Interfaith Climate and Energy Conference in Jerusalem featured addresses from leading religious leaders and interactive workshops
Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders together spoke out on climate change and conveyed a shared vision for practical action by faith communities at the Interfaith Climate and Energy Conference held in Jerusalem on Monday, March 19th, 2012. The Conference was held 90 days in advance of the UN Rio +20 Conference on Sustainable Development.
Panelists included Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, Archbishop Dr. Elias Chacour, Sheik Muhammed Amara, and Rabbi Ronen Lubitch. Video addresses by world religious leaders followed, from the Dalai Lama, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Orthodox Church; Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger, Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. Interfaith break-out workshops and a closing session with Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Naomi Tsur followed the main panel event.
The Conference marked the launch of the Interfaith Seminary Students Sustainability Project, bringing together Muslim, Christian, and Jewish seminary students for a series of seminars on faith and the environment. The Conference also launched the first online video collection of world religious leaders on climate change, available on this site.
Archbishop Chacour said, “This world is not only a beautiful and positive entity, it is also fragile and exposed to problems and deficiencies, which is why human beings bear the responsibility of improving this world.”
Sheik Muhammed Amara said, “Being in charge and control on this earth, it is incumbent upon us to maintain the balance of lifeon it, to guarantee an honest living and a dignified preservation of all elements, and everything living on the face of this earth, including its animals and plants, and non-living objects.”
Rabbi Yonatan Neril, founder director of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development stated “Religious leaders and institutions have the potential to mobilize billions of followers in the global struggle to curb climate change and achieve sustainable development. This Conference works to generate tractable environmental change within faith-based communities. “
The Conference, co-organized by The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, was held at the Conference Center in Mishkenot Sha’ananim, Jerusalem. Inquiries can also be directed to 054-723-4973 or info@interfaithsustain.com. Photos and video footage are available upon request.
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD) accesses the collective wisdom of the world’s religions to promote co-existence and sustainability through education and activism.