Religion and Sustainability

Over the past years, the Soetendorp Institute has gained an international leadership role in engaging religious leaders and their communities on important global themes and processes on sustainable development. An important framework for this work is the Earth Charter, an international declaration of fundamental ethical principles for building a just, peaceful and sustainable global society. Rabbi Soetendorp served on the Earth Charter Commission, which oversaw the decade-long, world-wide drafting process of the Earth Charter, which is described by many as the most open and participatory drafting process ever conducted in history.

The Soetendorp Institute helps coordinate the Earth Charter Task Force on Religion, Spirituality, and Ethics. This international group is being co-chaired by Rabbi Soetendorp and Prof. Mary Evelyn Tucker, founder of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology. The Task Force reaches out to religious and spiritual communities to make use of the Earth Charter in their activities for justice, peace and sustainability.

As part of his efforts as Co-Chair of this international Task Force, Rabbi Soetendorp has drafted the interreligious statement "Towards Rio + 20 and Beyond – A Turning Point in Earth History". The statement formulates a strong and unified message of the world's religions to the major UN Rio + 20 Conference that took place from June 20 – 22, 2012.

A one-page summary of the statement was drafted and adopted at the "Wings for Rio + 20" Exclusive Leadership Forum in the Hague on May 22 and 23 and was then endorsed by over 200 religious and spiritual leaders including His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Rabbi Soetendorp and Michael Slaby then presented this statement at the major UN Rio + 20 Conference in Brazil.

Please find more info about these activities below.

 

featherRabbi Soetendorp, Michael Slaby and Feather Project Cinematographer Ashley Young participated at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development ("Rio + 20") that took place in Rio de Janeiro from June 20 - 22. They presented the interreligious statement "Towards Rio + 20 and Beyond - A...

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"The Spiritual Dimensions of Sustainable Development" is the title of a project launched by the Earth Charter Task Force on Religion, Spirituality, and Ethics and the Jacob Soetendorp Institute for Human Values. The purpose of this project is to bring together a global alliance of religious...

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           The Jacob Soetendorp Institute for Human Values gladly presents the second, revised edition of the Earth Charter Guide to Religion and Climate Change that has been produced by Earth Charter Program Coordinator Michael Slaby in a two-year...

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The Soetendorp Institute endorsed the petition "Rights at Risk at the United Nations" that criticizes the attempts of some western governments to weaken or outright elimiate from the Rio + 20 outcome document all references to human rights and agreed upon equity principles such as the precautionary...

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ecoschoolsIn his role as Earth Charter Commissioner, Rabbi Soetendorp spoke at the Eco Schools National Operator meeting held in Krakow, Poland that was organized by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Collaboration between Earth Charter International...

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Unpublished

Interfaith Climate Summit

In December 2008, the Interfaith Climate Summit was held in Uppsala, Sweden that brought together climate experts, politicians, environmentalists, and leaders of diverse religious and spiritual traditions to explore the connection between religious traditions and...

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podium2_smallOn May 22 and 23, the Soetendorp Institute co-organized the "Wings for Rio + 20" Leadership Forum in the Peace Palace and the Royal Theater in The Hague. Around 180 leaders from business, civil society and spirituality came together to explore the connections between business and spirituality and...

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As a contribution to the "Spiritual Dimensions of Sustainability" Project launched by the Soetendorp Institute and the Earth Charter Task Force on Religion, Spirituality, and Ethics, Rabbi Soetendorp has drafted the interreligious statement "Towards Rio + 20 and Beyond - A Turning Point in Earth...

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ec_logoThe Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It was drafted in an unprecedented international consultation process involving thousands of experts and citizens from all walks of life.

Rabbi Awraham...

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The Soetendorp Institute

Contact

Jacob Soetendorp Institute for Human Values
Van Wijngaerdenstraat 21
2596 TW The Hague
The Netherlands
info@soetendorpinstitute.org