ARC's diary of events
Updated: 24 August, 2010 :
ARC's team members and colleagues give regular public talks as well as radio and television presentations on aspects of ARC's work. A selection of future public and conference events are listed below:
SEPTEMBER 2010Creationtide
Every year, from 1 September - the first day of the Orthodox Church
year - to 4 October - the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi in the
Catholic tradition - churches are called to become involved in the
'Time for Creation' for the protection of God's creation and the
promotion of sustainable lifestyles. This year, churches are
encouraged to focus on the two theme of biodiversity (2010 is the UN
Year of Biodiversity, and on Africa. Sermon notes, prayers, and other materials
are available in different languages from the World
Council of Churches, the European Christian Environmental Network
and a class='main' href=
'http://www.ctbi.org.uk/creationtime' target='_blank'>Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) .
September 7-8, 2010: Faith and Biodiversity Meeting, Chennai, India
The Church of South India is organising this workshop for followers, leaders and friends of the Church as part of their ongoing programme to alert people to the importance of looking after this beautiful and diverse world. Attendees and speakers from Kerala, Chennai and elsewhere in southern India. ARC's head of communications, Victoria Finlay, will attend.
September 18, 2010: Growing Organically; Using church land as a model for environmental change
This conference will cover the importance of church land management. It will also give practical examples of projects and open up opportunities to see what conservation potential church land may hold. The main speakers will be Professor Sir Ghillean Prance and Bishop James Jones, followed by informative and interactive workshops. Click here. Not an ARC event.
OCTOBER 2010October 10, 2010: 10:10:10
Several of our partners are participating in 10-10-10 - hoping to make it "the biggest
day of carbon cutting that the world has ever seen" by doing
something that will help deal with global warming in their community. Can you plant a tree, bike to church, buy organic food, fit an energy-saving
light bulb, invite a speaker to encourage the congregation to reduce
their carbon footprint in their everyday lives? Find out more at http://www.350.org/oct10
October 28, 2010: The Tiger in Daoism - study day
Martin Palmer will be delivering a lecture at Trinity College, Dublin, about the significance of the tiger in Daoism. Hosted by Asia House.
NOVEMBER 2010November 2-3, Faith and Food workshop, New York
This will be an opportunity for invited faith representatives to gather to discuss the theology of food and how to develop sustainable policies for the purchasing, production and consumption of food. The first of four international workshops, and part of ARC's food and faith programme. Co-hosted by Hazon.
November 5, One Earth Many Faiths, Oxford
The proposed theme for this year’s conference is 'Spirituality as a Uniting Force for Environmental Action’. Satish Kumar, current editor of Resurgence, founder and Director of Programmes of the Schumacher College international centre for ecological studies and of The Small School will be a main speaker at this year’s event. Read more here.
November 5-6, Sacred Soils Interfaith Conference, Louisville, Kentucky
Martin Palmer of ARC will give a keynote speech, alongside Wendell Berry. The conference brings together leading voices in faith and the environment from around the US.
November 23-24, Faith in Food Workshop, Nairobi
This is the second of four Faith in Food workshops around the world. The first was in New York earlier in November.
AUTUMN 2011China Conference. ARC is looking to hold a conference in Xian, China, supported by the Chinese Government, Louguantai Temple, the China Daoist Association and others. The conference will be the launch of several programmes that have emerged out of the Windsor Celebration, including Green Pilgrim Cities.
SUMMER 2012Bhumi Project festival in Leicester
The festival, at Leicester racecourse, is expected to attract upwards of 10,000 people. Seminars, workshops and exhibitions will be based on various aspects of the Bhumi Project Hindu Nine Year Plan to protect the living planet, created as part of the ARC/UNDP programme. Visitors will explore compassionate living principles, how to make pilgrimages more environmentally friendly, and how to ‘green’ temple worship. There will also be meditation gardens, fashion shows and cultural performances. Click here.
AND RECENTLY..... JULY 2010July 15, 2010: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association hosts 3rd international conference on Climate Change
Martin Palmer will be speaking at this event entitled “Global to Local: Climate Change Post-Copenhagen”, which aims to support parliamentarians to influence the formulation and implementation of climate change policy at local, national and international levels. For more info click here.
July 16-18, 2010: National Justice and Peace Conference
ARC consultant Mary Colwell will be attending this year's 32nd Annual Conference in Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire. It is hosted by the National Justice and Peace Network.
July 30, 2010: Sacred Bristol
Martin Palmer leads a guided tour of the city of Bristol and teaches how to read the religious landscape, from Churches to rivers he explores the rich symbolism that can be found all around us. More details to follow.
