Islamic Relief

Global Interfaith Dialogue on Food Systems

In the run up to the UN Food Systems Summit later in September, the Global Inter-faith Dialogue on Food Systems builds up on the dialogue held in July, aiming to bring together faith-based organisations, Indigenous communities, and others whose work is grounded in values and spirituality and who play an essential role in the sustainable transformation of the food systems.

Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqcO-vqzMiGNDWKYK3YiRDYqg0G0IkyAL7

The specific objectives of the consultation are:

1. Promote engagement and partnerships between faith-based organisations, indigenous peoples, governments, multilateral organisations, and corporations for more sustainable and just food systems

2. Facilitate conversation around the role of values, ethics, and belief systems into new and better food systems, with a focus on areas for action

Expected outputs:

1. Increased awareness of the important role of faith, values, and belief systems in food systems transformation

2. Lift up good practices and areas for collective action between the work of faith-based, indigenous communities, and other stakeholders in support of achieving the SDGs by 2030

3. An interfaith reflection and a Statement for a sustainable food system

Co-Convenors: Dr. Agnes Kalibata, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy of the 2021 Food Systems Summit, and Andrew Schwartz, Director of Sustainability and Global Affairs, Center for Earth Ethics. Curator: Dr. Manoj Kurian, Coordinator, World Council of Churches- Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance

The programme will have brief inputs from key discussants and there will be a substantial session for group work and reporting. The discussants include Ms. Karenna Gore, Director of the Center for Earth Ethics, Rev. Andrew Morley, President and CEO, World Vision International, and ordained curate of the Anglican Church, Ms. Lyla June Johnston, representing Indigenous Peoples, Mr. Anwar Khan, President, of Islamic Relief USA and Bishop Rev. Dr. Sabu K. Cherian, from the Church of South India.

As part of the output, an interfaith Reflection and Statement that is addressed to the UN Food Systems Summit will be introduced and be read by Mr. Steve Chiu – Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and Dr. Meera Baindur – Associate Professor (Philosophy), Department of Arts, Manipal University Jaipur.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org.

Global Interfaith Dialogue on Food Systems

In the run up to the UN Food Systems Summit later in September, the Global Inter-faith Dialogue on Food Systems builds up on the dialogue held in July, aiming to bring together faith-based organisations, Indigenous communities, and others whose work is grounded in values and spirituality and who play an essential role in the sustainable transformation of the food systems.

Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEqcO-vqzMiGNDWKYK3YiRDYqg0G0IkyAL7

The specific objectives of the consultation are:

1. Promote engagement and partnerships between faith-based organisations, indigenous peoples, governments, multilateral organisations, and corporations for more sustainable and just food systems

2. Facilitate conversation around the role of values, ethics, and belief systems into new and better food systems, with a focus on areas for action

Expected outputs:

1. Increased awareness of the important role of faith, values, and belief systems in food systems transformation

2. Lift up good practices and areas for collective action between the work of faith-based, indigenous communities, and other stakeholders in support of achieving the SDGs by 2030

3. An interfaith reflection and a Statement for a sustainable food system

Co-Convenors: Dr. Agnes Kalibata, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy of the 2021 Food Systems Summit, and Andrew Schwartz, Director of Sustainability and Global Affairs, Center for Earth Ethics. Curator: Dr. Manoj Kurian, Coordinator, World Council of Churches- Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance

The programme will have brief inputs from key discussants and there will be a substantial session for group work and reporting. The discussants include Ms. Karenna Gore, Director of the Center for Earth Ethics, Rev. Andrew Morley, President and CEO, World Vision International, and ordained curate of the Anglican Church, Ms. Lyla June Johnston, representing Indigenous Peoples, Mr. Anwar Khan, President, of Islamic Relief USA and Bishop Rev. Dr. Sabu K. Cherian, from the Church of South India.

As part of the output, an interfaith Reflection and Statement that is addressed to the UN Food Systems Summit will be introduced and be read by Mr. Steve Chiu – Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and Dr. Meera Baindur – Associate Professor (Philosophy), Department of Arts, Manipal University Jaipur.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, please visit ngocsd-ny.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-Vienna, please visit ngocsdvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org.

Religious Actors: Ally or Threat for Achieving Gender Equality?

You are warmly invited to a pre-Event to Generation Equality Forum and the High Level Political Forum

Religious Actors: Ally or Threat for Achieving Gender Equality?

