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CMYF Representative at Nigeria Interfaith Conference
Amy Russell from London was selected to represent the CMYF at the British Council's Interfaith Conference which took place in Abuja, Nigeria from 7 - 9 February. Here you can read her daily blog on her experiences...
Day one: 8 February 2010
Hi, it’s Amy here. Hot outside, cool inside. Cool in more ways than one – not just temperature, but people and dialogue! Not much time to write much so far…What has struck me in the morning session? Education is coming up as a main issue. Education on climate change – something faith leaders can provide? How can faith and education go hand in hand? This cooperation (see post below) and commonality – joining hands – is what is needed. Much consensus on this here so far. Positive vibe. Hopeful. Signing out for now…
Hopeful
Mood this afternoon positive, forward looking, and with a light touch. Staying hopeful in the face of this challenge requires this kind of attitude. This congregation of people seems to have hit the right tone! Importantly, also, is the fact that everyone appears to committed to act now, with immediacy. We are here to draft a declaration of commitments. And it seems the commitment is already there…so it shouldn’t be too hard to put our words, and continued hope and faith, into action!
Faith Leaders
The importance of faith leaders in tackling global warming is seen plain as they are most believed and respected in the society, so their message about climate change and how everyone is responsible in saving the environment will be accepted and all hands will be on deck to SAVE THE NEXT GENERATION.
Day two: 9 February 2010
Day 2 is under way, after a pleasant, balmy evening mixing and chatting with participants at a reception yesterday evening. Everyone here is passionate about the cause and today, there is much sharing of good practice, and talk of practical steps forward. There will be further discussion of the Interfaith Declaration soon, at which point myself and my younger colleagues will take the chance to finalise our own ideas for the presentation we will give. We will stress the importance of young people, as well as faith groups, in tackling climate change. We will highlight issues of importance that they felt emerged from the proceedings, including: education and knowledge, misunderstandings of the issue, faith leaders as models, and policy-making. Points of action, including potential models for replication, will also be mentioned. More to follow after! Greener through Faith…
Committing ourselves to change
We’re now in the final part of the event where all our faith leaders are debating their declaration and writing down their promises. I have been amazed and delighted by the response we have had. Almost everyone in the room has now written down a personal pledge, made a private personal commitment on what they will do when they return to their countries. The atmosphere is buzzing as people start to talk about what they are actually going to DO about this, how they are going to help, what action they are going to take. It’s uplifting and exciting.
Faith & Climate
What have I done wrong; what am I doing to correct my wrong. These are the questions we are tackling at the climate and faith conference. We as a nation have and are still treating our fragile creation in a harsh manner unknowingly as though we were ignorant of the damages we caused through burning, deforestation and other activities we carry out but now that we know…we can change the world and make it a better place to be by educating people on the danger of various activities to the community and the nation at large. By enforcing laws to guide our activities. The most important one is carrying out our plans of making the world a better place in order to do all this, we need to be united in faith respecting the fact that it is all God’s creation. Remember, we only have one blue planet and we have to leave it better than we met it.
The End! Or just the beginning?
So – success! The declaration was signed, and the atmosphere was great – respectful, with great feelings of wanting to move forward together across faiths, and to work with all stakeholders. Determination and drive. I want to say it’s a great ending, but I think it’s more of a beginning! With this commitment to action, I think that successful change can happen. The commitment was, for many, already there, but now, with a feeling that there are others on board, and having heard and discussed such a wide range of issues, listening to examples of good practice and potential models, I think people really feel they are able to go forward. And I believe they will.
Day one: 8 February 2010
Hi, it’s Amy here. Hot outside, cool inside. Cool in more ways than one – not just temperature, but people and dialogue! Not much time to write much so far…What has struck me in the morning session? Education is coming up as a main issue. Education on climate change – something faith leaders can provide? How can faith and education go hand in hand? This cooperation (see post below) and commonality – joining hands – is what is needed. Much consensus on this here so far. Positive vibe. Hopeful. Signing out for now…
Hopeful
Mood this afternoon positive, forward looking, and with a light touch. Staying hopeful in the face of this challenge requires this kind of attitude. This congregation of people seems to have hit the right tone! Importantly, also, is the fact that everyone appears to committed to act now, with immediacy. We are here to draft a declaration of commitments. And it seems the commitment is already there…so it shouldn’t be too hard to put our words, and continued hope and faith, into action!
Faith Leaders
The importance of faith leaders in tackling global warming is seen plain as they are most believed and respected in the society, so their message about climate change and how everyone is responsible in saving the environment will be accepted and all hands will be on deck to SAVE THE NEXT GENERATION.
Day two: 9 February 2010
Day 2 is under way, after a pleasant, balmy evening mixing and chatting with participants at a reception yesterday evening. Everyone here is passionate about the cause and today, there is much sharing of good practice, and talk of practical steps forward. There will be further discussion of the Interfaith Declaration soon, at which point myself and my younger colleagues will take the chance to finalise our own ideas for the presentation we will give. We will stress the importance of young people, as well as faith groups, in tackling climate change. We will highlight issues of importance that they felt emerged from the proceedings, including: education and knowledge, misunderstandings of the issue, faith leaders as models, and policy-making. Points of action, including potential models for replication, will also be mentioned. More to follow after! Greener through Faith…
Committing ourselves to change
We’re now in the final part of the event where all our faith leaders are debating their declaration and writing down their promises. I have been amazed and delighted by the response we have had. Almost everyone in the room has now written down a personal pledge, made a private personal commitment on what they will do when they return to their countries. The atmosphere is buzzing as people start to talk about what they are actually going to DO about this, how they are going to help, what action they are going to take. It’s uplifting and exciting.
