Muslim, Jewish, and Christian leaders are meeting today in Jerusalem to discuss climate change and launch the new Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development.
Leaders of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faiths will be convening this morning in Jerusalem to speak out about climate change at an Interfaith Climate Change Forum. Current environmental conditions in the Holy Land – including drought, the recent fires in northern Israel, dried up rivers, and environmental changes – have spurred the Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land (CRIHL) to recently endorse a Holy Land Declaration on Climate Change, which articulates a religious call to action against climate change. Now religious leaders from the three Abrahamic faiths will be meeting to discuss the correlations between their religious and environmental values.
The panelists are all members of the CRIHL and include: His Beatitude Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Fouad Twal, Deputy Minister of the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Religious Affairs Haj Salah Zuheika, and American Jewish Committee International Director of Interreligious Affairs Rabbi David Rosen.
During the hour-long forum, panelists will discuss the following questions:
- What inspiration do you take from your religious tradition in relation to climate change?
- What is the value of religious leaders in the Holy Land working together on environmental issues?
- What specific practices within your religious tradition do you think are relevant for adherents of your religion to more effectively address climate change?
The event also marks the launch of the new Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, which will promote the cooperation and training of various religious leaders, teachers, and seminary students on environmental matters.
: Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development
Read more about interfaith environmental activism::
Inter-faith Initiative Pushes to Mobilize Billions in Fight Against Climate Change
The National Religious Coalition on Creation Care Takes Interfaith Environmental Concerns to the US Government
Green Prophet at Interfaith Gathering in Amman – and a Green Oasis
Image via: david55king
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
