After Jan Roberts, Founder of Earth Charter U.S., learned about the Earth Charter at a drafting session in Assisi, Italy in July 1999, she formed an Earth Charter steering committee in Tampa, Florida to organize simultaneous Earth Charter Community Summits in 12 cities connected by satellite to be held on September 29, 2001. Roberts was invited to the 2000 international launch of the Earth Charter campaign at The Hague Peace PalaceUnited States . where the Earth Charter Community Summits were recognized as the major effort in the

A National Advisory Board for the Summits was formed to help guide the development of the Summits. The Tampa Steering Committee was central to the organizing effort, which was not only task oriented but also intent on making the task fun. Eventually, volunteer organizers in 12 cities organized Summits, which were connected via satellite broadcast. The live connection generated a national energy for the Earth Charter movement.

Following the launch of the Earth Charter Community Summits, organizers from across the country gathered in Tampa to create the Earth Charter Community Alliance, an informal network of people working to make the Earth Charter’s vision for a caring, sustainable and peaceful world a reality in their communities.