Harmony Event at Highgrove: A Reflection from the Elders on the Historic Event with King Charles

The Harmony Summit at Highgrove Gardens, convened in July 2025, marked a historic moment for our organisation and for the wider movement to restore right-relationship with the Earth. Hosted by King Charles and in partnership with The King’s Foundation, the gathering brought together Indigenous custodians, scientists, land stewards, cultural leaders, and regenerative practitioners in a shared spirit of listening, learning, and co-creation. For the Earth Elders, it was a profound milestone—one that affirmed the growing recognition of Indigenous leadership at the highest levels.

King Charles joins Earth Elders founder Mindahi Bastida and Indigenous leaders as they open the Harmony Summit with a traditional fire ceremony at Highgrove Gardens. All Photos: Ian Jones

Our collaboration with The King’s Foundation began with a shared intuition: that real transformation must be both ecological and cultural, rooted not only in new policies but in ancient wisdom, ceremony, and community. Highgrove—lovingly cultivated over decades as a living expression of harmony with Nature—offered the perfect setting. Its gardens, biodiverse and tended with care, formed a natural amphitheatre for dialogue between worlds.

Mindahi Bastida and King Charles exchange a gesture of honor, underscoring the importance of Indigenous leadership at the Harmony Summit.

The day opened with an Earth-centred welcome led by our convenor Mindahi Bastida and council members from the Amazon, Asia and Pacific Islands. Participants gathered around a central sacred fire, acknowledging the four directions and the interdependence of all life. This ceremonial grounding was not decorative—it set the tone for a summit that honoured the land as a living participant.

In a circle of open conversation, an Elder offers wisdom on Earth Jurisprudence and the essential role of honoring the rights and voices of the Earth.

Inside Highgrove’s Orchard Room and across the gardens, a series of listening circles unfolded. Elders shared teachings passed down through generations—on reciprocity, guardianship, and the responsibilities that accompany knowledge. Scientists and policymakers responded with reflections on biodiversity loss, climate instability, and the urgent need to transform systems of governance. What emerged was a rare convergence: ancestral insight and contemporary expertise speaking not in parallel, but in partnership.

Elders, custodians, and partners join in a hopeful gathering, reflecting a global commitment to right-relationship and the regeneration of our Earth.

The summit concluded with commitments to deepen cooperation across territories: developing Houses of Original Thought, advancing biocultural governance, protecting sites of special significance, and strengthening living networks of mutual support.

For the Earth Elders, Highgrove was not merely an event—it was a threshold. A signal that the world is ready for a new kind of leadership, one that honours ancient wisdom while responding courageously to the needs of our time.

We walk forward with gratitude, partnership, and renewed purpose.

---

We invite you to step further into this work. Learn how to partner with The Earth Elders and help strengthen Indigenous-led climate action.

Be in Relationship With Us