The Initiative is a broad-based, voluntary, civil society effort that includes international institutions, national governments and their agencies, university associations, non-government organisations (NGOs) and community-based groups, city governments, faith groups, schools, and businesses - as well as thousands of individuals. Together, these participants share a desire to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace.

The Earth Charter Initiative website is the primary action destination for participants. The virtual library offers a starting point, with access to the Charter and related documents in many languages. As various sections of the site illustrate, the Charter has been used as:

• an educational tool for developing understanding of the critical choices facing humanity and the urgent need for commitment to a sustainable way of life;
• an invitation to individuals, institutions, and communities for internal reflection on fundamental attitudes and ethical values governing behaviour;
• a catalyst for multi-sectoral, cross-cultural, and interfaith dialogue on global ethics and the direction of globalisation;
• a call to action and guide to a sustainable way of life that can inspire commitment, cooperation, and change;
• an integrated ethical framework for creating sustainable development policies and plans at all levels;
• a values framework for assessing progress towards sustainability and for designing professional codes of conduct and accountability systems; and/or
• a soft law instrument that provides an ethical foundation for the ongoing development of environmental and sustainable development law.

Concrete guidance for advocacy is also offered. One may locate ideas for: disseminating the Earth Charter and raising awareness about it amongst friends and in one's local community, starting an Earth Charter study group, putting together a project or an action group, and consulting and following the Action Guidelines for Decentralized Expansion of the Earth Charter Initiative, which may be found on the Earth Charter website.

Details about specific country activities are also provided. For example, launched in 2001, the Earth Charter Malaysia Committee has organised seminars to promote the Earth Charter Principles and training workshops for local community leaders. The group has translated the Earth Charter into local languages, distributing it to schools and college libraries. To further engage young people, a drawing competition on the Earth Charter logo was held for schoolchildren. Examples of advocacy efforts undertaken by the Malaysia Committee are: sending press statements to local newspapers to call on the people to endorse the Charter, incorporating the Earth Charter into an August 29 2008 Grand Cultural Festival Night to celebrate the nation's 51st Independence Day, and conducting an email campaign to call on Municipal Councilors and politicians in the country to endorse and use the Earth Charter as a reference and ethical framework for decision making and policy development.

Environment.