Building understanding between faithsBuilding understanding between faiths

through common actionthrough common action

What we doWhat we do We work with young people aged 14-25 from all We work with young people aged 14-25 from all

faith backgrounds and none to encourage faith backgrounds and none to encourage positive interaction and social actionpositive interaction and social action

We have several strands to our work, including We have several strands to our work, including arts and media and the environment. arts and media and the environment.

We work across London and with students We work across London and with students across the country to bring together people of across the country to bring together people of different faiths together to make a positive different faiths together to make a positive impact on their local and national communities. impact on their local and national communities.

This presentation will focus on how we work to This presentation will focus on how we work to engage young people with each other and their engage young people with each other and their environment environment

One World One World

One PeopleOne People

One IssueOne Issue

One Call for ActionOne Call for Action

……the control of climate change, ultimately the the control of climate change, ultimately the welfare of the environment is an issue of welfare of the environment is an issue of

survival for everybody. It’s not a question that survival for everybody. It’s not a question that can be addressed by one society alone, by can be addressed by one society alone, by one religious tradition alone, by one state one religious tradition alone, by one state

alone; it’s something that demands alone; it’s something that demands collaboration; but collaboration will only collaboration; but collaboration will only

happen effectively when people trust one happen effectively when people trust one another to be working for each another’s another to be working for each another’s interests in the fullest and clearest way interests in the fullest and clearest way

possible. possible.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams

Why Faith and Environmental Why Faith and Environmental Action?Action?

Climate Change and Environmental Concern Climate Change and Environmental Concern is an issue that affects all people across the is an issue that affects all people across the worldworld

An estimated 87% of the world consider An estimated 87% of the world consider themselves to belong to a religious community themselves to belong to a religious community

Every faith tradition has its own unique Every faith tradition has its own unique relationship with the natural world, but at the relationship with the natural world, but at the heart of all of them is a belief in preservation heart of all of them is a belief in preservation and respect for the earthand respect for the earth

Whilst some factors, such as historical stereotypes Whilst some factors, such as historical stereotypes and prejudices, serve to divide religious communities and prejudices, serve to divide religious communities and fuel conflicts, Interact is working to unite young and fuel conflicts, Interact is working to unite young people from different faith backgrounds and none over people from different faith backgrounds and none over the global and common issue of climate change and the global and common issue of climate change and sustainabilitysustainability

BAME communities are overwhelmingly BAME communities are overwhelmingly unrepresented in climate change strategy: Brent unrepresented in climate change strategy: Brent council has reported that, despite having a white council has reported that, despite having a white minority in the borough, the majority of respondents minority in the borough, the majority of respondents from their climate change strategy questionnaire were from their climate change strategy questionnaire were of white ethnicity. We are working to present the of white ethnicity. We are working to present the message and issue of climate change in innovative message and issue of climate change in innovative and creative ways to engage with all communitiesand creative ways to engage with all communities

What we want to achieveWhat we want to achieve

We aim to We aim to Increase interaction between faith communities Increase interaction between faith communities Empower young people as leaders of their Empower young people as leaders of their

communities and provide them with training and communities and provide them with training and qualification opportunities qualification opportunities

Engage those of minority backgrounds in the Engage those of minority backgrounds in the issue of climate change through innovative issue of climate change through innovative projectsprojects

Raise awareness of climate change and how to Raise awareness of climate change and how to live a sustainable and environmentally sound live a sustainable and environmentally sound lifestyle lifestyle

Our ProjectsOur Projects

Faith, Photography and Climate ChangeFaith, Photography and Climate Change

Energy Awareness Community LeadersEnergy Awareness Community Leaders

Interfaith Conservation Volunteering Interfaith Conservation Volunteering OpportunitiesOpportunities

Interfaith Environmental Network Interfaith Environmental Network

How we engage with young people How we engage with young people

Community Centres and Places of Community Centres and Places of WorshipWorship

Volunteer centres and local councilsVolunteer centres and local councils Social networking and web-based Social networking and web-based

advertisingadvertising Other youth based, non-for -profit Other youth based, non-for -profit

organisations and environmentally focused organisations and environmentally focused groups groups

What young people sayWhat young people say

‘ ‘ Personally the connection between the Personally the connection between the environment and faith comes from a spiritual environment and faith comes from a spiritual place, this project is important in highlighting the place, this project is important in highlighting the similarities between all the faiths: the core similarities between all the faiths: the core message is the connection between humanity and message is the connection between humanity and the earth’.the earth’.

‘‘What engaged me in the project was the chance What engaged me in the project was the chance to gain a skill, but I have learnt so much more than to gain a skill, but I have learnt so much more than I hoped: about people, faith communities and the I hoped: about people, faith communities and the positive impact that we could have on the positive impact that we could have on the environment together’.environment together’.

lucy@interact-uk.org.uklucy@interact-uk.org.uk www.interact-uk.org.ukwww.interact-uk.org.uk http://interaction.ning.com/http://interaction.ning.com/ http://codependence.tumblr.com/http://codependence.tumblr.com/