FAITH-BASED ACTIVITIES COMPILATION

World Environment Day 2019 A beautiful success Beating Air Pollution

The World Environment Day is a UN day celebrated to promote awareness and inspire action. It has been celebrated since 1974. The event has grown to become a global platform for public

© 2019 Pixabay outreach that is widely celebrated in over 100 countries. How Faith-based organizations participated? The host country for the World Environment Day 2019 was China with Facts and figures: Beat Air Pollution as the theme.

• 482 faith-based related activities Faith-based organizations (FBOs) took a © 2019 Pixabay were organized all around the leading role in celebrating the day, world. organizing different spiritually-related WORLD • 56 different faith-based activities to promote awareness on organizations participated protecting the environment in general ENVIRONMENT • Activities performed in 40 and beating air pollution in specific. DAY countries.

• , the country with most activities: 328. Celebrated worldwide • , with 320 on june 5, 2019 activities worldwide, the most active, followed by Kumaris. Millions of people participated over the years, helping drive change in our consumption habits as well as national and international environmental policy.

“In the celebration of World Buddhist monk praying. © 2019 Pixabay Environment Day, 482 faith- based related activities were What is Air Pollution? organized all around the Nobody is safe from air pollution, world” which comes from five main sources. The main source is the Faith-based organizations took a household air pollution, caused by leading and relevant role in WED, © 2019 Pixabay the indoor burning of fossil fuels, organizing different and spiritual- wood and other biomass-based World Environment related activities to generate fuels to cook, heat and light homes. Day awareness on protecting the Since its beginning in 1974, World 3.8 million people die every year environment. Clean-ups, prayers, Environment Day has developed into a caused by indoor air pollution. seminars, speeches or tree global platform for raising awareness Besides household, air pollution plantation were some of the and taking action on urgent issues from comes from other human sources activities. All main religions and marine pollution and global warming to such as the Industry, Agriculture and spiritually-based organizations sustainable consumption and wildlife Waste. participated in the World crime. Environment Day activities. Spiritual values drive individual behaviors for more than 80 per cent of the people In many countries, spiritual beliefs and religions are crucial to define cultural values, social inclusion, political engagement and economic prosperity.

“ We aim to unite the efforts Pictures provided by Iyad Abu Moghli. , 2019. of the religions around the Stewards of the Earth

world to focus on Faith-based organizations have been environmental issues” recognized not only as key players in eradicating poverty or improving people’s health, but also in protecting Because traditional stakeholder’s the environment and working toward engagement strategies have sustainable development. sometimes shown limited Pictures provided by Iyad Abu Moghli. Above Skalhalt effectiveness, therefore, new, Church, Iceland. Below Hassan II Mosque, Main objectives Faith for Earth Casablanca, 2019. creative, inspiring and innovative actions bringing like-minded • Inspire and empower faith Faith For Earth Initiative networks around a common goal organizations and their leaders to Founded in 2017, the initiative promotes are required. advocate for protecting the the engagement of Faith-based environment, organizations in the field of environmental Faith For Earth is a new horizon to conservation. engage with faith-based • Greening faith-based assets and The goal of Faith for Earth is to organizations and achieve SDGs. investments, strategically engage with faith-based • organizations and partner with them to Making knowledge and the scientific collectively achieve the Sustainable evidence available for more Development Goals (SDG) and fulfill the powerful spiritual messages. objectives of the 2030 Agenda. The first step to avoid Air Pollution is to Buy only what you need

After all, the Quran tells us not only that we are the stewards of this Earth, but that we should not waste.

“Eat and drink: but waste Kid praying in a mosque. © 2019 Pixabay not by excess, for Allah Tips for Muslims on the celebration of World Environment Day and Eid-al- loveth not the wasters” Fitr:

Air and wind in Islam is referred to • Buying only what you need – this will for different purposes: minimize air pollution and climate change. • Blowing light particles (e.g. sand)