JUNE 2010June 6, 2010 Environment Sunday
Faiths around the world celebrate the day of the environment. What is your faith community doing?
"Good Morning Sunday"
BBC Radio 2 programme discussing ethical and religious issues, with guests and spiritual music - today features Martin Palmer of ARC and Dan Walker, BBC 1 Sports Presenter. Listen here or read programme details here
June 8, 2010, 6:00-7:40 pm: London zoo hosts talk on conservation, values and religion
Martin Palmer will be one of the speakers in an event about the ‘greening-of-religions’, focusing on the practical conservation benefits of engagement with faith partners. This event in the 'Wildlife Conservation' series will begin at 6.00pm (doors from 5.00pm) and talks are scheduled to finish at 7.30pm; admission is free and open to everyone (no advance booking or registration required). ZSL Meeting Rooms. Click here for more information.
June 18-27, 2010: Cherishing Churchyards Week
Several workshops will take place in Ludlow, Shropshire, with facilitators from Caring for God's Acre. Topics in this year's Flora locale training programme include: Community farming and landscape restoration; Managing churchyards and burial grounds for conservation; Ponies, wildflowers and wonderful landscapes; Restoring a lowland river; Creating new woods from seed and much much more. This is not an ARC event, but it stems from the Living Churchyards programme we were involved with some years ago.
June 19, 2010: Finding the Spirit in a Secular Age. Oxford, St Columba's United Reform Church, Alfred Street.
Martin Palmer of ARC will be speaking on The Ethos of Spirituality at 11:00 am. Other talks in this all-day conference include Spirituality in the Arts by Prof. Lord Harries of Pentregarth and Beyond Secularism - Science, Consciousness and Spirituality by David Lorimer. AHS/WT members: £20, non-members: £25, students: £10.
MAY 2010May 19-20, 2010: Compassion and Conservation 2010, Mongolia
This conference in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, helps local monasteries plan conservation programmes. ARC's Victoria Finlay will discuss the Mongolian Buddhist 8 Year Plan to Protect the Living Planet, which hopefully will be launched in 2011. It is funded by the World Bank, hosted by the Gandantegchinleng Monastery, organised by the Tributary Fund, and facilitated by the Gandan Monastery, ARC and The Tributary Fund.
APRIL 2010April 15, 2009: Launch of Shanghai Buddhists' 8 year plan
ARC is attending the launch of the Shanghai Buddhists' Eight Year Plan at Jade Buddha Monastery in Shanghai. In attendance will be the abbots from the major Buddhist Monasteries of the Greater Shanghai area - around 60 monks - who have been exploring Chinese Buddhist beliefs and values with regards to the environment, as well as practical action plans. ARC's role is to help put that into an international context. For the Buddhists' 8 year plan click here.
April 22, 2010: Earth Day Celebration
It has been 40 years since a barrage of assaults on our natural environment motivated the first Earth Day in 1970, which marked the beginning of the modern environmental movement. The presence of the religions in this movement are evermore on the increase, and several groups are seizing the opportunity to raise environmental awareness by celebrating Earth Day this year. For example, the St Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor was launched one year ago by the Catholic Church. Interfaith Power and Light's website contains numerous ideas and resources, including sermons and examples of how to act in the community on this day.
MARCH 2010March 4, 2010: 'Praying with Creation' at Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral is planning a Lent School of Prayer entitled 'The Beauty of Holiness' taking a series of topics on Thursday evenings through lent. Martin Palmer of ARC will be talking on March 4th about 'Praying with Creation', beginning at 7:30 pm in the undercroft. This (and other evenings in the series) will balance a lecture with group activities and conclude with something prayerful.
Mid-late March, 2010: Educational talks in and around Bath
During March Martin Palmer will be talking at Bath Spa University to the cultural and historical department about faiths and the environment. He will also be giving a talk on March 29 to year 11 students at Cotham School, Bristol, along similar themes.
March 27, 2010: Earth hour
ARC is participating in Earth Hour this year, for the second time.
We invite our friends and partners to join us in this, by turning off all lighting and electric appliances in your homes for an hour or more on the 27th March, and also during the weekend of March 28th and 29th, when it is safe to do so. Please also see details about last year's Earth hour here.
FEBRUARY 2010February 7-9, 2010: Interfaith meeting in Nigeria
Christian and Muslim leaders in Africa with the British Council, ARC and an array of Muslim and Christian environmental organisations such as Operation Noah and IFEES, met to discuss the impact of climate change on Africa and the role that Islam and Christianity are playing now and in the future.
