An inspiring lecture at Espacio Montméjean

To mark Earth Day, a lecture was given at Espacio Montméjean, focusing on the thinking of Henry David Thoreau, the 19th-century American philosopher, essayist, poet and naturalist.

The speaker, Laleh Descloux, conveyed the relevance of Thoreau’s vision for a contemporary world in search of meaning. ‘Don’t renounce the world’ was the central theme of the talk: harnessing the wisdom of nature to live better with others.

Thoreau: committed philosopher and pioneer of ecology

Having lived in seclusion for more than two years in Walden Woods, Thoreau was not fleeing the world. He was seeking a philosophy of returning to the essentials, in harmony with the Earth. His emblematic work Civil Disobedience illustrates his ethical and political commitment. Today, he is considered a pioneer of nature writing and a founding figure of modern ecology.

A voluntary action in homage to the Earth

The following day, a group of volunteers from Nouvelle Acropole Bordeaux took part in the restoration of a farm on the outskirts of the city. A moment of concrete connection with nature, in the spirit of Thoreau.

An olive tree was planted, a symbol of wisdom linked to the goddess Athena. This philosophical tree has been named ‘Paradisio’ in homage to Mother Earth. An evocative name: perhaps paradise is already here, in places that are cultivated with care, respect and awareness.