Faith & Climate
What have I done wrong; what am I doing to correct my wrong. These are the questions we are tackling at the climate and faith conference. We as a nation have and are still treating our fragile creation in a harsh manner unknowingly as though we were ignorant of the damages we caused through burning, deforestation and other activities we carry out but now that we know…we can change the world and make it a better place to be by educating people on the danger of various activities to the community and the nation at large. By enforcing laws to guide our activities. The most important one is carrying out our plans of making the world a better place in order to do all this, we need to be united in faith respecting the fact that it is all God’s creation. Remember, we only have one blue planet and we have to leave it better than we met it.
The End! Or just the beginning?
So – success! The declaration was signed, and the atmosphere was great – respectful, with great feelings of wanting to move forward together across faiths, and to work with all stakeholders. Determination and drive. I want to say it’s a great ending, but I think it’s more of a beginning! With this commitment to action, I think that successful change can happen. The commitment was, for many, already there, but now, with a feeling that there are others on board, and having heard and discussed such a wide range of issues, listening to examples of good practice and potential models, I think people really feel they are able to go forward. And I believe they will.
CMYF Delegation go to Copenhagen
Ten young Muslims and Christians from the UK travelled to Copenhagen with CMYF and its partner Christian Aid where the UN Climate Change Summit is taking place from 7-18 December.
Along with hundreds of thousands of campaigners from around the world, the delegation marched to the conference centre where a candle-lit vigil took place.
On the following day, Archbishop Desmond Tutu handed over the Copenhagen pledges collected by Christian Aid which totalled an amazing 512,894 to the UN Climate Change Chief Yvo de Boer. The CMYF delegation joined thousands of others for Archbishop Tutu’s inspiring address which was followed by a lively performance by Danish multi-faith band Outlandish.
Matthew Youde, 21 from Cardiff who won a free trip to Copenhagen for his contribution to the CMYF commented that “coming to Copenhagen is like an environmental pilgrimage for me. I have met people from many other countries who have been on a similar journey to us which has been long and arduous with little comfort and sleep but all for a cause - to say how important it is that this deal happens.”
The youth delegation also had the opportunity to meet with Danish organisations, Danish Muslim Aid and Muslims in Dialogue, for an inter-cultural exchange about mobilising faith communities for action on climate change. One member of the delegation, Shahin Ahmed aged 19 from London, gave a moving account of the impact of climate change on his country of origin, Bangladesh where 20 million people face displacement from the changing climate.
Along with hundreds of thousands of campaigners from around the world, the delegation marched to the conference centre where a candle-lit vigil took place.
On the following day, Archbishop Desmond Tutu handed over the Copenhagen pledges collected by Christian Aid which totalled an amazing 512,894 to the UN Climate Change Chief Yvo de Boer. The CMYF delegation joined thousands of others for Archbishop Tutu’s inspiring address which was followed by a lively performance by Danish multi-faith band Outlandish.
Matthew Youde, 21 from Cardiff who won a free trip to Copenhagen for his contribution to the CMYF commented that “coming to Copenhagen is like an environmental pilgrimage for me. I have met people from many other countries who have been on a similar journey to us which has been long and arduous with little comfort and sleep but all for a cause - to say how important it is that this deal happens.”
The youth delegation also had the opportunity to meet with Danish organisations, Danish Muslim Aid and Muslims in Dialogue, for an inter-cultural exchange about mobilising faith communities for action on climate change. One member of the delegation, Shahin Ahmed aged 19 from London, gave a moving account of the impact of climate change on his country of origin, Bangladesh where 20 million people face displacement from the changing climate.
Statement handed over to UK Minister
In the lead up to the all important UN Climate Change Summit which will begin in Copenhagen on 7 December 2009, representatives of the Christian-Muslim Youth Forum on Climate Change (CMYF) handed over their statement on climate change to the Under Secretary of State for the Department of Energy & Climate Change, David Kidney MP.
The CMYF was created by the Christian-Muslim Forum and MADE in Europe to give young people a voice in the climate change debate. On 15 October 2009, 30 young Christians and Muslims met at Lambeth Palace and hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury developed a statement on climate change. The statement has been supported by over 750 individuals from across the UK and internationally and endorsed by many faith and community organisations including Three Faiths Forum, Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) and WasteWatch.
At the statement handover event on 1 December 2009, David Kidney MP applauded the initiative taken by the CMYF to put pressure on the Government to play a leading role in Copenhagen. He noted that faith communities throughout history have often taken the lead in tackling global issues and urged the young people to continue to raise awareness in their communities and to lobby the government.
Representatives of the CMYF will be travelling to Copenhagen where they will join campaigners from many other countries and demonstrate to the world’s leaders that people from diverse backgrounds have come together on this issue to demand justice.
The CMYF was created by the Christian-Muslim Forum and MADE in Europe to give young people a voice in the climate change debate. On 15 October 2009, 30 young Christians and Muslims met at Lambeth Palace and hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury developed a statement on climate change. The statement has been supported by over 750 individuals from across the UK and internationally and endorsed by many faith and community organisations including Three Faiths Forum, Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) and WasteWatch.
At the statement handover event on 1 December 2009, David Kidney MP applauded the initiative taken by the CMYF to put pressure on the Government to play a leading role in Copenhagen. He noted that faith communities throughout history have often taken the lead in tackling global issues and urged the young people to continue to raise awareness in their communities and to lobby the government.
Representatives of the CMYF will be travelling to Copenhagen where they will join campaigners from many other countries and demonstrate to the world’s leaders that people from diverse backgrounds have come together on this issue to demand justice.
The Wave
Representatives of the CMYF joined thousands of people from across the UK in a mass march organised by Stop Climate Chaos on Saturday 5 December 2009. More than 50,000 circled Parliament calling on the UK Government to get a fair deal in Copenhagen that protects the world's poorest.
