Context

At the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Carlo Ratti, UNLESS launches Voice of Commons—a bold advocacy initiative to build a Constituency for the Global Commons. A Special Project of the Biennale, it amplifies the urgent need for governance architectures to protect Antarctica, the Ocean, the Atmosphere, and Outer Space—for All Kind. Endorsed by UNESCO, the UN Ocean Decade, and the European Space Agency (ESA), and championed by global leaders in science, policy, and activism, Voice of Commons is led by Giulia Foscari, with ambassadors Xiye Bastida, Sylvia Earle, and Johan Rockström, and is advised by a council including Carlo Barbante, Antje Boetius, Francesca Bria, Simonetta Cheli, Klaus Dodds, Eva Franch i Gilabert, Martin Frick, Patricia Urquiola, and Jessy Kate Schlinger.

These systems, though geographically distinct, form interconnected ecological networks essential to Earth's resilience and future generations. ANTARCTICA, holding 90% of the world’s ice, risks triggering a catastrophic rise in sea levels and launching an unprecedented migration. The OCEAN, covering 70% of Earth and absorbing 25% of human-generated CO₂, is acidifying under relentless exploitation. The ATMOSPHERE, burdened with over 424 ppm of CO₂, signals a system pushed beyond its limits, exacerbating social inequalities. OUTER SPACE, once a realm of shared ambition, now mirrors Earth’s history of extraction and control. Yet, the Global Commons remain voiceless in governance, lacking representation in the decisions shaping our future. Without a voice, the Commons have no vote. In the midst of today’s poly-crisis crisis, this must change.

Voice of Commons marks the beginning of a movement. As planetary boundaries are crossed and political accords falter, we cannot wait for leadership; we must become it. The Commons must not only be spoken about, they must be spoken for.
THE COMMONS NEED YOU.

The Global Commons belong to all, yet no one speaks for them. They have no Constituency—until now. Join us.
Become a Guardian of the Global Commons. Lend your voice. Ignite hope. Share your story, voice your demands, and envision bold new futures for our shared planet.

The Commons & You

The Atmosphere is the air you breathe. The Ocean feeds you, holds the stories of your ancestors, absorbs carbon to keep the planet in balance, and shelters life from the smallest plankton to great migrations. Antarctica’s ice melt can reshape coastlines and homes. Outer Space connects us all. What do they mean to you?

Local to Global

What changes have you seen? Raging wildfires, deadly heatwaves, droughts, floods, hurricanes? Are the fish disappearing from your waters? Are the seasons shifting? What do these shifts mean to you, and what do they say about how we care for the Commons?

Resilience

How has your community adapted to environmental change? How have social, economic, and environmental inequalities shaped your experience of climate change? Have you felt its impact more than others? What lessons can the world learn from you?

A Call to Action

If you could send a message to leaders, citizens, corporations, what would you say? What are your demands?

Rethinking Governance

Together we are building a constituency for the Commons - a movement to give them a voice. Who should speak for them? Should we create a Global Commons Parliament? What kind of governance would truly protect these shared spaces? What is your vision?

Science & Indigenous Knowledge

How can ancient wisdom and modern science work together to protect the Commons for future generations and all the species?

The Role of AI

Could technology help us monitor, govern, and protect these shared spaces? From Exploitation to Stewardship The Commons have sustained us for generations. How can we reconnect with Nature? What does it mean to be a true guardian? How do we act before it’s too late?

Submit here

Deadline: Please submit by November 22, 2025

Earth Day is a global call to protect our planet—a moment when millions unite for action. Upload your submission by this day and make your voice part of the movement to defend the Global Commons.

Your submission should include

• Recorded statement (3-4 minutes) in your own language—preferably as a vertical video.
• Written transcript (300-400 words) in your language and, if possible, in English.
• A vertical-format photograph of yourself.

Start your recording with one of the following introductions:

OPTION 1
"I am [Name Surname], I am [XX] years old and live in [City/Site, Nation/Community]. I am a [XXX] (occupation, if desired). I Speak Up for the Global Commons."