February 11, 2010: St Ethelburga's Centre talks
We live in uncertain times surrounded by economic recession and the threat of environmental catastrophe. How do we respond to this spiritually? Are there opportunities within the crisis to change our quality of consciousness and our relationship with life? In a series of inquiries, St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace invited the wisdom of different faith traditions, and ARC's Martin Palmer, to bear on these questions, and create a reflective space to explore the inner dimensions of our most pressing global issues. For more details click here.
JANUARY 2010January 1, 2010: World Peace Day: "If you want to cultivate peace, protect the creation", Benedict XVI
The theme, chosen for Benedict XVI's Message for the 43rd World Day of Peace, "aims to raise awareness about the strong bond that exists in our globalised and interconnected world between protecting the creation and cultivating peace. For more details, click here.
DECEMBER 2009December 7-18, Copenhagen (COP15)
ARC are not going to Copenhagen, but United Nations Secretary General, His Excellency Mr Ban Ki-moon will be taking the message from Windsor to the COP15 summit. To read his speech about the contribution religions are making to help save the planet link here.
NOVEMBER 20092-4 November 2009: Many Heavens, One Earth: Faith Commitments for a Living Planet, Windsor Castle, England ARC and the UN will co-host a very special Celebration at Windsor and Windsor Castle, England, courtesy of His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, from the 2nd-4th November, attended by the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. As the world prepares for the climate change gathering of nation states at Copenhagen in early December, the Windsor Castle Celebration will offer another way of mobilising people to help protect the environment. This will be a wonderful and important event in a truly spectacular setting. ARC invites the major faiths to announce their Long Term Plans to Protect the Living Planet, and major secular organisations to make commitments to work with the faiths on natural environment and climate change issues. Link
here for the dedicated Windsor event website. The weeks before the Windsor event will be the chance for many faiths around the world to celebrate their long term plans in festivals and events at home. Link
here
for more details about the Seven and Eight Year Plans and how your faith community can create one. If you are a faith group or community which has made a long term plan for generational change, please contact us at: info@arcworld.org
15 November 2009: BBC Radio 4, 8.10am Sunday Worship - Hearing the Voices of Creation During three days in early November leaders from many world faiths, hosted by the Duke of Edinburgh and attended by the Secretary General of the United Nations, gathered at Windsor Castle to announce their own commitments to long term environmental action. This Sunday Worship, specially recorded at the Alliance of Religions and Conservation celebration is led by Martin Palmer and Sally Magnusson with Bishop Richard Chartres, Producer Stephen Shipley. It will be available to play again, via the internet, for one week after transmission.
November 4, 2009: Many Heavens, One Earth: Faiths, the Environment and Copenhagen. Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, 7pm.
A public meeting in this historical meeting house, to announce new commitments by faiths to protect the environment, and new partnerships with secular organisations to assist that process. Features presentations by senior faith leaders and UN officials, as well as music, dance and prayer. Download the details of the public forum on "Many Heavens, One Earth - Faiths, the Environment and Copenhagen":here. Free ticket registration.
OCTOBER 2009October 7, 2009: Faith and Science - an opportunity for faith leaders to meet representatives of the science community to consider the issues of the Copenhagen Climate Summit The Dana Centre, Science Museum, Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HD,
18.30-22.00. An initiative of the Church of England and the Dept of Energy and Climate
Change supported by the British Council for representatives of all faiths. Hosted by Prof.Chris Rapley
October 17, 2009: Mary Colwell, ARC's Catholic consultant: Keynote speaker at Deanery Day near Manchester.
Sunday, October 25: Special feature on BBC Sunday Programme, Radio 4, on the Windsor event. Link here and
here to listen - starting just after the 6th minute, and available until November 1 2009.
SEPTEMBER 2009September 20th, or the first sighting
of the new moon: Eid-ul-Fitr: the end of Ramadan in Islam, a 3 day festival of remembering your duties to your fellow human beings and to God.It involves the giving of zakat - compulsory charity tithe on all Muslims to support the weak and vulnerable.
September 19: Rosh Hashanah: the
Jewish New Year also known as the "Birthday of the World" and a time of reflection upon our role here on earth. Ends with Yom Kippur, the Day of
Atonement on 28th Sept when all sins are reflected upon and forgiveness
sought.
September 18th - Start of the Hindu festival of Navaratri - Nine Days: the festival of Durga, the female aspect of the Divine in her many manifestations - as fighter against evil forces; compassionate
mother etc.
AUGUST 2009Sunday, 30 August 2009, 1430-1600 hours: Climate Camp: Muslims & the Climate Movement: Values & Hopes
Location: London, exact venue tbc.
