Wim Oolbekkink

Nature is much more than a metaphor for collaboration. Nature is collaboration, balance, and equilibrium. That’s where I feel at home.

The Earth Charter slowly but surely entered my life. It began in 2018 when I attended the Earth Charter celebration for the first time at Zonheuvel Estate. I remember the story about drinkable rivers by Li-Ann Phoa. Growing up in the water-rich region of Overijssel, I always kept my mouth shut while swimming in rivers and lakes. The idea that you can let the water flow through you was a revelation for me. It strengthened my desire to contribute to a better Earth (and to swim in a drinkable river someday). The estate where I am a program manager is a grateful practice ground to translate that desire into concrete actions. It ranges from planting trees, and cultivating oyster mushrooms to training programs for sustainable entrepreneurship. When Earth Charter adopted a new organizational form in 2019, it was not complicated for me to get more involved. Now I am deeply immersed and wherever possible, I connect the Earth Charter with my work for the SDG House network and activities that I develop with campus partners on the estate.

I am delighted to be part of the Earth Charter Netherlands team. I am the program manager of the Campus op Landgoed Zonheuvel (Campus of Zonneheuvel Estate) and the driver of SDGhouse Utrechtse Heuvel. Campus Landgoed Zonheuvel is also the home base for the SBI Foundation – Earth Charter Netherlands.