There’s no successful fight against climate emergency and species extinction without the acknowledgement of diversity in our society

Europe is astonishingly diverse in many ways—culturally, socially, and ethnically. Eurosite’s membership reflects this diversity. Our network comprises individuals and organisations with various backgrounds, traditions, experiences, and perspectives. We see this diversity as a core strength of our community—we celebrate and embrace it! What would be the point in the international exchange of ideas and knowledge if we were all the same?

The Connection Between Human and Biological Diversity

The same is true for biological diversity. We need to be mindful of nature, respect it and give all its populations, species, and ecosystems the space they need to thrive. Humans are not apart from nature but part of it. We need the other parts for our survival.

Diversity: A Pillar of Peace and Freedom

Considering our diversity, we at Eurosite are united in a shared belief in the European idea of a peace project. In an age of rising authoritarianism, nationalism, and intolerance, we aspire to be representatives of an open, humane, and inclusive transnational civil society. Diversity needs protection. Because people’s identities, perspectives and values differ, we need civility, tolerance, and public accountability to ensure peace and freedom for everyone.

Cultivating Inclusion in the Eurosite Network

We aim to cultivate a conscious, respectful, and appreciative approach to diversity in our network. This means, for example, that no matter a person’s age, gender, religion, social background, sexual orientation, or physical and mental condition, he/she is valued and treated with equal respect and has the same rights and opportunities to participate in our network.

Embracing Challenges and Growth Through Diversity

We enjoy diversity as a beautiful part of our lives. How could we fight for the protection of biodiversity but refuse to include our human diversity in the picture? Yes, diversity can be challenging. Finding common ground is difficult if you perceive and speak about the world differently. Admittedly, we are far from perfect in this regard. But we try to get better every day. Fostering diversity and inclusion in our governance structure, the workspace of our secretariat, and our various networking activities remains a crucial priority for the development of our organisation. We at Eurosite do that because diversity has always been a part of our genes. It comes with our job — naturally.