LINE (London Islamic Network for the Environment) is organising a workshop at the Climate Camp during the month of Ramadan. Within the workshop, LINE hopes to explore some of the following questions: How do Muslims and Islam view climate change? How does the climate movement view Muslims? What are the values that we share? How can we hope to work together?
For more details, to www.climatecamp.org.uk or www.lineonweb.org.uk, telephone LINE on 0845 456 3960.
August 10-15, 2009: Faith and Forest meeting, Bak, near Ratzeburg
As part of ARC’s programme with the Shinto of Japan and the Church of Sweden to develop a Religious Forestry Standard, we have partnered with the German based Ecumenical Foundation for the Integrity of Creation and Sustainability to hold a major meeting to discuss the relationship between religions and forests – historically, culturally, spiritually, economically and environmentally. Speakers and participants from across Germany and the Baltic are coming as well as ARC and the Shinto, plus the Church of Sweden. There are still a few places left for what will be a fascinating meeting in a beautiful location. If you are interested in the relationship between faith and forests, or the history of that relationship or how it might shape a new future for forests, this will be a great event to attend. It takes place at the lakeside village of Bak near Ratzeburg in Germany and costs Euros 350 for all food, accommodation and fees. Contact Dr. Arnd Heling at Stiftung@schoepfungsbewahrung.org or call +49 4541 805877.
August 8, 2009: BBC Radio 4 Morning Service
ARC's Secretary General Martin Palmer is the presenter on this Morning Service Programme, recorded in Syria in July.
August 10, 2009: "Beyond Belief"
Theologian Mary Grey, who recently participated in ARC's Faith in Water Conference appears on this BBC Radio 4 programme at 4.30pm British Summer Time.
JULY 2009July 4, 2009
ARC's Communications Director Victoria Finlay will give a keynote speech at a key meeting of Sikh leaders and thinkers in New Delhi to draw up an EcoSikh Five Year Plan to protect the Natural Environment for the Sikh community worldwide.
July 5-7, 2009: Faith in Water Workshop, Sarum College, Salisbury
The Faith in Water Workshop is organised by ARC and partners IRC (International Water and Sanitation Centre) and EMF (Ecological Management Foundation). The workshop will focus on faith schools, water, sanitation and hygiene with a view to creating a guidebook on ‘Faith in water: Ideas, Inspirations and Stories’.
Link here for more details. We regret this conference event is not open to the public. However there will be a very special meditation in the Lady Chapel of Salisbury Cathedral on Monday June 6 at 6.30 to 7.30pm with prayers from seven traditions about our place in nature and our relationship with water.
July 6-7, 2009: Conference for Muslim 7 Year Plan Declaration, Istanbul
ARC is co-sponsoring a 2-day meeting in Istanbul at which the Muslim 7 Year Action Plan Declaration will be presented to 60-80 Muslim Scholars. It is hoped these key scholars from across the spectrum of the Islamic faith will endorse the plan and declare it to be the Muslim 7 Year Action Plan to respond to climate change. Link
herefor further details.
JUNE 2009June 17: Guru Gobind Singh Foundation, Washington DC
Presentation by our partners SCORE of the draft EcoSikh Plan at a mini-summit, attended by key Sikhs in the US. Following that session,
the Guidebook and Plan to the EcoSikh Five Year Plan will be finalised in preparation for the July 4 meeting in New Delhi.
June 5, 2009, 1930: Mary Colwell: "Church and the Environment", Corpus Christi Parish Hall, Weston-Super-Mare
Clifton Cathedral parishioner and award-winning natural history TV and radio producer Mary Colwell will be visiting Weston to talk about the Church and the environment. Mary will explore our relationship with nature to reveal how complex it is and how we need to regain a sense of the sacred. If we succeed in re-balancing the way we use and connect with the natural world then the future will be much better than today. This is a time of opportunity and creativity, not doom and gloom. All welcome. Further information from Chris Davies.
Link to Clifton Diocese.
MAY 2009May 21, 2009: Presentation of the Islamic Seven Year Plan and preparation for the Copenhangen COP 2009
ARC and Earthmates gave a follow-up presentation in London to representatives of Islamic Governments. For details of the draft Islamic 7YP, link
here.
May 12-14, 2009: "An Ignatian Retreat on the Natural World", Emmaus House, Bristol: Led by Mary Colwell & Sister Margaret Harlock
Mary Colwell, ARC's Catholic Programme Advisor, led three days of Ignatian reflection on our response to nature and the environmental issues we face today. Mary will be joined by Sister Margaret Harlock from La Retraite who has experience in retreat work. The event ran from 1030 hours on Tuesday, 12 May until 1600 hours on Thursday, 14 May. For more details please link
here.
