Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development December Newsletter

December 2011 Newsletter

Dear friends,

I am excited to share with you the December Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD) Newsletter. ICSD accesses the collective wisdom of the world’s religions to promote co-existence, peace, and sustainability through education and activism.

The stalemate in negotiations among political leaders on global climate change and concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict underscores the need for action among other sectors of society. In promoting interfaith cooperation and advocacy on an issue of common concern, ICSD helps to generate a new approach.

And that’s exactly what recent months have seen ICSD staff doing, together with our partners. I hope you enjoy reading the brief update in the newsletter below.

As 2011 comes to a close, I would like to ask you to consider supporting our 2012 activities through a US tax-deductible end-of-year donation by clicking here.

With warm regards,

Yonatan

Rabbi Yonatan Neril
Founder and Executive Director
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development

Interfaith Events at the UN Climate Change Conference
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development collaborated in organizing interfaith events at the recent UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa. In partnering with two other organizations-- The Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change and the Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute-- we helped recruit a range of religious figures to participate in the events, which drew significant media attention. Speakers included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, and Ela Gandhi, granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi.

Interfaith Emerging Leaders Eco Project
We are now recruiting for our Interfaith Emerging Leaders Eco Project, which will involve a series of seminars in the spring of 2012 on interfaith environmental sustainability for about 20 Jewish Christian and Muslim seminary students in the Jerusalem area. The seminars will address religious perspectives on a range of topics, including water, energy, and land, and will include outdoor, experiential components. One seminar, for example, will focus on the Jordan River Valley from interfaith and ecological perspectives.

Interfaith Climate and Energy Forum 2012
ICSD, in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, is working to hold an Interfaith Climate and Energy Forum in Jerusalem in March 2012. The event will feature the perspectives of high-level religious leaders on climate change and energy use based on teachings from their traditions. Details to follow.

Eco Tourism in the Holy Land
Through its branch Eco Israel Tours, ICSD is engaging tourists to Israel with eco tourism options and packages to a range of sites. Click here for more information.

Our Partners
We would like to thank the Julia Burke Foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and private donors for making our work possible.

For more information, please visit www.interfaithsustain.com