Mar 13, 2020

Join us for a global online learning experience, 16-18 March!

At a time when many global events are being cancelled or postponed, SIWI and our partners at Sida, UNEP’s Faith for Earth and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency are pleased that our resilient, flight-free, digital course People and Planet: Faith in the 2030 Agenda will take place as planned 16-18 March 2020. We welcome anyone interested to join the livestreamed components.

The course aims to deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of the relationship between environment/climate and faith. Around 200 participants will be taking part digitally via six hubs in Sweden, Kenya, Jordan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Africa, and Indonesia with a focus on the importance of collective action for a more sustainable planet.

The global transformation needed to tackle the climate crisis the world is facing must explore previously untapped innovative approaches. Water is essential to realizing the SDGs, to meeting the challenges of climate change and for all human development. To be able to achieve this, inclusiveness and strong partnerships are essential.

The UN system has recognized faith-based actors and indigenous communities as key players in eradicating poverty, improving people’s lives, protecting the environment and thus achieving sustainable development. In many countries spiritual beliefs and religion are the main drivers for social inclusion and economic prosperity, utilizing the dynamics of these beliefs at the local level alongside the role of faith actors is crucial for a sustainable planet.

Research from United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has revealed that more than 190 environmental faith-based organizations, including indigenous communities, have been addressing climate change, working at the global, regional, and local levels on issues like energy conservation, sustainable use of biodiversity, and reforestation, among others. The course intends to draw on these experiences in building faith in partnerships for the 2030 Agenda.

If you haven’t registered for the course, you can still join us. The public is welcome to join the livestreamed components starting 8:30 CET 16 March via Sida’s Youtube channel.

Read more about SIWI’s Cluster Group on Water and Faith.