May 13, 2009: Faith in Conservation & 7 Year Plan meeting, Beirut
ARC attended a meeting hosted by our sister organisation, AFDC (Association for Forests, Development and Conservation) in Beirut, Lebanon to discuss faith in conservation and 7 Year Plan. For more details link to the
AFDC website.
May 8, 2009 at 1930 hours: Mary Colwell: "Can Christianity Save the Earth?"
Held at Abbeyfields Community Centre, Winchcombe, Cheltenham. Sponsored by Churches Together in Winchcombe and Area, Chair. Revd. Steve Ward. Admission free, with a collection to defray expenses. Please contact the Secretary, Peter Massey on 01242 602903 for more details.
May 5, 2009 at 1100 hours: Mary Colwell on Radio 4:
"The Future of the Amazon".
A natural history programme on why we need to keep the Amazon as intact as possible and why the rainforest is so special. The programme will be repeated again on Wednesday 6th May at 2100 hours.
APRIL 2009
April 27, 2009 at 2115 hours: Martin Palmer: Radio 3's Night Waves
Matthew Sweet discussed Buddhist influences in culture with Martin Palmer and asked whether Western interpretations of the religion are simply Buddhism lite.
For more details, link to Radio 3's Night Waves.
And for details of a Buddhist arts festival organised by the Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation, link to
"The Many Faces of Buddhism: Arts, Talks, Dance & Film" from 25 April - 17 May in London. (Please note the festival is not an ARC event.)
April 23, 2009: Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
ARC will attend a meeting for Hindu Studies in Oxford bringing together representatives of the main UK Hindu temples and environmentalists in the British Hindu community. The meeting will initiate a plan of action on the environment for each temple. These plans will be taken to National Hindu bodies in the UK and America.
April 23, 2009: God is Green
There will be a screening of God is Green, a Channel 4 documentary at Tilehurst Methodist Church on 23 April and 30 April at 1930 hours. It will be followed by the Christian Aid DVD "Countdown to Copenhagen - Time to make a difference". The DVDs should last about an hour. Then there will be refreshments and a chance to collect literature from Christian Aid, Christian Ecology Link and Operation Noah. Everyone is welcome. For more details go to:
One World Week. Please note this is not an ARC event.
April 22, 2009: EARTHDAY
How are you going to mark it?
April 17, 2009
ARC will attend the Jewish Social Action Forum's roundtable discussion on current environmental challenges. At the discussion, the Jewish 7 Year Plan for action on Environment - drawn up for ARC by Nigel Savage, Executive Director of Hazon and Rabbi Julian Sinclair, co-founder of the Jewish Climate Initiative, will be presented and discussed.
April 2-6, 2009: Schumacher College Course on "How to Communicate Climate Change: The business challenge".
A course to look at the practice of communication around climate change — what works and what doesn’t and the knotty question of the role and responsibilities of business in reaching the public. Participants will identify the keys to powerful advertising and the means to communicate effectively about low or zero carbon products while teachers and participants will explore ways of communicating creative approaches to sustainability.
This is not an ARC-sponsored event.
28-29 MARCHARC is participating in Earth Hour this year, for the second time. And we invite our friends and partners to join us in this, by turning off all lighting and electric appliances in your homes for an hour or more during the weekend of March 28th and 29th - and indeed on any otherdays in the year that you can safely do so. Link
here for ARC's news story about Earth Hour 2009 and here for more details about Earth Hour.
March 2009
Clifton Diocese Environmental Working Group finalise the Faith and Conservation document. This will be available for Schools and Colleges to access from Clifton Diocese's website. More details to follow.
March 8: 1000-1700 hours: An Introduction to Islam and the Environment
With Shaykh Muhammed Afifi Al-Akiti (Oxford), Mawlana Sulaiman Ghani
(London), Imam Abdassmad Clarke (Norwich), Ustadh Fazlun Khalid (IFEES)
and Sidi Ayman Ahwal (IFEES).
Venue: SOAS, Thornhaugh St, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
The course gave participants the chance to get involved in Islamic
environmental projects around the Muslim world such as:
- Misali Marine conservation & Mangrove Rehabilitation in Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Coastal Rehabilitation in Aceh and Reforestation in Sumatra, Indonesia
- Sumatran Tiger conservation, Indonesia
- Water conservation in Yemen
- Canal rehabilitation and Kashmir Valley reforestation, Pakistan
- Desert reclaimation, Nigeria
- Sundarban conservation, Bangladesh
- Greening the Mosque, UK and worldwide
.
