Vision

The planetary Eco-humanism

Since we are always looking for ways to explain the objective reality in which we live to capture the meaning of life, but also to build instruments that allow us to change and grow as human beings. Without this knowledge, and products made thereof, the anthropisation of the planet would not have been possible; in the course of history, knowledge has changed at the same time as those who have produced it by altering the aspect of the Earth.

Today and for the first time since Homo Sapiens Sapiens, the search for understanding and transforming reality engages all societies and cultures, men and women who inhabit our common home.

The different knowledge that were still functional for the societies of past centuries are no longer able to interpret and change reality because they are divided between them: in this new context of life, knowledge emerging from disciplines interweave and intersect generating new complex knowledge that is transdisciplinary in nature.

Thus begins the search for unity in conjunction with the knowledge and reality. It heralds a future not separated, without barriers between disciplines, between nature and man, between cultures, societies and human beings and between energy and matter, and within the same human being, his feelings and thoughts.

Here, the researchers and the research are not divided on the ethical principle of Goodness for humanity and the planet, and knowledge grows gradually as it nourishes towards this Goodness.

In this scenario, education and training are essential. By our nature we are incomplete beings and we need to feed our sensitive and rational mind in the same way that we nourish our physical human form.

If we do not act differently, we will be not able to meet the challenges posed by the Eco-humanism. In this global and local context, citizens and nations have to solve their problems of cohabitation rather than by reason of fear and war, but by empathetic intelligence, which is transnational, transcultural and transdisciplinary.

To meet the historic challenges of global citizenship, the UNESCO Chair in Florence is involved in the research and practice through Participatory Action Research on the relationship between knowledge and implementation of change.