creation, go to The American Revolution Home Page at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ronmcgranahan/DECLARA.HTM
To begin writing your own Declaration of Inter-Dependence, start by printing out this series of pages. Then you can fill in the sections that we talk about below.
The first part of the declaration contains the preamble. It states the Principles or the reasons why the declaration is being written. For example, you can write a preamble by finishing this sentence:
"I believe that a Declaration of Inter-Dependence is needed today because..."
The next step is to state your Grievances. These are the reasons why it has become necessary to make changes in our daily lives.
Do you have a photograph or would you like to make a drawing that shows a man-made cause of environmental destruction? Is it in violation of Nature’s Laws by obstructing our natural rights to life, health, happiness, and well being? If so, in what way?
Place your photograph or drawing below. If you have more than one submission, give each one a number.
Describe your grievance(s) here:
The final stage in writing the Declaration of Inter-Dependence is to state a Resolution. You could begin this section by describing your idea of a perfect world. Do you have a picture or a drawing that would help illustrate your vision? If so, scan it in the space provided below.
Now complete the declaration by declaring what you will do to help make your vision a reality. You could begin by pledging that you will do nothing that would bring harm to your vision. Describe the action you will take to help create your world vision.
Congratulations! You have just completed the Declaration of Inter-Dependence!
Please sign your name, or if this is a class project, your school’s name and class name, below:
We will publish selected declarations,
if you give us permission.
Check here if you would like to give Kids4Earth permission to publish your declaration.
Please add your address, e-mail, date of birth and special interests
Print your Declaration of Inter-Dependence. You can:
Join Kids4Earth–The WebPages
for Young Heroes of the Environment