All these projects require
sincere people from all backgrounds and a wide range of skills
and professions. Visit www.islamiccourses.com/
. Not an ARC event.
FEBRUARY 2009February 26: GREEN YOUR MOSQUE
with Dr Fuad Ali (IMASE)
16.00 to 18.00 - Garrod Building, The London School of Medicine and
Dentistry, Turner Street, London, E1 2AD. A workshop exploring the prospects of making your local
mosque and the Muslim community more eco-friendly. All welcome.
Tel: 07956 983 609
E-mail: mzakariyya@googlemail.com. Not an ARC event.
February 24: SURAH AR-RAHMAN & CLIMATE CHANGE
with Dr Mustafa Omar (IMASE)
17.15 - Room V211, School of Oriental & African Studies, Vernon Square
Campus, Penton Rise, London, WC1X 9EW.
A brief overview of Surah Ar-Rahman. We shall be
reflecting on some of the main themes running through this well
known chapter of the Quran and linking them to Climate Change
and the environment. Free admission. Tel: 07092 032 763
E-mail: info@imase.org
. Not an ARC event.
February 7-14, 2009: Seven Year Plan: Meetings in New York & Washington.
Focussing on ARC's Seven Year Plan, meetings include a "brown bag" lunch with UNDP staff and a dinner to celebrate Tu Bishvat with Hazon and the AJWS-AVODAH Partnership. Link
here for the latest news on ARC's Seven Year Plan.
February 5, 2009: 2115 hours: Martin Palmer participated in a roundtable discussion on Radio 3's Night Waves
Radio 3's "Night Waves" hosted a debate on Salman Rushdie’s "The Satanic Verses", presented by Matthew Sweet. "... the debate examined what the controversy showed about the role of Islam within Britain, about multiculturalism and free speech, as well as the British political reaction, the nature of the book itself and the response to the work across the globe." Link
here for more details.
JANUARY 2009 January 24 - February 1, 2009: Jesuit Meeting & World Social Forum: Brazil.
Link
here to read Mary Colwell's thoughts on the future of the Amazon and the Catholic Church
And link
here for details of a BBC interview following Mary's meeting with the Jesuits in Belem.
2008 EVENTSNOVEMBER 2008November 24, 2008: Presentation of the Islamic Seven Year Plan and preparation for the Copenhangen COP 2009
ARC and Earthmates gave a presentation in London to representatives of Islamic Governments.
November 22, 2008: "Transport: A Journey to a Fairer Future", Milton Keynes
The Christian Ecology Link Conference organised by the Milton Keynes Christian Environment Group took place from 1100-1630 hours at Church of Christ the Cornerstone. Contact David Miller on 01908 377376 or link
here for more details.
November 19, 2008: "One Earth, Many Faiths" Oxford
A gathering of major faith communities in Oxford to discuss environmental programmes focussing on developing Seven Year Plans. ARC was represented by Martin Palmer and Alison Hilliard.
November 11, 2008: Reclaim Christmas Campaign by Operation Noah, London
The campaign will be officially launched in London on November 11th, which is Remembrance Day in the UK, with a talk on Christianity and Climate Change by the thought-provoking Abbot of Father Christopher Jamison. Link
here for details of the campaign.
Early November 2008: China
ARC attended the second Buddhist forum in November 2008 in the city of Wuxi. ARC introduced the Seven Year Year Plan to Chinese Buddhists.
November 5, 2008: "The Teachings and Philosophies of Confucius and Lao Tse", Milton Keynes.
Taking place at Granby Mosque in Milton Keynes, ARC's Martin Palmer will give a talk at 1930 hours at an Interfaith MK event.Link here to access the Milton Keynes Community Channel website for other events.
October 27-29, 2008: “Dao follows the Natural Path --- China Ecological Daoist Temple Forum”
Held in Maoshan Daoist Temple in Jurong city, Jiangsu, hosted by the Daoist Association of Jiangsu Province, with ARC, EMF, UNDP and WWF International as international supporter. The event is co-organised by Maoshan Daoist Temple and Taibaishan Tiejia Ecological Daoist Temple with the help of ARC. Between 60 and 80 Daoist masters will be coming from major Daoist temples throughout the whole of China to discuss the Seven Year Plan, the teaching of ecology to monks and nuns, the successes and challenges of the Daoist Ecology Temple and other issues.
October 23-24, 2008: “Compassion and Conservation: A workshop in Mongolia joining Buddhist leaders in community conservation.
”
Sixty senior monks attend this conference at the Mongolian Buddhist Center, Gandantegchinlin Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, to discuss:
1. Empowering monks to be conservationists
2. Ecological issues that threaten Mongolian landscapes
3. Buddhist ecological beliefs
4. Resources and opportunities
The conference was arranged by the US-based Tributary Fund and built on ARC's work in 2005 when we held the first Mongolian Buddhism and Ecology conference. ARC's Victoria Finlay will give a presentation on creating a vision for change, through creating Eight Year Plans for Generational Change.
October 19, 2008: "One World Week", Westbury-on-Trim Catholic Church
Mary Colwell, ARC's Catholic Programme Adviser will be a speaker at the evening event.
October 4-12, 2008: "IUCN World Conservation Congress"
"More than 8,000 of the world’s leading decision makers in sustainable development... The objective: ideas, action and solutions for a diverse and sustainable world." ARC is sponsoring a workshop on religions and the environment to talk about the Seven Year Plan on October 7, in the evening. Martin Palmer gave a presentation, and the IUCN officially recognised sacred sites for the first time. Link here for information.
October 4, 2008: End of Sound of Many Waters
Clifton Cathedral marked the end of Sound of Many Waters with a mass and celebration, at the end of which Martin Palmer gave a presentation about the increasing importance of the Catholic role in conservation.
September 1 - October 4, 2008: Creation Time
An opportunity for Christians to focus on the environment during worship. Churches are encouraged to do something special about Care of the Environment during this period, which has only been celebrated since 2007, when the Third European Ecumenical Assembly recommended that the period from from 1 September to 4 October be dedicated to prayer for the protection of Creation. Churches Together in Britain and Ireland have an exellent compilation of free resources. See also CEL's pages on Creationtime and Harvest
September 28, 2008: An afternoon with Bishop Chris Toohey at Emmaus House Retreat Centre, Bristol
From 1400-1600 hours, Bishop Chris Toohey from Australia will hold an informal question and answer session about faith and climate change, particularly drawing on his experience as Chair of Catholic Earthcare.
Organised by Mary Colwell, who said: “We are all being challenged with the knowledge that the climate is changing because of our use of fossil fuels. So what does faith say to us about our responsibilities and our relationship to the natural world? What is happening in Australia, which has experienced 10 years of unprecedented drought? How does Bishop Chris view his role in this changing world?”This will be a thought provoking, entertaining afternoon in the beautiful gardens of Emmaus House.” Contact Angela Groves or Fiona McDonald on 0117 907 9950 for more information.
September 30, 2008: Liverpool Catholic Cathedral
Bishop Declan Lang and Mary Colwell, Catholic Programme Advisor for ARC, will give a joint presentation.September 20-21, 2008: "Sacred Bristol"
On 20 September Martin Palmer led a walk around the sacred geography of Bristol, showing how the city grew up around its population's notion of what it was to be a Christian. Sunday, 21 September focused on sacred Bristol's plans for the future. Link here for details about St Stephen's Church, Bristol
September 20, 2008, 1000-1600 hours: "Facing the Challenge - Faith and the Environment", Hallam Diocesan Justice and Peace Day 2008
Mary Colwell, ARC's Catholic Programme Advisor, was the keynote speaker at All Saints School Granville Road, Sheffield S2 2RJ. Registration from 9.30am. For more information ring 0114 2343580.
September 12-13, 2008: London's Thames Festival
ARC and our sister organisation IFEES
were involved in this year's popular Thames Festival, on the magically decorated (and sustainably built) Green Man Stage in Potter's Field. The programme aimed to raise deep environmental and social awareness through world music, inspirational speakers and artistic performances. The theme this year was "Cultural Diversity, and its importance for Humanity and the Earth."
On September 12, 2008 at 1730 hours, Fazlun Khalid, a leading voice on Islam and the Environment spoke at the Festival.
And on September 13, 2008 at 1530 hours, Martin Palmer, Secretary General, Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC)gave a talk.
** Link
here for details about the festival.
26-28 July, 2008: Sacred Sites, Trondheim, Norway
Ranchor Prime represented ARC at a conference sponsored by the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights held in association with One World in Dialogue. The conference focussed on concerns about sacred sites in a major meeting in which over fifty religious leaders from countries including Armenia, Turkey and the Holy Land attended. Link here for more details about the conference.
July 26-27, 2008, a weekend of Islam and Environment at the Muslim World League, 46 Goodge Street, London W1P 1FJ
“Muslims comprise at least one fifth of the human
community and they can contribute much to the thinking that is vital to re-evaluate the future direction of the human community and save its home
for itself."