OPTION 2
"I am [Name Surname], I am [XX] years old and live in [City/Site, Nation/Community]. I am a [XXX] (occupation, if desired). I Speak Up for [Antarctica / the Ocean / the Atmosphere / Outer Space]." Your voice matters.

Your message will be part of a global installation—be heard.

This is an open call to "We the Peoples"—a call to unite in defending our shared Global Commons. With over eight billion of us calling this fragile planet home, we seek amplifiers — visionary change-makers who can turn this call into a movement. We invite:

• Elders, knowledge holders & Indigenous leaders
• Children, youth & climate activists
• Mothers, fathers & community builders
• Farmers, fishers, foragers & food growers
• Legal, policy & governance experts
• Representatives from governments, NGOs & civil society
• Artists, architects, writers & storytellers
• Communities on the frontlines of environmental change
• Delegates from nation-states, island states, stateless nations & Indigenous communities
• Explorers, researchers & representatives in Antarctica & the International Space Station

If you live on this Planet, you belong in this conversation. Whether you safeguard traditions, fight for justice, create, lead, grow, build, or explore—your voice matters. The Global Commons need all of us. Add your voice. We especially encourage you to bring forward voices that are unheard—those without digital access but whose wisdom is vital to the stewardship of our shared Commons. If you know someone whose voice must be part of this conversation, help them be heard.

Your words will take center stage at the Venice Biennale!

By contributing to this call, your voice will be broadcasted globally from Voice of Commons’ Planetary Embassy in Venice. Over the 198 days of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, the Planetary Embassy will represent each day a different nation-state, stateless nation, or Indigenous community, marking a historic first for many communities at this prestigious event. Their representation depends on you. 

Beyond Venice, your voice will travel.

Your contribution will be part of an immersive multilingual sound installation, reaching COP30 and other global climate fora. It will also be archived for long-term impact, with the potential to be featured in a 2026 publication by UNLESS.

Amplify the movement!

We will share your message across digital platforms - use #SpeakUpForTheCommons and tag @una_unless to expand our collective reach. The campaign launches May 7, 2025 - please hold-on until then to share. 

Stay connected. Stay involved.

Your submission automatically subscribes you to the Voice of Commons newsletter powered by UNLESS, keeping you engaged in future actions and petitions.

By contributing, you grant permission for your text, audio, and visuals to be featured across digital and offline platforms.

This is a moment of urgent planetary challenge. We must come together as one people to amplify the calls for justice, equity, and sustainable stewardship. Speak Up!

UNLESS is an agency for change—a transnational, interdisciplinary non-profit operating at the intersection of environment, politics, technology, and the arts. Its mission is to catalyze global attention on the urgency and fragility of our Global Commons and to drive change in defense of intergenerational justice.

Founded in 2019 by architect and activist Giulia Foscari, UNLESS has been relentlessly engaged in research-based advocacy, with a strong focus on Antarctica. It has led groundbreaking initiatives, including the publication of Antarctic Resolution (Lars Müller Publishers, 2021) and its Open Access dissemination; the design of tools to enhance scientific research and objects that mobilize collective consciousness; the promotion of policy resolutions for equitable data-sharing in Antarctica and the Ocean; and the development of a blueprint masterplan for shared technologies and scientific infrastructure in our seventh continent. UNLESS has also launched urban campaigns to raise awareness of the Global Commons and drive impactful public engagement.

Its work has been presented globally in Antarctica, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Italy, and Spain, and has been supported by visionary partners committed to planetary stewardship. Recognized for its impact, UNLESS has received prestigious grants and multiple international awards, including the S+T+ARTS Grand Prize by the European Union. Its projects and advocacy have been featured in leading international media, further amplifying its mission.

Through Giulia Foscari’s role on the Advisory Board of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC)—a global coalition protecting the world’s oceans and marine biodiversity—UNLESS advances efforts to safeguard marine ecosystems, regulate industrial fishing, and strengthen ocean governance. This reinforces UNLESS’s commitment to defending the Global Commons and advocating for the Ocean as a vital planetary system.


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