Women’s Multifaith Eco Gathering
Over 55 women from Christian, Druze, Jewish, and Muslim backgrounds came together for the Women’s Multifaith Eco Gathering 2013 at the Sisters of Sion Convent in Ein Kerem, Jerusalem from June 17-18, 2013. If you would like to see more videos on ICSD-involved conferences, please see:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DWlsrAELS8&t=10s This event was the follow-up to the Women’s Gathering in the Garden of the Mothers in Daliat HaCarmel held January 15, 2013 in which 60 women began working together for the environment and the future of our children in our land. Many of the same women gathered in Jerusalem to continue the relationships and the commitment to learn about the environment from the point of view of our four religions, and to devise practical activities together. During January and June 2013, the TRUST WIN (Women’s Interfaith Network) of TRUST-Emun (TRUST) and The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD) worked together on a collaboration. TRUST…
The Dalai Lama on climate change in India
What environmental message does the Dalai Lama bring specifically to an Indian audience? Addressing a crowd in New Delhi, India, His Holiness the Dalai Lama calls on Indians to show genuine concern for their environment, focusing particular attention on two pressing regional issues: water scarcity and the warming of the Tibetan Plateau. He connects these localized environmental concerns to the broader stakes of climate change, emphasizing that the health of the Tibetan Plateau — often referred to as the “Third Pole” for its vast ice reserves — carries significant consequences for water security across South Asia. By grounding his message in issues directly relevant to his Indian audience, the Dalai Lama makes the case for environmental awareness that is both spiritually motivated and regionally specific, reinforcing his broader teachings on compassion and universal responsibility with concrete, local stakes. More at: http://lessonsfromavagabond.tumblr.com/
‘Islam and Sustainability’: Interview with Fazlun Khalid
What insights can a pioneer of Islamic environmentalism offer at a conference addressing the global sustainability crisis? This interview features Fazlun Khalid, Founder-Director of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES), recorded at the “Sustainability in Crisis” conference held in Cambridge from September 26-28, 2011. In this conversation, Khalid explores the relationship between Islamic teaching and sustainability, drawing on his extensive experience founding one of the earliest organizations dedicated to Islamic environmentalism. He examines how Islamic principles of balance, stewardship, and moderation directly inform a framework for addressing the environmental crisis, offering a theological perspective grounded in decades of advocacy work. Speaking at a conference explicitly framed around the urgency of the sustainability crisis, Khalid’s remarks underscore the timeliness and relevance of faith-based environmental thinking within broader academic and policy conversations on global sustainability.
Climate Change and Indonesia: Muslim Spiritual Leader Prof. Dr. M. Din Syamsuddin
Parliament of the World’s Religions 2009 Melbourne, Australia Featuring Prof. Dr. Din Syamsuddin, Chairman of the Centre for Dialogue and Cooperation Among Civilizations. Syamsuddin is an author and President of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s largest modernist Muslim social and educational organization. He is Vice General Chair of Indonesian Ulama Council, Professor of Islamic Political Thought at the National Islamic University in Jakarta and President of the Asian Conference for Religion and Peace, based in Tokyo. LINKS Parliament of the World’s Religions Parliament of World Religions – Welcome 350.Org http://www.350.org
Faith at the Summit: The Archbishop of Canterbury
Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury and an outspoken champion of climate justice, talks with Mark Dowd about his hopes for COP-15’s outcome.
Oren Lyons – “We Are Part of the Earth”
How did Oren first learn about his relationship to the Earth? Listen to his story… This video was produced by the Sacred Land Film Project, http://sacredland.org, a project of Earth Island Institute. To deepen public understanding of sacred places, indigenous cultures and environmental justice, the Film Project produces a variety of media and educational materials—films, videos, DVDs, articles, photographs, school curricula and other materials. The Sacred Land Film Project uses journalism, organizing and activism to rekindle reverence for land, increase respect for cultural diversity, stimulate dialogue about connections between nature and culture, and protect sacred lands and diverse spiritual practices. Its latest project, Standing on Sacred Ground, http://StandingOnSacredGround.org, is a four-part series that chronicles indigenous people in eight communities around the world standing up for their traditional sacred lands in defense of cultural survival, human rights and the environment. Watch them stand against industrial mega-projects, consumer culture, resource extraction, competing…
Chief Oren Lyons speaks about Climate Change
What perspective can Indigenous leadership offer on the global climate crisis? At the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, held at UN Headquarters in 2007, Chief Oren Lyons addresses this question directly, sharing insights on climate change rooted in Indigenous knowledge and tradition. As a respected Indigenous leader, Chief Lyons brings a perspective grounded in generations of relationship with the land, offering an important counterpoint to more conventional scientific and policy-driven approaches to the climate crisis. His remarks at this significant UN forum highlight the growing recognition of Indigenous voices and traditional ecological knowledge as essential contributors to global climate discourse, emphasizing values of long-term stewardship, interconnectedness, and respect for the natural world. This talk adds an important Indigenous perspective to the broader international conversation on climate change, delivered at one of the earliest UN platforms dedicated specifically to Indigenous issues.
Winona LaDuke • 2011 Commencement • Hampshire College
What wisdom does one of the world’s leading environmental activists offer to a graduating class stepping into an uncertain future? At Hampshire College’s 2011 Commencement, internationally recognized environmental activist Winona LaDuke delivers the keynote address, sharing insights drawn from her decades of work at the intersection of environmental justice, Indigenous rights, and sustainability advocacy. As a prominent Anishinaabe activist known for her work on land rights, renewable energy, and environmental protection, LaDuke brings a distinctive voice to this milestone moment for graduates, likely challenging them to consider their role in addressing the environmental and social justice issues of their generation. Her address adds to Hampshire College’s tradition of featuring speakers who push graduates toward engaged, purposeful action, offering a commencement message rooted in environmental consciousness and Indigenous perspective rather than conventional career-focused advice.
Dalai Lama Supports Green Party
Would the Dalai Lama align himself with a specific political party if given the chance? In this notable moment from a 2008 lecture at the University of Michigan, His Holiness the Dalai Lama makes a striking statement, declaring, in essence, that he would want to join a Green Party if one were available to him. This candid remark underscores the depth of his commitment to environmental values, suggesting that ecological responsibility resonates with him on a level significant enough to consider political affiliation — a notable statement from a religious leader typically associated with transcending political divisions. This moment offers insight into how seriously the Dalai Lama regards environmental protection, framing it not just as a spiritual or ethical concern, but as an issue substantial enough to warrant genuine political engagement and identification. Dalai Lama states: “If you have a Green Party, I want to join.” Video from a University…