Register via Eventbrite

Program:

Opening remarks: Khushwant Singh, Head of Secretariat, PaRD
Launching new report: Dr. Nora Khalaf-Elledge, Post-Doc Fellow, Joint Learning Initiative

Looking Back to Look Forward: The Role of Religious Actors since the Beijing Declaration

Zainah Anwar, Executive Director, Musawah
Karin Ericsson, Programme Specialist Gender Equality, Sida
Umyra Ahmad, Advancing Universal Rights and Justice Coordinator, AWID
Dr. Nontando Hadebe, International Coordinator, Side by Side

Moderator: Shahin Ashraf MBE, Head of Global Advocacy, Islamic Relief Worldwide

Launching a new report co-published by ACT Alliance, Act Church of Sweden, Side by Side, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Joint Learning Initiative on Faith Communities, SVRI, Goldsmiths and PaRD. With live illustrator and Q&A.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com.

Religious Actors: Ally or Threat for Achieving Gender Equality?

You are warmly invited to a pre-Event to Generation Equality Forum and the High Level Political Forum

Religious Actors: Ally or Threat for Achieving Gender Equality?

Register via Eventbrite

Program:

Opening remarks: Khushwant Singh, Head of Secretariat, PaRD
Launching new report: Dr. Nora Khalaf-Elledge, Post-Doc Fellow, Joint Learning Initiative

Looking Back to Look Forward: The Role of Religious Actors since the Beijing Declaration

Zainah Anwar, Executive Director, Musawah
Karin Ericsson, Programme Specialist Gender Equality, Sida
Umyra Ahmad, Advancing Universal Rights and Justice Coordinator, AWID
Dr. Nontando Hadebe, International Coordinator, Side by Side

Moderator: Shahin Ashraf MBE, Head of Global Advocacy, Islamic Relief Worldwide

Launching a new report co-published by ACT Alliance, Act Church of Sweden, Side by Side, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Joint Learning Initiative on Faith Communities, SVRI, Goldsmiths and PaRD. With live illustrator and Q&A.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com.

CSW 65: How to Challenge and Change a Social Norm?

Gender injustice is deep-rooted in social norms. Social norms are the values defined by a group and to which members of the group are expected to comply, otherwise risking disapproval, marginalization and/or exclusion. Religion and culture have a strong influence on the definition of social norms, including those relating to gender. At any given moment, many social norms are presented as fixed. Our event brings together gender advocates, who are challenging and changing social norms, to achieve gender justice. Tackling social norms related to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Women in Leadership, Child Marriage, Political Voting, Masculinities, FGM and Social Protection.

To register for “CSW 65: How to Challenge and Change a Social Norm,” and to explore other upcoming events on gender equality, click here.

Organized by: Side by Side, Islamic Relief Worldwide, ACT Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Religions for Peace, All Africa Conference of Churches, World Council of Churches, Christian Aid

Religions for Peace’s Co-Moderator, Dr. Vinu Aram, will be a speaker at this event.

Please note that you must have a profile on the NGO CSW65 virtual platform to register for this event. You can register as an NGO CSW65 Virtual Forum Advocate for free here: NGO CSW65 Forum Advocate registration page link.

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CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org.

CSW 65: How to Challenge and Change a Social Norm?

Gender injustice is deep-rooted in social norms. Social norms are the values defined by a group and to which members of the group are expected to comply, otherwise risking disapproval, marginalization and/or exclusion. Religion and culture have a strong influence on the definition of social norms, including those relating to gender. At any given moment, many social norms are presented as fixed. Our event brings together gender advocates, who are challenging and changing social norms, to achieve gender justice. Tackling social norms related to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Women in Leadership, Child Marriage, Political Voting, Masculinities, FGM and Social Protection.

To register for “CSW 65: How to Challenge and Change a Social Norm,” and to explore other upcoming events on gender equality, click here.

Organized by: Side by Side, Islamic Relief Worldwide, ACT Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Religions for Peace, All Africa Conference of Churches, World Council of Churches, Christian Aid

Religions for Peace’s Co-Moderator, Dr. Vinu Aram, will be a speaker at this event.

Please note that you must have a profile on the NGO CSW65 virtual platform to register for this event. You can register as an NGO CSW65 Virtual Forum Advocate for free here: NGO CSW65 Forum Advocate registration page link.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-NY, please visit ngocsw.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Geneva, please visit ngocsw-geneva.ch. For more information on the NGO Committee on the Status of Women-Vienna, please visit ngocswvienna.org.