*** July 26, 2008: Fazlun Khalid, director of IFEES, presented a workshop on the Qur’an, Creation and Conservation .
*** July 27, 2008: screening of "Greener Medina" campaign in Birmingham as part of a meeting with most UK Islamic Environmental groups to discuss activities and strategies. Tel: 079092032136 or e-mail: info@ifees.org.uk
www.ifees.org.uk
July 21-25 2008, Schumacher College, Dartington, Devon:
Course on the emerging alliance of religion and ecology for sustainable well-being. Link here for more details of this and other courses at Schumacher. This is not an ARC event.
July 20, 2008, 2pm to 5pm: "Many Heavens, One Earth"
Mary Colwell, Catholic Programme Advisor, ARC, organised a multi-faith walk across Clifton Suspension Bridge with a Jewish Rabbi, a Christian Bishop and a Muslim Imam. A shared dialogue on faith and the environment in Islam, Christianity and Judaism was followed with light refreshments at Emmaus House gardens.
For more details go to www.cliftondiocese.com/heavens-one-earth
And here.
July 13, 2008: BBC Songs of Praise: Canterbury Pilgrimage
Link here to download the latest BBC Songs of Praise Programme featuring Martin Palmer.
June 30, 2008: Religious G8 Summit, Japan
For the past three years the G8 Summit has been preceded by an event for Religious Leaders, to discuss the ethical and spiritual dimensions of the subjects to be discussed by the political leaders. This year the environment and climate change was one of the key issues. ARC had an observer present. Link here for our report.
June 20, 2008: "Living Stones", St Mary's Church, Bitton, Gloucester UK
The launch of the Restoration Appeal for St Mary's Church included a presentation about the ancient stones by Martin Palmer.
June 10, 2008: "The Big Hope", Liverpool
Keynote address on Faith & the Environment from ARC.
"The Big Hope" was a congress of listening, learning, discussion and sharing,
action, performance, service, prayer with young people
from many cultures, countries and every continent. It included a major workshop with local and international perspectives on the question of how the narratives and practices of faith bring particular insight into our relationship with the environment.
Link here for more details.
June 5, 2008: "Saints and Sustainability", Bristol, UK
Martin Palmer gave an interesting and engaging talk at Bristol’s Clifton Cathedral on Saints and Sustainability as part of the Sound of Many Waters year of Catholic eco-action. It marked the UN’s World Environment Day.
Link here for more details
and here
for Sound of Many Waters. Link here for details of the talk itself - and here to download the poster (2.7MB).
June 3-4, 2008: All Africa Council of Churches, Nairobi, Kenya
ARC's Alison Hilliard attended the AACC Southern and Eastern African consultation on climate change and water, and gave a presentation on climate change and the role of churches in the conservation of the natural world. ARC also finalised and announced the development of a new eco-twinning programme. Link
here for the keynote address on Climate Change and Water Convention by the AACC President.
May 16, 2008: BBC World Service: "Heart and Soul", 0930 hours
A BBC World Service programme featuring ARC's initiative on Faiths and Forestry was rebroadcast May 16th, and was available online until May 22nd. It featured the ARC-Shinto-Lutheran programme to develop a Religious Standard of Forest Management to be launched in Japan in 2013, with extensive footage recorded by ARC at the conference on Faiths and Forests in Visby in August 2007 - including interviews with Lutheran forester Goeran Allerd about the Swedish church's decision to protect the meadowlands of Visby in perpetuity. It was first broadcast in November last year.
May 9, 0900 hours: LBC
Contribution to a programme on the Church of England's participation in the debate on London Heathrow's proposed 3rd runway.
April 28, 2008: NPR
America's National Public Radio (NPR) today broadcast a major feature on ARC's work in its acclaimed series on climate change. The feature includes a series of short interviews with ARC's secretary general Martin Palmer, talking about the religions' major role in combatting climate change and the natural environment as well as a little about his own journey - and a tour to see the astonishing ancient yew tree of Ashbrittle churchyard in Somerset: a tree which has already seen, and adapted to, many times of climate change during the 3000 or more years since it was a seedling. Link here for the NPR story and to listen to the broadcast.
April 29, 2008: BATH ABBEY DEBATE
Martin Palmer was one of five speakers on the panel for a debate on Climate Change, in Bath Abbey tonight (Tuesday, 29th April) with the title: 'CLIMATE CHANGE: What is happening? What can we do? Can Bath become an eco city?'
The evening was been organised by Churches Together in Bath to give people of the city a chance to hear authoritative views on this, the most urgent issue of our lifetime. The other speakers were Professor Anil Markandya of Bath University; Andrew Pendleton, Climate Change Adviser, Christian Aid; and Sarah Pugh, working with Transition Bristol. The chair is Rev Roger Nunn, Executive Secretary of Churches Together in Bath.
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