© 2019 Pixabay (51:1) • Use public transportation, cycle or walk, and share car rides where Islam • Lifting heavy weights (Rain) possible. Eid-al-Fitr and World Environment (51:2) Day falling on the same day • Avoid burning rubbish. If we look at the holy Quran, we’ll find • Moving with gentleness (51:3) several mentions on air and wind. In • Organize a tree planting activity or • Dividing and distributing by Chapter 7 verse 57, the Quran says: litter picking event with your command (taking several paths) “And HE it is Who sends the winds as community. (51:4) glad tidings before HIS mercy, when • Ask your local authorities to provide they bear a heavy cloud, WE drive it to timely, regular air quality data and a dead land; then WE send down petition for legislation to control the water therefrom and WE bring forth worst polluters. fruits of every kind. In like manner do WE bring forth the dead that you may remember.” In the Bible, are the stewards of God’s creation and must take care of what He created (Genesis 2:15, Genesis 28:1, Leviticus 25:23). Humans should ensure the continuation of God’s creation, avoid abusing and polluting the resources they are given and pass them to the © 2019 Pixabay future generations as they inherited. Some Christian oriented tips for World “ Facts are as important as Environment Day: the ideas” • Worship Outdoors. As a way of connecting people with God in and through the earth. Laudato Si’ no. 53: “Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common • Include Nature in various kind of © 2019 Pixabay home as we have in the last two prayers. Worship leaders are hundred years” increasingly integrating messages Christianity about Creation into various parts of Pope Francis cares about air pollution Laudato Si’ no. 119: “Our relationship with the environment worship services - calls to worship, In his Encyclical letter Laudato Si the can never be isolated from our prayers of intercession, prayers of Pope refers to air pollution as relationship with others and with confession, and prayers of praise. “Exposure to atmospheric pollutants God” produces a broad spectrum of health • Encouraging and promoting the tree hazards, especially for the poor, and plantations. causes millions of premature • Promoting zero tolerance on deaths.” Pope Francis said: “It is improper waste management irresponsible to pollute water and air, disposal with the slogan “reduce, governments must act. We can not reuse and recycle”. stand with our arms crossed, when we notice a serious environmental degeneration”. © 2019 Pixabay Jewish tradition teaches to care for our planet in order to preserve that which God has created. In addition, emphasizes our need to preserve our natural resources and generate new ones for future generations.

"The earth is the Lord's and © 2019 Pixabay © 2019 Pixabay the fullness thereof“ Shavuot is a harvest festival and Judaism celebration of the receiving of the The Jewish festival of Shavuot fell this year Psalm 24 Torah (Hebrew Bible) at Mount Sinai on 9-10 June, within a week of World Environment Day. Shavuot gives us some pointers. We can make a start by growing leafy Any act that damages our earth is an Judaism took some important steps offense against the property of God. vegetables in our gardens, or window through the environment. As the Bible boxes; by walking in nature and by says: “You shall take some of every first The Jewish concept of bal tashchit, celebrating this Shavuot - studying Torah fruit of the soil, which you harvest from that it means "do not destroy," the land that the Divine, your God is sources that discuss care for the forbids needless destruction. giving you, put it in a basket and go to environment, immersing ourselves in the place where the Divine, your God will The sacred texts teach that God’s gifts of verdant freshness and humankind has an obligation to choose to establish His name” (Deut. savoring the flavor of each beautiful 26:2) improve the world for future generations, Jewish tradition fruit and luscious vegetable that we encourages families and have the fortune to eat. communities to reduce their waste and make smart consumer choices, investing in companies that do not pollute and supporting behaviors and policies that encourage conservation.

© 2019 Pixabay The massive campaign Rally for rivers consisted on a massive clean-up drive and the plantation of thousands of trees on the main and most affected Indian rivers .

The campaign included different activities besides tree plantation, such as awareness lectures, seminars, speeches, spiritual Picture provided by Hetal Shah. Kenya, 2019. and praying, from India About Isha Foundation to USA. Isha Foundation is a non-profit, spiritual organization founded in “This is not a protest. This 1992 by Sadhguru . It is not an agitation. This is is based at the Isha Center near , India. The a campaign to raise foundation is run entirely by Picture provided by Kiran Parmar. India, 2019 awareness that our rivers volunteers and it has over 9 million Isha Foundation volunteers. They offer Yoga courses Rally for Rivers, the amazing initiative are depleting. Everyone all around the world. The worldwide campaign who consumes water must performed 320 activities in 29 Rally For Rivers.” different countries, joining hands against plastic suffocation. India’s rivers are undergoing a drastic With more than 9 million volunteers change. Due to the pressures of worldwide, Isha Foundation was the population and development, the faith-based organization that organized most of the activities. perennial rivers are becoming seasonal. Many of the smaller rivers Picture provided by Kiran Purmar. India, have already vanished. 2019. The Spiritual leader of , Sadhguru, is strongly committed to the environment and proposes:

“A shift in awareness is needed to promote changes in behavior and Plantation of trees in Raipur, India. About Brahma Kumaris lifestyles to foster low Is a Spiritual movement founded by emissions and climate Lekhraj Kripalani in Hyderabad, India, during the 1930s. Affiliated resilient development.” with the United Nations, is known for the prominent role that women play in the movement. It teaches a Across India, more than 30 Brahma Activities performed in Raipur, India. form of meditation that focuses on Kumaris centers celebrated World identity as , as opposed to Brahma Kumaris Environment Day with great enthusiasm. Many hundreds of bodies. The Brahma Kumaris 82 activities, 72 cities , 5 countries people were taught new ideas provides courses, seminars and The main activities performed during about protecting the environment. retreats on a wide range of personal World Environment Day were: Brahma Kumaris is strongly growth subjects such as meditation, committed with the environment self-esteem, positive thinking, • Tree plantation. protection and has three big stress-free living and anger environmental projects: • Awareness lectures, seminars and management. All the courses are speeches around ‘Ethics and human • Green initiative. inspired by the principle at the awareness’ and which role we play heart of Raja Yoga - that there is a • Solar Energy Project. in climate change. place of peace within all of us - and • Sustainable Agriculture in India. by learning to experience it we can • Mass meditation. solve problems with greater compassion and integrity. • Clean-up programs. The activities made by the volunteers on World Environment Day were:

• Tree Plantation Drive

• Cleanliness Drive

• Awareness for a better environment. Volunteers in Namchi, India. About Sant Nirankari Charitable “Beat Pollution of the mind, Foundation Is an organization with socio- be human, caring and kind” charitable activities as its primary objective and selfless service of humanity as its pivotal Mass messages, speeches, songs and philosophy. The Foundation has the cycle rally in 17 cities Volunteers cleaning up in Lonavla, India. been formed to effectively Thousands of Foundation volunteers implement the broad vision of Sant Sant Nirankari and residents of respective cities Nirankari Mission; the vision of Charitable Foundation carried out Mega Cleanliness Drives reaching out to more and more and planted saplings. people and around the world, and Beat Pollution of the mind touching their lives with love, care With the blessings of Mata and kindness, bringing smiles on Sudiksha Ji Maharaj, the Foundation every face. The Mission was organized a program at 17 Hills established in 1929 by Baba Buta Stations in India: Manali, Shimla, Singh and has more than 3000 Nainital, Panhala, Mussoorie, centers and millions of followers Darjeeling, Rishikesh, Dharamshala, across the world. Saputara, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Lonavala, Khandala, Panhala, Nandi Hills, Volunteers planting trees in Nandi Hills, India. and Patnitop. List of Faith-Based Organizations and cities were activities were held

Faith Based Organization Country City Faith Based Organization Country City New Delhi, ISCKON India Shivamogga URI Pakistan Lahore Ahimsa Vhimsa Vishwa Bharti India Art of Living India Jalgaon South Green Anglicans Capetown Bhumi India Chennai Africa Nairobi Chapel Kenya Nairobi Bahu Trust UK Birmingham Free Pentecostal Fellowship Kenya Lamu Shree Shree Radhakrishna Trust India Bokajan Akasha Academy Nepal Suntakhan Bharatiya Paryavaran Chetana Samiti Ayodha India Ayodhya Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya Gaytrikunk India Haridwar Sokka Gakai Japan Tokio Shantikunj Haridwar Destiny Center India Anand Seeds of Grace USA Bremerton Israel Israel Tel Aviv The Lake District India Pune Anglican Church Kenya Thika Lodhi Foundation India Ludhiana Environmental conflict mediation and India Villupuram Mastermind Foundation India Chennai women research development initiative Latur Vruksha India Latur CYNESA Kenya Mombasa Arogyabharathi Andhrapradesh India Vijayawada Divine Foundation Bangladesh Dhaka Caritas Pakistan Karachi The Salvation Army Green Point Vidya Gurkul India Dhanbad Christian Women Networking Forum Nigeria Lagos Vijoriya Foundation India Hindaun Ecosick India Ludhiana Mtn Ghana Foundation Ghana Different Locations Christian Environmental Education Center South ISCKON India New Delhi Different cities Salim Korea Nairobi Chapel Kenya Nairobi Mukunda Yoga Dham Mexico Puebla Human Development Foundation Thailand Ranong Vishwa Shanti Vardhan India New Delhi Shree Rash Bihari Mission India Bhagalpur Stewardship of the Environment Anglican Karthilappally Cathedral Ocym India Different cities Canada Montreal Diocese of Montreal Legambiente Onlus Italy Fiumicino St Thomas a Becket Church care for the Fundacion Jesus de la Divina Misericordia Colombia Maicao USA Reston Jama’atu Nasril Islam Nigeria Borno Common Home Global Interfaith Wash Alliance India Rishikesh Rajyoga Education and Research Foundation India Khargone Northfield Methodist Church Australia Benoni The Church of Jesus Christ of the Later Days USA New York AYUDH India Jaipur AYUDH India Thirukovilur URI Kenya Nairobi Art of Living Brasil Rio de Janeiro USA, New York, Shanti Dham India Tiruchengode Bhumi Indonesia Surabaya Meditation Australia Sydney Different Anglican Communion UK locations