COP26: Ramp Up Ambition!

Faiths Unite: Visions for Transformative Climate Action

A 3-part interactive online series organised by the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC Every Tuesday from October 27th to November 10th

The Interfaith Liaison Committee welcomes friends from around the world to learn, discuss and explore climate action in the run up to what should have been COP26. We welcome members from different religious communities, alongside scientists and policymakers, to meet and share their visions for faith-based climate action in 2020.

Join us for part 2 on Tuesday, Nov. 3 – COP26: Ramp Up Ambition!

4:00-5:30 pm GMT / 5:00-6:30 pm CET / 11:00-12:30 am EST

Register here.

The second event in a 3-part interactive online series organised by the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC. This webinar will discuss what needs to be on the agenda of COP26 and what does it mean for climate action now.

The postponement of COP26 creates a challenge to keeping up the tempo on climate action. States’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are not even close to ensuring global temperature rise remains below 2°C, let alone the necessary 1.5°C.

Inaction from governments is no longer an option. 2020 is the year when the GHG emissions curve must begin to fall in order to have a chance of attaining the Paris Agreement goals. Climate actions undertaken by States must contain a mechanism to compensate for loss and damage. Finance, technology transfer and capacity building for adaptation must be made available to least developed and climate vulnerable countries. Covid-19 has shown the world that there is finance available to respond to an emergency. The climate emergency needs to be met with the same determination. There is no real alternative – continuing to stall action will eventually lead to catastrophic loss and damage.

Moderator: Lindsey Fielder Cook, Representative for Climate Change, Quaker United Nations Office (Geneva)

Speakers:

Sarmad Iqbal, Islamic Relief Worldwide (Pakistan)
Neil Thorns, Chair of the Climate Coalition and Advocacy Director at CAFOD (UK)
Prof Joyashree Roy, Bangabandhu Chair Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, IPCC Author (Thailand)
Moema de Miranda, Churches and Mining, Franciscans, Brazil
Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary (Bonn)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns, please visit csvgc-ny.org. For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com.

COP26: Ramp Up Ambition!

Faiths Unite: Visions for Transformative Climate Action

A 3-part interactive online series organised by the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC Every Tuesday from October 27th to November 10th

The Interfaith Liaison Committee welcomes friends from around the world to learn, discuss and explore climate action in the run up to what should have been COP26. We welcome members from different religious communities, alongside scientists and policymakers, to meet and share their visions for faith-based climate action in 2020.

Join us for part 2 on Tuesday, Nov. 3 – COP26: Ramp Up Ambition!

4:00-5:30 pm GMT / 5:00-6:30 pm CET / 11:00-12:30 am EST

Register here.

The second event in a 3-part interactive online series organised by the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC. This webinar will discuss what needs to be on the agenda of COP26 and what does it mean for climate action now.

The postponement of COP26 creates a challenge to keeping up the tempo on climate action. States’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are not even close to ensuring global temperature rise remains below 2°C, let alone the necessary 1.5°C.

Inaction from governments is no longer an option. 2020 is the year when the GHG emissions curve must begin to fall in order to have a chance of attaining the Paris Agreement goals. Climate actions undertaken by States must contain a mechanism to compensate for loss and damage. Finance, technology transfer and capacity building for adaptation must be made available to least developed and climate vulnerable countries. Covid-19 has shown the world that there is finance available to respond to an emergency. The climate emergency needs to be met with the same determination. There is no real alternative – continuing to stall action will eventually lead to catastrophic loss and damage.

Moderator: Lindsey Fielder Cook, Representative for Climate Change, Quaker United Nations Office (Geneva)

Speakers:

Sarmad Iqbal, Islamic Relief Worldwide (Pakistan)
Neil Thorns, Chair of the Climate Coalition and Advocacy Director at CAFOD (UK)
Prof Joyashree Roy, Bangabandhu Chair Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, IPCC Author (Thailand)
Moema de Miranda, Churches and Mining, Franciscans, Brazil
Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary (Bonn)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

CoNGO Notes: For more information on the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values, and Global Concerns, please visit csvgc-ny.org. For more information on the Committee of Religious NGOs at the United Nations, please visit rngos.wordpress.com. For more information on the NGO Committee on Financing for Development, please visit ngosonffd.org. For more information on the NGO Committee on Human Rights, please email the co-chairs at bknotts@uua.org or bobbinassar@gmail.com.