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About

In 2021 UNEPs Faith for Earth launched the Faith for Earth National Coordination Hub in partnership with the United Religions Initiative (URI) in response to the climate crisis.

As a global network in 109 countries with 16 regional offices, URI Cooperation Circles are responding to the climate crisis in potent ways. Through dialogue and hospitality, community organizing and co-created action, URI builds bridges that connect us more deeply to ourselves, to one another, and to all life.

This partnership seeks to mobilise the vast interfaith network of grassroots faith leaders, faith-based organizations, and community members in India, Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ethiopia to respond to the urgent, climate-related concerns at the local, national, and regional level.

 

Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) are a vital, necessary, and influential group of actors in attaining the SDGs and changing the current course of climate and societal catastrophe.  On the ground, FBOs provide immediate support and care to people.  Faith Leaders engender the trust of their communities and inspire action that brings social change and transformation to villages and cities around the globe, much of it in alignment with and working toward the SDGs.  When appropriately informed and sufficiently prepared, FBOs invite wide-spread local participation and mass mobilization for broad behaviour change, and cultural shifts.

The goal of this partnership is to:

  • Be Inspired by Faith Leaders and FBOs on the intrinsic relationship between faith, religion, and the environment; 
  • Support Faith Leaders and FBOs to address environmental priorities (Environment Education, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Restoration, Sustainable Resources Management, etc) efficiently and sustainably;
  • Take Action at a local level and scale up efforts on a national and regional level.

This will happen through a well-defined process of taking stock of existing projects, increasing awareness about critical environmental challenges, and building the capacity of Faith Leaders. Each Hub will approach these objectives through similar activities, cognisant that the capacity and environmental priorities of FBOs in the various countries differ.

 

Partner Strip

Email Rev. Lauren Van Ham (she/her/hers)

Climate Action Coordinator, United Religions Initiative
www.uri.org

Email Azmaira Alibhai

Faith & Ecosystems Coordinator, UNEP Faith for Earth

The UNEP India Office and URI launched the Faith for Earth Councillors Programme in March 2021, facilitating a series of training sessions to unite Faith-based Organisations to establish a common understanding for People and the Planet.

Faith for Earth Councillor Programme is an informal support mechanism for the Faith for Earth National Coordination Hub in India, and is not an official title of UN Environment Programme. 

The Faith for Earth Councillor Programme is a series of online and in-person trainings to educate and equip faith leaders with the tools and an engagement plan so they effectively communicate with, and inspire other Faith Leaders, and their communities, to respond quickly and effectively for the Earth.

Designed and conceptualized with the help of civil society groups like Religion World and Shristi in India, the training program seeks to build and document an active and inspiring network that models cross-sectorial learning and cultures of peace, justice and healing for all -- especially Mother Earth.  

 

Email Subhi Dhupar

Plastic Pollution Consultant, Counter-Measures Project, UNEP India Office

India Faith for Earth Strategy and Action Plan 2020

Email Jyot Shikhar

Coordinator, United Religions initiative (URI) India

Cognisant of the socio-political and economic challenges, the Faith for Earth National Coordination Team in Amman draws inspiration from a diverse group of religious and spiritual leaders, spreading awareness about a values-based approach for environmental action. 

The Role of Faith in Protecting the Earth (workshop) was organized by URI MENA under the Faith for Earth National Coordination Hubs in Amman on 17 December 2022.

An Introduction by Mamoun Khreisat

Opening by Dr. Iyad Abumoghli, The Founder and Director of the UNEP Faith for Earth Initiative.

Faith & Environment by Dr. Amer Al-Hafi, Professor of Comparative Religions at Al al-Bayt University and the academic advisor to the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies.

Baha'i perspective on environmental protection, by Tahani Helmy and Sameeh Qumi

Christian perspective on environmental protection, by Dr. Father Jeries Smairat.

Islamic perspective on environmental protection, by Sheikh Haythem Limam, Content Manager, Radio Zitouna FM (For Holy Quran).

 

Email Mamoun Khreisat

Regional Coordinator, URI Middle East & North Africa

Email Lara Hanna-Wakim

Professor, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK)

UNEP Faith for Earth, URI and Youth for Peace hosted an online webinar for religious and spiritual leaders, facilitated training for youth, organised field visits and waste clean-up activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina between August and November 2021, involving the youth and other civil society organisations exploring the role of religion in environmental protection.

To enhance environmental awareness, environmental peacebuilding, and the role religions have in caring for Mother Earth, an online webinar on "the importance of environment protection and climate change from the perspective of faith communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina" was launched to raise awareness and join the youth in an interactive learning process. 

The webinar welcomed statements from kardinal Vinko Puljić from the Catholic Church, mitropolit Hrizostom from the Orthodox Church, reisu-l-ulema Husein ef. Kavazović from the Islamic Community and hazan Igor Kožemjakin from the Jewish Community contributing to a joint call for interfaith action. 

This was followed by training high school students from different faith backgrounds and towns to collectively gain the opportunity to learn and discuss topics about the environment, religion, peacebuilding, expanding the youth network.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina National Coordination Hub Team facilitated outdoor activities to bring youth closer to nature and environmental care including a clean-up activity in the National Park Orašac and visits to the waterfall Štrbački buk, emphasising natures inherent value and natural beauty. 

Faith for Earth National Coordination Hub in Bosnia & Herzegovina were nominated for (and won) the Basel PACEY Award in 2022 that supports youth projects which advance effective policy action to cut carbon emissions, enhance the transition to renewable energies, address and resolve international conflicts, abolish nuclear weapons, reduce weapons budgets and investments, and/or support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

 

Email Daniel Eror

President, Youth for Peace

Email Dževada Šuško

Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina