FAITH FOR EARTH DIALOGUE

The United Nations Environment Assembly - UNEA 5.2

21 February – 4 March 2022https://www.unep.org/events/unep-event/faith-earth-dialogue-unea-52

Changing the Future

FOREWORD

Brothers and Sisters,

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the Faith for Earth Dialogue being held aspart of the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2 with the theme“Strengthening Actions for Achieving the SDGs”.

A moment in history is being created today to see hundreds of faith actors,academia, scientists, private sector, and other stakeholders coming together fromaround the world to celebrate the creation of the Divine. We are far from beingcontent with the state of the environment. What we have is a moral and spiritualduty that also dictates on us to protect the gifts of the Divine.

Fifty years ago, the world woke up for the necessity that we need a newdevelopment paradigm that integrate the environment as an essential componentin our economic and social wellbeing.Fifty years from now, our children and grandchildren will judge us on the state weleft their only home. Today, either we leave a legacy that is based on our values,spiritual beliefs and ethics or we leave an inheritance that is governed by greed,selfishness, and materialism. Do we live with egoism, or we live with eco-ism? Thecall is ours and the answer is now.Looking forward to welcoming you all in these exciting and interesting sessions,being led by you for you.

Iyad Abumoghli Director – Faith for Earth

Dr. Iyad Abumoghli, Founder and Director of the Faith for EarthInitiative, has more than 35 years of experience withinternational organizations, the private sector, and scientificinstitutions. Dr. Abumoghli’s expertise focus on strategicplanning, sustainable development, natural resourcesmanagement, interfaith collaboration and knowledge andinnovation. Dr. Abumoghli is currently the Lead Principal Advisoron Engaging with Faith-Based Organizations at UNEP.Previously Dr. Abumoghli held several leading positions includingthe Regional Director and Representative of UNEP in West Asia,Director of Knowledge and Innovation at UNDP’s Regional Officefor the Arab states, Senior Environment Advisor at UNDP’s Sub-Regional Resource Facility in Beirut, Global Practice Manager forthe Energy and Environment Group in New York, AssistantResident Representative of UNDP in Jordan. Dr. Abumoghli holdsa doctorate degree in Bio-Chemical Engineering from theUniversity of Bath/UK, and an outstanding graduate of theVirtual Development Academy - Johns University.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Faith Communities Enabling Inclusive & Equitable Cities

Official Launch of the Faith for Earth Dialogue

Launch of Online Courses

Faith for Earth: A Call for Action

The Role of Accredited Faith-based Organisation

Grassroots Interfaith Action for Climate Justice

Working Group on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration

Faith for Earth Youth Coalition: UK Youth Council

Freedom of Religion & Belief: Climate Action

The Innovation Expo

Faith for Earth Coalition: Religion-Science Consortium

Faith, Values & Ethics in Environmental Governance

21 February 2022

22 February 2022

23 February 2022

24 February 2022

25 February 2022

Strengthening Linkages Between Faith Communities and Nature-Based Solutions

What the World Expects from FBOs and What We Should Do

Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth

Local Challenges, Local Solutions: Faith Groups for Climate Action

Religions in Action for the Protection and Restoration of Forests: Lessons fromthe Interfaith Rainforest Initiative inBrazil, Colombia, DRC and Peru

Mindfulness, Faith and Sustainability

The Power of Faith Partnerships to Safeguard Nature: PaRD a Case in Point

Faith and Food: Nature Positive Solutions for a Flourishing World

Faith in Action: Only One Earth

Faith - the Solution to Pollution?

Youth Council: A Forum for Environmental Action

Faith for Stockholm +50

28 February 2022

1 March 2022

2 March 2022

3 March 2022

4 March 2022

Inger Andersen – UN UnderSecretary General and

Executive Director of UNEP

Official Launch of the Faith for Earth Dialogue- 21 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

H. E. Dr. Hans Brattskar -Special Envoy at the Ministryof Climate and Environmentof Norway representing H. E.the Minister of Climate andEnvironment – President of

UNEA

Cardinal Peter Kodwo AppiahTurkson - Prefect Emeritus ofthe Dicastery for Promoting

Integral Human Development,Archbishop emeritus of Cape

Coast.

Don de Silva - BuddhistChaplain, Goldsmiths,

University of London and ex-director at UNEP

Dr. Husna Ahmad - Executive Director of Global One 2015Stephen Avino -

Executive Director of the Parliament of World's Religions

Archbishop Prof. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher

- Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance

H. H. Sadhguru - A Yogi,Mystic & Visionary

- Founder of Isha Foundationy

Prof. Dr. Azza Karam -Secretary

General of Religions forPeace

Rabbi David Rosen -American Jewish Committee,

International Director ofInterreligious Affairs

Dr. Chris Elisara

In 2012 Dr. Chris Elisara founded the WorldEvangelical Alliance’s environmental as thedirector of the WEA Creation Care Task Force.In 2019 he co-founded the WEA SustainabilityCenter, in Bonn, Germany, which he currentlyco-leads. In this role Dr. Elisara representsevangelicals at the United Nations and otherinternational bodies on a wide range ofenvironmental issues including food systems,climate change, biodiversity, and sustainableurbanism. A champion of urban design and placemaking,Dr. Elisara leads the Placemaking Studio for theOrmond Center at Duke Divinity School. Dr.Elisara’s urban work includes being a long termmember, and former board member from 2014-2018, of the Congress for the New Urbanism(CNU); co-founder of the CNU MembersChristian Caucus; co-founder of the BetterCities Film Festival and UN-Habitat BetterCities Film Festival; international work throughUN-Habitat’s World Urban Campaign (WUC).

Faith Communities Enabling Inclusive & Equitable Cities - 21 February 2022; 10am-11.30am East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Andre Dzikus

Andre Dzikus is the Chief of the Urban BasicServices Section at the United Nations HumanSettlements Programme (UN-Habitat). Previouslyhe was the Coordinator of the Urban BasicServices Branch (UBSB) and the ActingCoordinator of the Risk Reduction andRehabilitation Branch. Urban basic services at UNHabitat covers its work on water and sanitation,energy, transport, solid waste, ICT. This workcovers all three pillars of the UN: humanitarianresponse, peace and security and development.

Andre Dzikus has been with UN-Habitat for morethan 30 years and managed large projects andprogrammes in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Hewas instrumental in setting up the Water andSanitation Trust Fund (WSTF) to address theMDGs, which was converted into an Urban BasicServices Trust Fund in response to the adoption ofthe Agenda 2030 by member states. Andre holds adegree in Urban Geography, with specialization inurban and regional planning in developingcountries.

Dr. Iyad Abumoghli, Founder and Director of theFaith for Earth Initiative, has more than 35 years ofexperience with international organizations, theprivate sector, and scientific institutions. Dr.Abumoghli’s expertise focus on strategic planning,sustainable development, natural resourcesmanagement, interfaith collaboration andknowledge and innovation. Dr. Abumoghli iscurrently the Lead Principal Advisor on Engagingwith Faith-Based Organizations at UNEP.Previously Dr. Abumoghli held several leadingpositions including the Regional Director andRepresentative of UNEP in West Asia, Director ofKnowledge and Innovation at UNDP’s RegionalOffice for the Arab states, Senior EnvironmentAdvisor at UNDP’s Sub-Regional Resource Facilityin Beirut, Global Practice Manager for the Energyand Environment Group in New York, AssistantResident Representative of UNDP in Jordan. Dr.Abumoghli holds a doctorate degree in Bio-Chemical Engineering from the University ofBath/UK, and an outstanding graduate of theVirtual Development Academy - Johns University.

Dr. Iyad Abumoghli

Priestess Schulthess has 30 years of expertise inmultilateral diplomacy on behalf of IndigenousPeoples, Women and Environment andDevelopment organisations. Priestess Schulthesscurrently serves as the President for theIndigenous People Ancestral Spiritual Council inCosta Rica. She has previously served as aconsultant in preparation for and in negotiations ofthe United Nations Conference on Environmentand Development, also known as the ‘EarthSummit,’ and was subsequently engaged in themonitoring and follow up of the Climate Changeand Rio + 20 negotiation processes. She foundedand co-founded various organisations, notably theIndigenous Peoples Ancestral Spiritual Council. Inaddition, she was the Executive Director of theInternational Indigenous Commission from 1989 to1992.Priestess Schulthess was instrumental innegotiations which led to the Proclamation of theInternational Year of the World’s IndigenousPeoples, 1993, as well as in the drafting of theUniversal Declaration of the Rights of IndigenousPeoples.

Priestess Beatriz Schulthess

Dr. Josh Yates

Dr. Josh Yates is the Executive Director of OrmondCenter for Thriving Congregations andCommunities at Duke Divinity School, SeniorFellow at the Kenan Institute for Ethics at DukeUniversity, and Founder and CEO of Thriving CitiesGroup, an independent NGO dedicated toequipping cross-sector leaders to work for theflourishing of their local communities and regions.He also currently serves on UN-Habitat's "SDGCities Taskforce."

As a cultural sociologist and experienced socialpractitioner, Dr. Yates weaves together twodecades of academic research, communitydevelopment experience, and social impactexpertise in an on-going quest to understand whatit means and takes to work for the human dignityof all people in today's changing communitycontexts. Prior to coming to Duke Divinity, Dr.Yates was Research Assistant Professor ofSociology at the University of Virginia and formerDirector of UVA's Institute for Advanced Studies inCulture.

Khushwant Singh

Khushwant Singh is the Head of Secretariat ofPaRD – the International Partnership on Religionand Sustainable Development. PaRD has around150 members and convenes governments,multilateral entities, civil society, especiallyreligious actors, and academia in a safe spaceproviding continuity for dialogue, learning, andcollaboration to better inform policy and practicesin achieving the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.

Singh studied education and social anthropology.He has been working in the field of internationaldevelopment cooperation since 2006 having begunhis career with GIZ, the German Agency forInternational Cooperation. He is a foundingmember of the Council of the Sikh Religion and theInterreligious Council of Religions Frankfurt andserved as its president from 2014 to 2017. Singhpublishes articles on the interlinkages of spiritualwisdom, ethics, behavioural change, sustainability,and the global challenges facing humanity.

Kamran Shezad

Kamran Shezad is the Director for the IslamicFoundation for Ecology and EnvironmentalSciences (IFEES/EcoIslam), he is also theSustainability Lead for the Bahu Trust and theClimate Change Advisor to the Mosques & ImamsNational Advisory Board, UK (MINAB). A qualifiedenvironmental specialist with practical field andmanagerial experience in the sustainabledevelopment sector.

He is a strong advocate of using faith-basedapproach in promoting the message ofenvironment and guiding behavioural change.Kamran is a grassroots environmental activist, hehas worked with a diverse range of faith groupsand has produced toolkits, practical guides, andmobilised communities for climate action. Kamranholds a master’s degree in EnvironmentalSustainability (Strategy & Management), he hasbeen awarded ‘Chartered Environmentalist’ statusby the Society for the Environment and is a fullmember of the Institute for EnvironmentalManagement and Assessment.

Faith Communities Enabling Inclusive & Equitable Cities - 21 February 2022; 10am-11.30am East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Bhuvana Santhanam

Bhuvana has close to 24 years of experience inBrand Marketing and Strategy,Communications, Sustainability and CorporateSocial Responsibility (CSR). She was the Headof Corporate Communications and CSR at a sixbillion USD retail and hospitality conglomeratein Dubai, before she moved back to India inDecember 2012, after more than 15 years inthe Gulf. She joined as the National Director forone of India’s leading Image Managementfirms, consulting and advising corporate boardsof national and international brands. In 2015,Bhuvana quit her lucrative and high-profilecorporate career and decided to follow hercalling, by joining the service mission of Indianphilanthropist and humanitarian, Sai Baba,which brings respite to thousands ofunderprivileged and needy children throughfree healthcare, education, and nutrition across30 countries. She is a speaker and presenter ofhundreds of successful events, conferences andpresentations, and a published author.

Mary Evelyn Tucker

Mary Evelyn Tucker teaches at Yale Universityat the School of the Environment and theDivinity School. She is co-director with JohnGrim of the Yale Forum on Religion andEcology. They co- organized 10 conferences onWorld Religions and Ecology at Harvard andwere series editors for the 10 resulting volumes Harvard volumes. She also co-editedConfucianism and Ecology, Buddhism andEcology, and Hinduism and Ecology. Moreover,she has authored (with John Grim) Ecology andReligion (Island Press, 2014), and co-edited theRoutledge Handbook of Religion and Ecology(2017) with Willis Jenkins. They also havecreated six online courses in Religions andEcology: Restoring the Earth Community. Mary Evelyn won the Inspiring Yale TeachingAward in 2015 and has been awarded 5honorary degrees. With John Grim, she receiveda Lifetime Achievement Award from theInternational Society for the Study of Religion,Nature, and Culture.

Armen Rostomyan

Armen Rostomyan is the Senior ProgrammeManager for the KAICIID Dialogue Knowledge Hub(DKH) as well as the KAICIID Online CourseCoordinator. He is responsible for development,management, and implementation of the DKHportfolio of E-learning and training programmes,online resources and thematic webinars. He has over 20 years of experience working as aprogramme manager, lead-trainer and onlinecourses content moderator/coordinator in variousUN Agencies and international organizations suchas: United Nations Office for Disaster RiskReduction (UNISDR), United Nations DevelopmentProgram (UNDP), World Bank (WB), Habitat forHumanity International, Aga Khan Foundation(AKF-AKDN), and Amnesty InternationalSecretariat in UK, being responsible fordevelopment, management and implementation ofvarious humanitarian and sustainabledevelopment programmes in 26 countries ofEurope, Asia, and Africa regions.

Euan McCartney worked as an AssociateProgramme Management Officer at UNEP’s Faithfor Earth Initiative from January 2021 untilFebruary 2022, following on from an internship.Euan holds a BA in Anthropology and InternationalDevelopment from the University of Sussex as wellas an MSC in International Development Studiesfrom the University of Amsterdam.

Alongside his colleagues at Faith for Earth, Euanwas in charge of producing the 8 modules in theonline learning course “Faith, Environment andClimate Change”. He hopes these online courses,and the other excellent modules produced byKAICIID’s and its partners, will help drive greaterand more effective faith engagement with theSDGs and contribute to overcoming theenvironmental challenges we face.

Euan McCartney

Launch of Online Courses - 21 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Gayatri Raghwa

Gayatri Raghwa joined UNEP in early 2019 asUNEP’s sole environmental education consultantbased in India. She launched the Tide TurnersChallenge in India and focuses on higher educationwork. As of mid-2021 Gayatri is in the process ofsetting up the India Green University Network. Shehas ensured the dissemination of Earth School(where India is second to the USA in terms ofparticipation), and supported UNEP initiatives suchas the Little Book of Green Nudges and the Race toZero.

A teacher by training, with 22 years of experienceat college and school levels in India, Gayatri alsospent 15 years raising the profile of environmentaleducation in the UAE. She advises severalinternational organizations and is honoraryExecutive Director at Wildecologue, anorganization committed to providing real lifesustainability experiences to youth and othertarget audiences.

Faith for Earth: A Call for Action - 21 February 2022; 5:30pm-7 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Mary Evelyn Tucker

Mary Evelyn Tucker teaches at Yale Universityat the School of the Environment and theDivinity School. She is co-director with JohnGrim of the Yale Forum on Religion andEcology. They co- organized 10 conferences onWorld Religions and Ecology at Harvard andwere series editors for the 10 resulting volumesHarvard volumes. She also co-editedConfucianism and Ecology, Buddhism andEcology, and Hinduism and Ecology. Moreover,she has authored (with John Grim) Ecology andReligion (Island Press, 2014), and co-edited theRoutledge Handbook of Religion and Ecology(2017) with Willis Jenkins. They also havecreated six online courses in Religions andEcology: Restoring the Earth Community.

Mary Evelyn won the Inspiring Yale TeachingAward in 2015 and has been awarded 5honorary degrees. With John Grim, shereceived a Lifetime Achievement Award fromthe International Society for the Study ofReligion, Nature, and Culture.

David Hales

David Hales served as President of theCollege of the Atlantic, Chair and President ofSecond Nature, the managing organization ofthe American College and UniversityPresidents Climate Commitment, and asDirector of the Michigan Department ofNatural Resources. He led environmentalpolicy and sustainability programs for the USAgency for International Development. As adiplomat, he has represented the USA innumerous negotiations on climate change,urban affairs and policy, and biodiversity. Heserved in the Carter administration as DeputyAssistant Secretary of the Interior. He wasthe first American to serve as Chair of theWorld Heritage Convention.

Kusumita P. Pedersen

Kusumita P. Pedersen is Professor Emerita ofReligious Studies at St. Francis College, a Trustee ofthe Parliament of the World's Religions and Chairof the Interfaith Center of New York.

She is also a member of the Parliament's ClimateAction Task Force and of the Climate WorkingGroup of the Committee of Religious NGOs at theUnited Nations. She is co-author of Faith for Earth:A Call for Action (UN Environment Programme andParliament of the World’s Religions, 2020) and co-author of Global Ethics in Practice: HistoricalBackgrounds, Current Issues and Future Prospects(Edinburgh University Press, 2016).

She has compiled and edited librettos for twoworks by Philip Glass: Symphony No. 5: Bardo,Requiem and Nirmāṇakāya (1999) and The Passionof Ramakrishna (2006). Kusumita has been astudent of Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) since 1971 andis the author of The Philosophy of Sri Chinmoy:Love and Transformation (Lexington Books, 2021).

Imam Saffet Abid Catovic

Imam Saffet Abid Catovic has his MBA and has been along-time US Muslim Community Organizer/Activist andEnvironmental Leader. He is the new Co-Chair of theParliament of the World's Religions Climate Action TaskForce and serves on the Parliament's, Board of Trustees,and has recently been re-elected as Treasurer. He isalso a member of the Statewide Clergy Council of Faithin New Jersey, a Faith in Action affiliate, and also serveson their Board of Directors. Saffet is a GreenFaithMuslim Fellow and serves as their Senior Muslimadvisor.

He is a Co-drafter of the Fiqh Council of North America(FCNA) "Fatwa" Religious ruling on fossil fueldivestment and member of the scholars Drafting teamof "Al-Mizan - Covenant for the Earth" organized underthe auspices of the United Nations EnvironmentalProgram (UNEP) - Faiths for Earth and the IslamicWorld Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(ICESCO). Most recently, Imam Saffet has beenappointed to head ISNA's Office for Interfaith andCommunity Alliances and Government relations inWashington, DC.

Faith for Earth: A Call for Action - 21 February 2022; 5:30pm-7 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Tatiana Brailovskaya

Tatiana Brailovskaya works as an author,science journalist, and editor. The focus ofher professional writing is on biodiversityand conservation biology, marinewilderness protection, and sustainablenatural resources management.

She holds an M.S. in conservation biologyand natural resources policy from TheUniversity of Michigan. She has published inthe peer-reviewed journal ConservationBiology and has developed communicationsprograms and written extensively fornumerous state and federal environmentalagencies, research institutions, andenvironmental organizations.

She is a member of the Climate Action TaskForce at the Parliament of the World’sReligions and is the executive editor of Faithfor Earth—A Call for Action, published inOctober 2020 through a partnershipbetween the Parliament and the UnitedNations Environment Programme.

Ursula Goodenough

Ursula Goodenough is Professor of BiologyEmerita at Washington University with aPh.D. from Harvard in 1969; she has beenliving by the ocean on Martha’s Vineyard since2017. Her research has focused on themolecular, cellular, and evolutionary biology ofunicellular algae. Her first IRAS conferencewas in 1987.

She has served in several IRAS leadershippositions and co-chaired 6 conferences. Herinterest in the religious naturalist orientationwas birthed at IRAS and lead to a book (TheSacred Depths of Nature) and many articles inZygon. She participated in the founding of theReligious Naturalist Association (RNA) in2014 and currently serves as its president.She has 5 children and 8 grandchildren.

Dr. Laurel Kearns co-founded the Green SeminaryInitiative, and is Professor of Ecology, Society andReligion at Drew Theological School in New Jersey,USA where she has taught since 1994. During thistime, she has helped eco-justice to become rootedin the Drew curriculum so that there is now arequired course: Global Faiths and the Earth.

Her research is focused on religious involvement inecological issues and movements, with a particularinterest in environmental justice, climate change,and food. In addition to EcoSpirit: Religions andPhilosophies for the Earth, she has contributedchapters to volumes such as, The OxfordHandbook on Climate Change and Society,Grassroots to Global: Broader Impacts of CivicEcology, Quakers, Creation Care, andSustainability, Living Cosmology: ChristianResponses to the Journey of the Universe and theBloomsbury Handbook on Religion and Nature. Herdecades-long involvement in religiousenvironmentalism has roots in the island whereshe was born, Sanibel, Florida.

Dr. Laurel KearnsRev. Dr. Michael Reid Trice

Rev. Dr. Michael Reid Trice is Spehar-HalliganProfessor and Director of the Center forEcumenical and Interreligious Engagement atSeattle University. Trice is also the founder ofReligica, a popular virtual and multimediaplatform that highlights religious traditions,spiritual pathways, and indigenous wisdomas virtues of public life. The Religica TheolabPodcast collaborates with national and globalpartners for a growing distribution. Trice’s book Encountering Cruelty (2009) wonthe humanities award at Loyola University. Heis currently co-editing a forthcoming textInjury, Repair and Gratitude in a PandemicAge. He participates in the PWR-VaticanEcology Writing Group, was a fellow at boththe American Association for theAdvancement of Science in Seminariesprogram as well as at the Shalom HartmanInstitute.

Peter Aburi

The Role of Accreditd Faith-based Organizations - 22 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Rev Dr. Rachel MashDr. Husna Ahmad Rev. Henrik GrapeAurora Cheung Gorden Simango

Aurora joined the Civil Society Unitof UNEP in 2019, mainly working onaccreditation and youthengagement. Before joining UNEP,Aurora worked for UNESCO since2012, first in Paris, then in Nairobi,focusing on teacher education inSub-Saharan Africa. Prior to joiningthe UN, she was a teacher and anexaminer in Hong Kong.

She received an MA from UnitedCollege London, a post-graduatediploma and a BA from theUniversity of Hong Kong.

Gorden serves as Director of the AllAfrican Conference of Churches(AACC), Liaison Office to theAfrican & Advocacy. He ispassionate about bringing voicesfrom the fringes to power centres toinfluence policy and decisionmaking; and empowering localpartners in advocacy and policyinfluencing, through compellingstorytelling, promoting faith andsocietal values; and evidenced-based research to preserve theintegrity of creation and to promotesustainable peace, human dignity &justice.

Senior Advisor on Care for Creation,Sustainability, and Climate Justiceat the World Council of Churches;and Co-chair of the InterfaithLiaison Committee to the UNFCCC

Dr Husna Ahmad OBE is the CEO ofGlobal One 2015 and Boardmember of Faith for the Climate,Faith In Water, and Palmers GreenMosque (the MCEC). She is also amember of the Women’s FaithForum UK; Executive committeemember of Barnet Faith Forum; andof the Multi faith Advisory Councilto the UN Inter-agency Task Forceon Religion and Development.

Rev Dr Rachel Mash is theEnvironmental Coordinator for theAnglican Church of Southern Africa(South Africa, lesotho, Namibia,Eswatini) and the movement knownas Green Anglicans. She is also thesecretary of the AnglicanCommunion Environmental Networkand lives in Cape Town

Peter Aburi joined the Baha'iInternational Community’s (BIC)United Nations Office as aRepresentative to UNEP, Nairobi in2019. His areas of work includeclimate change and theenvironment, social and sustainabledevelopment, and recycling. In2019, Mr. Aburi worked with a teamof experts and manufacturers tolaunch the Kenya Plastic ActionPlan to promote circular economy.He holds an MBA from theUniversity of Nairobi. He is also aprivate sector expert withexperience of working with the EastAfrican Community (EAC) MembersStates to enhance regional tradeintegration in the East Africa region.Mr. Aburi was part of BICdelegation to COP26 in Glasgow,Scotland.

Grassroots Interfaith Action for Climate Justice - 22 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Niklas Hagelberg is a Senior Programme Officer atUN Environment where he is the Coordinator of UNEnvironment's subprogramme on Climate Change.Niklas work includes setting the strategic directionof the subprogramme, programme oversight andprogress review and fundraising.

Previously Niklas worked as Coordinator for theHealthy and Productive Ecosystemssubprogramme. In the Natural Resources Branchat UN Environment, his responsibilities includedbuilding a project portfolio on forests andintegrated landscape management. Niklas wasalso part of the team that established the globalUN-REDD programme and UN-REDD countryprogrammes in Tanzania and Vietnam.

Prior to joining UN Environment, Niklas workedwith various organizations in the developmentsector including a small NGO, a consultancycompany and WWF.

Niklas Hagelberg

Beth Roach is a Co-founder of Alliance of NativeSeedkeepers, an organization that was formed tokeep ancestral seeds alive and to rebuild cultureand food security in native communities. Beth hasan extensive background in grants management,conservation, financial management, andorganizing. She is also a storyteller for her tribe.Beth’s work with Alliance of Native Seedkeepersaligns with her rural and agricultural roots andenables her to contribute to the resilience that isdesperately needed in her region, particularly withregard to native communities’ cultural and foodsecurity.

Since participating in the 2019 cohort WEA andSierra Club’s U.S. Grassroots Accelerator forWomen Environmental Leaders, Beth has joinedthe design team for the program. Building off hertwo years as chairperson for the VirginiaEnvironmental Justice Council, she was alsorecently tapped to coordinate a new tribal climateresilience project for the North CarolinaCommission on Indian Affairs.

Beth Roach

Meryne Warah is co-facilitator and coordinator ofGreenFaith. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, she hasworked with the Pan African Climate JusticeAlliance where she coordinated climate justicepolicy advocacy in eight African countries, andserved as Programme Officer for Gender,Environment and Climate Change for theInterreligious Council of Kenya.

Meryne Warah

Grassroots Interfaith Action for Climate Justice - 22 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

I am an independent researcher and investmentconsultant specialized in helping institutional assetowners (e.g. banks, pension funds,endowments/foundations and faith-basedorganizations) allocate their capital towardsinvestments that have a positive social andenvironmental impact. I have worked on a varietyof projects related to institutional impact investingand have a special interest in Islamic finance. Mymost recent work was on the Faith Impact Project.Prior to working in impact investing, I was aphysicist, working in research related to magneticresonance imaging (MRI) at Leiden UniversityMedical Center. I have an academic background in(theoretical) physics and Middle Eastern studiesfrom Leiden University and studied Arabic in Cairo,Egypt. In addition, I completed a graduate programin Science-Based Business, focusing on how totranslate scientific research into marketablesolutions.

Karina Soemarwoto

Sophie co-founder and CEO of FIIND Impact, anAmsterdam-based investment advisory boutiqueand foundation dedicated to impact investing.FIIND Impact foundation's mission is to be catalystfor change. We want to inspire other investors toinvest responsibly and to commit to a net positiveimpact on people and planet in line with theirunique set of values. Prior to this, she foundedPhenix Capital, an impact investing intermediary inJuly 2012, and was co-CEO until March 2020.

The company successfully run seven impactinvesting summits, convened some among thelargest asset owners, representing trillions inassets under management, and inspired numerousinstitutional investors to build impact mandates.Sophie is a former board of the CFA society Priorto Phenix Capital, Sophie was a Director and Headof Hedge fund Sales at Jupiter Asset Managementin London and a Vice President and Head ofQuantitative Equity Analysis at CommerzbankAsset Management in Germany.

Dr. Sophie RobéRev Dr. Rachel Mash

Rev Dr Rachel Mash is the EnvironmentalCoordinator for the Anglican Church ofSouthern Africa (South Africa, lesotho,Namibia, Eswatini) and the movement knownas Green Anglicans. She is also the secretaryof the Anglican Communion EnvironmentalNetwork and lives in Cape Town

Working Group on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration - 23 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Chantal Elkin Tom BarasaGopal Patel

Gopal D. Patel is a faith-basedenvironmental activist, campaigner andconsultant. For more than a decade he hasspearheaded the development ofenvironmental initiatives engaging religiouscommunities and leaders in India, EastAfrica, Europe and North America. He is Co-Founder and Director of Bhumi Global, anon-profit organization that works toeducate and mobilize Hindu communitiesglobally for environmental action. He is co-chair of the United Nations Multi-faithAdvisory Council and is a member of theAdvisory Board to the UN Decade onEcosystem Restoration. He also serves onthe Board for Interfaith Power & Light and isan Advisor to the WWF Beliefs and ValuesProgramme, Born and raised in England, hecurrently lives in the New York City MetroArea.

As director of sustainability and global affairs,Andrew Schwartz leads the Center of Earth Ethics'programs, such as the 2021 Faith + Food CoalitionDialogue series, that bring together voices fromaround the world to further environmental andclimate justice. He has nearly a decade ofexperience working with community leaders andgovernment officials to create multilateralcoalitions and support environmental movements.

Before joining CEE, Andrew worked as interimexecutive director of Bend 2030, a coalition ofdiverse stakeholders in Bend, Oregon, co-directorof the Micah Challenge USA, an advocacy groupfocused on ending extreme poverty, and programmanager of the Climate Reality Project, founded byAl Gore to influence national and internationalenvironmental policy on climate change.Andrew earned his bachelor’s degree from PacificLutheran University and his master’s from UnionTheological Seminary.

Andrew Schwartz

20 years of experience in internationalconservation related to the protection offorests and wildlife, with a particular focuson the illegal wildlife trade, and on religionand conservation. Eight years with Asiaprogrammes at Conservation International,with director level expertise in programmemanagement, fundraising and donorrelations, and working with interdisciplinaryglobal teams. Director of the Wildlife &Forests Programme with the Alliance ofReligions and Conservation in the UK for 9years. Head of new Beliefs & ValuesProgramme at WWF global network sinceJuly 2019.

Consultant with WWF on faith tree growing, fromKenya.

Working Group on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration - 23 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Sonja Ohlsson Sheren Sestra

Sheren is currently the Manager for Wildlife Programsat WWF Nepal and based in Kathmandu. He overseesthe organization’s snow leopard conservationprojects, aiding in planning and implementation ofresearch and conservation interventions. With specialinterest in human-wildlife conflict management, heenjoys working closely with communities to findsolutions for well-being of nature and people. As partof the holistic snow leopard conservation strategy ofWWF Nepal, Sheren also assists with engagementwith faith institutions for wider conservationawareness, documentation of traditional knowledge,and adaptation of cultural practices to currentcontext, among others. A post-graduate in Environmental Sciences, Sherenhas been working for wildlife conservation in Indiaand Nepal since 2006. He believes in the need forpartnerships, and in finding common grounds withdiverse stakeholders, for unified conservation efforts.His interests include traveling, communication,photography, and singing-songwriting aboutconservation and social issues.

Laura D’Arcy

Sonja Ohlsson is a meditation teacher with the Prisonand Probation Service in Copenhagen andoccasionally gives lectures at The Asian StudiesDepartment at Copenhagen University. Previously,she worked as a community nurse for more than 20years. Born and raised in Sweden, she has beenbased at the Brahma Kumaris (BK) centre inCopenhagen since 1988.

In 2009, Sonja Ohlsson was instrumental indeveloping the Brahma Kumaris Environmentalinitiative in order to meet the need for a higherenvironmental awareness within the international BKcommunity, and also to add the inner dimension todiscussions at the UN Climate Change conferences

Head of Trillion Trees WWF-UK. A joint venture between WWF, WCS and BirdlifeInternational to support the end of deforestation andrestore forests to benefit people, nature and climate.

Faith for Earth Youth Coalition: UK Youth Council - 24 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Saba Yasin Imam Habib Khan Edward Sonin Devena Chouhan Kamran Shezad

Kamran Shezad is the Director for the Islamic Foundationfor Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES/EcoIslam),he is also the Sustainability Lead for the Bahu Trust andthe Climate Change Advisor to the Mosques & ImamsNational Advisory Board, UK (MINAB).A qualified environmental specialist with practical fieldand managerial experience in the sustainabledevelopment sector. He is a strong advocate of usingfaith based approach in promoting the message ofenvironment and guiding behavioural change. Kamran isa grassroots environmental activist, he has worked with adiverse range of faith groups and has produced toolkits,practical guides and mobilised communities for climateaction. Kamran holds a Master’s degree in EnvironmentalSustainability (Strategy & Management), he has beenawarded ‘Chartered Environmentalist’ status by theSociety for the Environment and is a full member of theInstitute for Environmental Management and Assessment.Kamran is also currently serving on the Civil Society &Youth Advisory Council to the Presidency of COP26.

Saba Yasin is a Politics andInternational Relations graduate aswell as currently a Climate ActionProject Officer at UK based NGO,Islamic Help. She works on deliveringsustainable projects to empowerthose in need, while also advocatingand campaigning for climate justiceand using this platform to stand upfor the rights of those who have beenunfairly impacted by the effects ofclimate change across the globe

An award-winning Imam, Habib Khanstudied at Jamia Al-Karam andCambridge Muslim College beforecompleting his MSc in Islamic andMiddle Eastern Studies at EdinburghUniversity. In recognition of his work,Imam Habib was the ‘ReligiousAdvocate of the Year’ at the BritishMuslim Awards 2020, speaker for the‘Time for Reflection’ and InterfaithSummit 2018 at the ScottishParliament and met Her Majesty, theQueen, at Buckingham Palace. He iscurrently pursuing an MA inInternational Human Rights Law andJustice at the American University inCairo. He is also a Research AdvisoryBoard Member for the ‘UnderstandingBritish Imams’ project at Islam UKCentre, Cardiff University.

Edward Meyer Sonin. Age 19. Youthclimate activist in the reform Jewishcommunity. I am passionate aboutclimate injustice and using cross-faithcooperation to create grassrootssolutions in marginalised communitieswho lack a voice in the mainstreamdiscourse. Currently a first yearUndergraduate Geographer at theUniversity of Cambridge.

Youth Co-ordinator at Hindu ClimateAction

Faith for Earth Youth Coalition: UK Youth Council - 24 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Finn Pierau Rachel Mander Amran Mohamed Sanaa Pasha Jasmeet Kaur Lucy Plummer

Rachel was one of the founders ofYCCN (Young Christian ClimateNetwork) and is their currentCampaigns Lead. She works asStrategic Development Officer at theconservation charity A RochaInternational

Since his MSc thesis onsustainable consumption from aBuddhist perspective, Finn hasbeen involved in variousenvironmental projects. He hasorganised intergenerationaldialogues with a youth networkcalled "My Faith and theEnvironment", where young andold come together to listen andlearn from each other. Finn hasalso worked in a secondaryschool and is currently workingin the fashion sector to drivesustainability transitions.

Dr. Iyad Abumoghli - Director of UNEP 's Faith for Earth Initiative

Freedom of Religion & Belief: Climate Action- 24 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 East African Time (GMT+03:00)

John Knox Former - UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and

the Environment

Archbishop Mark MacDonald Indigenous Archbishop of the Anglican Church in Canada

Catherine Thane - International Panel of Parliamentarians for

FoRB

Runa Ray

Runa Ray is a fashion designer andenvironmentalist who uses fashion to advocatefor policy change. She has worked extensivelywith the sustainable development goals onvarious projects with regards to Climate Actionand with the United Nations. She also is aneducational member of the IUCN. As aninnovator, Runa Ray's designs encompassNature-Based Solutions. By keeping the end inmind, she has helped revive ancient andindigenous techniques that reduce our impacton the earth, and bringing together the fashionindustry with science based knowledge. Herpartnership with the Prince Albert II foundation2021 helped in conserving marine protectedareas.

Sustainable Fashion workshop is acollaboration she founded to support the UNdecades for sustainable growth anddevelopment, it involves stakeholders, designersand end users who create, discuss andimplement innovative solutions related tomitigating the fashion industry's carbonfootprint.

The Innovation Expo- 24 February 2022; 5.30pm-7pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Peter Nitschke

Dr. Peter Nitschke is the Faith ProgramManager at Plastic Bank. Peter designed andpioneered the program from the beginning withthe vision to enliven faith communities to stopocean plastic and improve livelihoods.Peter has a passion for training andempowering communities, as he wrote hisdoctoral dissertation on grassroots education.Peter has been working with informal recyclingcommunities for the past 10 years, opening thefirst Plastic Bank branch in the Philippines in2017.

Peter has worked in the Philippines since 1997,where he supported local communities to set upgrassroots cooperatives facilitating economicdevelopment. Peter has vast experienceworking with non-profits in the Philippines,managing projects in 12 provinces with a focuson developing entrepreneurs. Peter now lives inhis native Germany.

Petra Wadström

Born and raised in Sweden, Petra Wadström isthe founder of Solvatten. This social enterpriseaims to provide people in developing countrieswith access to safe and hot water in aportable, environmentally friendly way.

Petra was educated as a biochemical-medicalresearch technician at the Karolinska Institute,and after years of research in Biozentrum,Univerity of Basel, she turned her focus to art.

”Being an artist has helped me hugely to thinkoutside the box, combining the elements ofresearch and creativity. I believe my passionfor innovative sustainable solutions thatchange lives for the better has to do with apractical mind”.

Brennan Van Dyke

Chief, Capacity Development and InnovationBranch - Science Division of UNEP

The Innovation Expo- 24 February 2022; 5.30pm-7pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Mary Githiomi

Mary is the IAS K team leader, in chargeof day to day operations of IAS Kprogramme. She joined IAS K in thecapacity of Country Director in 2015. Sheis also the Secretary to the Board, the gobetween the staff, management and theBoard of Governors. She Chairs theSenior Management Team that runs thedaily operation of the organization.

She has over 20 years’ experience inRelief and Development sphere, and hasworked in different countries. Mary bringswealth of experience in Management,Administration, leadership, programs andHuman Resource Management.

She is a strong negotiator, focused onservice delivery, and very passionateabout the program she leads. Above all,she believes that God has a purpose forevery single human being, and hers is toserve diligently, and with a focus todeliver the Mission of IAS-K

Suzanne Deering

She really thinks the products of TerreaVitae are the new gold! But not in termsof financial richness or material wealth,but as in truly GOLD for the earth.

A healthy earth and healthy livingcreatures on it start with a healthy soil.She’s passionate about spreading thismessage: that it’s not too late to startliving in symbiosis with nature and ashumankind being a cooperating part inthe whole ecosystem.

Arianne Neele

Arianne is the fourth generation of aDutch family, since 1962 internationallyactive in the agri- and horticulture. Sheput all the knowledge and experiencegained by the members of the familyNeele, through decades, in a newlydeveloped product.

With this product we give back to theearth what we took. It restores depleted-and sandy soils. She believes that withthis product she can give everyoneaccess to a healthy soil, and therefore tohealthy food and comfortable livingcircumstances.

Katie Wachsberger

Katie is the co-founder of DANAAccelerator, an Abu Dhabi basedaccelerator that supports women-ledstartups in desert tech, including sectorsof AgriTech, water solutions, foodsecurity, waste management, andrenewable energy through regionalcollaboration, innovation mentorship,impact community, and investment.

She is also a research fellow at Forum forRegional Thinking and a freelancer atQamar LLC. She holds a BA in Near andMiddle Eastern Studies from ColumbiaUniversity.

Faith for Earth Coalition: Religion-Science Consortium - 25 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Mary Evelyn Tucker

Mary Evelyn Tucker teaches at YaleUniversity at the School of the Environmentand the Divinity School. She is co-directorwith John Grim of the Yale Forum on Religionand Ecology. They co- organized 10conferences on World Religions and Ecologyat Harvard and were series editors for the 10resulting volumes Harvard volumes. Shealso co-edited Confucianism and Ecology,Buddhism and Ecology, and Hinduism andEcology. Moreover, she has authored (withJohn Grim) Ecology and Religion (IslandPress, 2014), and co-edited the RoutledgeHandbook of Religion and Ecology (2017)with Willis Jenkins. They also have createdsix online courses in Religions and Ecology:Restoring the Earth Community.

Mary Evelyn won the Inspiring Yale TeachingAward in 2015 and has been awarded 5honorary degrees. With John Grim, shereceived a Lifetime Achievement Award fromthe International Society for the Study ofReligion, Nature, and Culture.

Ursula Goodenough

KUrsula Goodenough is Professor ofBiology Emerita at WashingtonUniversity with a Ph.D. from Harvardin 1969; she has been living by theocean on Martha’s Vineyard since2017. Her research has focused onthe molecular, cellular, andevolutionary biology of unicellularalgae. Her first IRAS conference wasin 1987.

She has served in several IRASleadership positions and co-chaired 6conferences. Her interest in thereligious naturalist orientation wasbirthed at IRAS and lead to a book(The Sacred Depths of Nature) andmany articles in Zygon. Sheparticipated in the founding of theReligious Naturalist Association(RNA) in 2014 and currently serves asits president. She has 5 children and 8grandchildren.

Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter

Rev. Dr. Christopher Carter’s teaching, research,and activist interests are in Black, Womanist, andEnvironmental ethics, with a particular focus onrace, food, and nonhuman animals. He is the co-creator of Racial Resilience, an anti-racism andanti-bias program that utilizes the combinedinsights of contemplative practices and critical racetheories. His academic publications include TheSpirit of Soul Food (University of Illinois Press,November 2021), and “Blood in the Soil: The Racial,Racist, and Religious Dimensions ofEnvironmentalism” in The Bloomsbury Handbookon Religion and Nature (Bloomsbury, 2018). The passion that informs all of his work evolves outof his family's struggle to loosen the chains ofsystematic racism – similar to bell hooks hebelieves that education is the practice of freedom.He believes that at its broadest level, learningshould be transformational: it should transformhow the student views herself, her neighbor, andher worldview. Currently he is an AssistantProfessor of Theology at the University of SanDiego, a Faith in Food Fellow at Farm Forward, andlead pastor of The Loft in Westwood California.

Esben Larsen

Esben serves as the Director for theFaith and Sustainability Initiative atWRI. Prior to joining WRI, Esben hada political career in the Kingdom ofDenmark as Member of City Councilfrom 2006-2014, Deputy Mayor from2010-2014, Member of the DanishParliament from 2011-2018 andCabinet Minister in Her Majesty theQueens Government from 2015-2018. First as Minister for HigherEducation and Research andsecondly as Minister for Environmentand Food. Being a farmer's son, Esben alwayshad an interest in food, forest andagriculture. Esben holds a Master inTheology from the University ofCopenhagen and a PhD from theUniversity of Copenhagen aboutfreedom of speech and freedom ofreligion.

Alberto Palecchi

Alberto is a WRI Europe ProgramManager. He works on WRI’s Faith andSustainability initiative, supportingexisting and new faith-based projects inthe area of sustainability and enablingfaith-based communities to identifyideas and programs that build capacityfor community-level solutions tosustainability challenges. Alberto alsooversees WRI Europe’s activities aroundnatural resources, peace and security,supporting the ‘Water, Peace andSecurity partnership’ and coordinatingoutreach activities with relevantEuropean actors.Prior to joining WRI, Alberto workedwith the Technical Centre forAgricultural and Rural Cooperation(CTA, ACP-EU), an internationaldevelopment organization; theEuropean University Institute (EUI), aresearch institute and also interned fora justice institute in The Hague, theItalian General Consulate in Miami, anda human rights NGO in Italy.

Faith, Values & Ethics in Environmental Governance - 25 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Prof. Patricia Kameri-Mbote

Patricia Kameri-Mbote is the Director of theLaw Division, of the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP). Previously,Patricia was Founding Research Director ofthe International Environmental LawResearch Centre (IELRC), and was theProgramme Director for Africa for over 20years.

Patricia has in-depth knowledge andexperience in environmental law acquired atlocal, national, regional, and internationallevels. She has consulted for UNEP in thereview of programmes, legal instruments,and the rules of engagement of majorgroups. She has been engaged in theMontevideo Environmental Law Programmesince 2007 and is a member of theGoverning Board of the International Councilon Environmental Law (ICEL).

Mona Polacca

Mona Polacca is an educator and facilitatorwhose knowledge, empathy and valuesmotivate others to speak and act. She has aspecial interest in older people and youth,and has led or participated in many effectiveinitiatives related to Indigenous water issuesand culturally appropriate health treatmentsfor Native Americans.

Mona has held posts of responsibility withinher own community, such as Treasurer forher tribe (the Colorado River Indian Tribes).She earned a masters in social work and hasover twenty years of practical experienceworking, presenting and publishing onhealth and social issues affecting NativeAmerican peoples. She is the founder,President/CEO and faculty member of theTurtle Island Project, a non-profit programdedicated to promoting a vision of wellnessand providing trans-cultural training toindividuals, families, and healthcareprofessionals, and she is an active memberof the Healing the Border Project of theIndigenous Alliance Without Borders.

Priestess Beatriz Schulthess

Priestess Schulthess has 30 years of expertise inmultilateral diplomacy on behalf of IndigenousPeoples, Women and Environment andDevelopment organisations. Priestess Schulthesscurrently serves as the President for theIndigenous People Ancestral Spiritual Council inCosta Rica. She has previously served as aconsultant in preparation for and in negotiationsof the United Nations Conference on Environmentand Development, also known as the ‘EarthSummit,’ and was subsequently engaged in themonitoring and follow up of the Climate Changeand Rio + 20 negotiation processes. She foundedand co-founded various organisations, notablythe Indigenous Peoples Ancestral SpiritualCouncil. In addition, she was the ExecutiveDirector of the International IndigenousCommission from 1989 to 1992. PriestessSchulthess was instrumental in negotiationswhich led to the Proclamation of the InternationalYear of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, 1993, aswell as in the drafting of the Universal Declarationof the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Prof. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher

Archbishop Thomas Schirrmacher (Dr.theol., Dr. theol., PhD, DD) is SecretaryGeneral of the World EvangelicalAlliance, which represents Protestantchurches belonging to 143 NationalEvangelical Alliances with altogether600 million members. He is also Co-President of Religions for Peace (NewYork). He served WEA in differentleadership roles the last two decades,the latest being the Associate SecretaryGeneral for Theological Concerns andIntrafaith and Interfaith Relations.

He earned four doctorates in ecumenicaltheology, in cultural anthropology, inethics, and in the sociology of religionand is extraordinary professor of thesociology of religion at the stateUniversity of the West in Timisoara(Romania) and at the University ofOxford (Regent’s Park College).

Faith, Values & Ethics in Environmental Governance - 25 February 2022; 4pm-5.30 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Rabbi Daniel SwartzDr. Husna Ahmad

Dr. Ahmad is the CEO of Global One 2015.With a PhD in Environmental Law from theSchool of Oriental and African Studies,London University, Dr. Ahmad is the formerGroup CEO of Faith Regen Foundationwhich is a multi-faith UK charity. She iscurrently a Board member of BOND, Faith InWater, and Palmers Green Mosque (theMCEC). She is a member of the UN TaskForce Faith based Advisory Council. She sitson the international advisory board of theCommonwealth Initiative for Freedom ofReligion and Belief (CiFORB).

Dr Ahmad sits on the Steering Committee ofThe World Bank’s Moral ImperativeInitiative. She is an author and thoughtleader who has presented many papersinternationally focusing particularly on faithand the environment. She is the SecretaryGeneral of the World Muslim LeadershipForum and Coordinator for the Alliance ofNGOs and CSOs for South-SouthCooperation.

Kehkashan Basu

Kehkashan is the Founder-President ofglobal social innovation enterprise GreenHope Foundation, that works at agrassroots level in 26 countries,empowering young people and women,especially those from vulnerablecommunities, in the sustainabledevelopment process and she hasspoken at over 300 United Nations andother global fora.

She is the youngest Trustee of theParliament of the World's Religions, anAction Coalition Leader of UN WomenGeneration Equality Forum's FeministAction for Climate Justice, the Co-Chair ofthe University of Toronto's SDG StudentAdvisory Council, Council Lead of theToronto-St. Paul's Constituency YouthCouncil, Canada and a member of theWorld Humanitarian Forum YouthCouncil.

Rabbi Daniel Swartz is the ExecutiveDirector of the Coalition on theEnvironment and Jewish Life (COEJL),which has engaged Jewish organizationsand individuals in environmentaladvocacy and programs for 25 years aspart of the National Religious Partnershipfor the Environment (NRPE). He has alsoworked with Greater WashingtonInterfaith Power and Light, NRPE,Children’s Environmental Health Networkand the Religious Action Center ofReform Judaism.

Daniel Perell

Daniel Perell joined the Baha'iInternational Community’s UnitedNations Office as a Representative in2011. His areas of work include climatechange and the environment, social andsustainable development, globalgovernance, and disaster risk reduction.He is formerly a Global OrganizingPartner of the HLPF NGO Major Groupand Chair of the NGO Committee forSocial Development.

Gauranga Das

Gauranga Das is a mindful meditationexpert, strategic character educationist,sustainability and climate changewarrior, and social welfare catalystbased in Mumbai.

Gauranga Das is director of ISKCON’sGovardhan Ecovillage (GEV), founded byRadhanath Swami. The GEV,representing India, has won over thirty-six national and international awards,including the United Nations WorldTourism Organization (UNWTO) Awardin 2017 for its innovative model of ‘Eco-Tourism as a Catalyst for RuralDevelopment’.

Strengthening Linkages between Faith Communities and Nature-Based Solutions - 28 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Tim Christophersen

Tim Christophersen is the Coordinator ofthe ‘Nature for Climate’ Branch at the UNEnvironment Programme, and focal pointfor the UN Decade on EcosystemRestoration 2021-2030. He coordinatesUNEP’s role within the UN-REDDProgramme, a collaborative initiative ofthe UN Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO), the UN Development Programme(UNDP) and UNEP to reduce deforestationin developing countries.

He previously worked for the Secretariat ofthe Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD), the International Union for theConservation of Nature (IUCN), the DanishMinistry of the Environment, and theEuropean Commission. Tim is a Germannational and holds a Master’s degree inforest engineering and conservation fromDresden University of Technology.

Alvin Chandra

Alvin is a Climate Change Specialist fromthe Pacific Islands with more than 15 yearsexperience with climate change,international development and environmentmanagement. I completed a doctorate atthe University of Queensland. His workinterests center on ecosystem-basedapproaches and socio-political dimensionsof climate change adaptation, climate-induced loss and damage, the utility ofcommunity-focused interventions, andclimate change policy negotiations. Much ofmy recent work has focused on SouthernAfrica, Southeast Asia and the PacificIslands, in particular Bangladesh, Fiji, PNG,Timor-Leste, the Philippines, Myanmar andVietnam. He have experience in supportingUN intergovernmental processes under thethree Rio Conventions - United NationsFramework Convention on Climate Change,United Nations Convention to CombatDesertification and United NationsConvention on Biological Diversity.

Norah Norah Cherotich Ngeny

Global Adaptation Network, UNEP

Rabbi Yonatan Neril

Rabbi Yonatan Neril founded and directs The Interfaith Centerfor Sustainable Development. Raised in California, Yonatancompleted an M.A. and B.A. from Stanford University with afocus on global environmental issues, and received rabbinicalordination in Israel. Yonatan is coauthor of the bestselling bookEco Bible, published by ICSD, which shines new light on howthe Hebrew Bible and great religious thinkers have urgedhuman care and stewardship of nature for thousands of yearsas a central message of spiritual wisdom. He has spokeninternationally on religion and the environment, including at theUN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, the Fez ClimateConscience Summit and the Parliament of World Religions. Heco-organized ten interfaith environmental conferences inJerusalem, New York City, Washington D.C., and Atlanta.

He is the lead author of three books on Jewish environmentalethics and also co-authored three reports on faith and ecologycourses in theological education.

Strengthening Linkages between Faith Communities and Nature-Based Solutions - 28 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Jessica Troni

Jessica Troni is a Senior Programme Officer:Adaptation Portfolio Manager for UNEnvironment. Her role includes developmentof the adaptation portfolio at UNEnvironment, and developing qualitystandards and corporate guidance andcoordination on adaptation planning andimplementation.

Ms. Troni is a climate change and publicpolicy specialist, with 17 years of experiencein the private sector, the public sector and forUNDP.

Lindlyn Moma

Lindlyn Moma is Director of Advocacy atLaudato Si Movement. She currently is amember of the Vatican Commission on the post-COVID world task force on ecology and alsoacts on the Board of Advisers for theInternational Institute for Democracy andElectoral Assistance. Prior to her current role,Lindlyn served for just under a decade asProgram Director for Greenpeace in Africa andRegional Advocacy Director for WaterAid inSouthern Africa.

Lindlyn started her quest for social andenvironmental justice with Third World NetworkAfrica by supporting communities adverselyaffected by gold mining in Africa. She holds aMasters in Human Rights Law from theUniversity of Pretoria and a Maitrise en SciencesJuridiques et Politiques de L'UniversitéCatholique d'Afrique Centrale. Lindlyn has spentover 20 years challenging human andenvironmental rights violations in Africa.

Tom Barasa

Consultant with WWF on faith treegrowing, from Kenya.

Jungin Hwang

ICE Network

What the World Expects from FBOs and What We Should Do - 28 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Chantal Elkin

Chantal is the Head of the Beliefs & Values Programme atWWF and is President of the Society for ConservationBiology’s Religion and Conservation Biology WorkingGroup. She was formerly the Director of the Wildlife &Forests Programme at the British-based NGO, theAlliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC). Chantalspent eight years with the Washington-based NGO,Conservation International, managing the Indo-Burmaand Wildlife Trade programmes, working primarily inAsia. Chantal holds two Master’s degrees from theUniversity of London, the first in Environment andDevelopment in Southeast Asia and the second inBuddhism and Conservation. She has contributed to arange of publications such as Cultural and SpiritualSignificance of Nature in Protected and Conserved Areas:Governance, Management and Policy (2019); Cambodia’sContested Forest Domain (2013), Logging Burma’sFrontier Forests: Resources and the Regime (WRI, 1998)and several ARC publications on Green Pilgrimage (2012,2015).

Rabbi Yonatan Neril

Rabbi Yonatan Neril founded and directs The Interfaith Centerfor Sustainable Development. Raised in California, Yonatancompleted an M.A. and B.A. from Stanford University with afocus on global environmental issues, and received rabbinicalordination in Israel. Yonatan is coauthor of the bestselling bookEco Bible, published by ICSD, which shines new light on howthe Hebrew Bible and great religious thinkers have urgedhuman care and stewardship of nature for thousands of yearsas a central message of spiritual wisdom. He has spokeninternationally on religion and the environment, including at theUN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, the Fez ClimateConscience Summit and the Parliament of World Religions. Heco-organized ten interfaith environmental conferences inJerusalem, New York City, Washington D.C., and Atlanta.

He is the lead author of three books on Jewish environmentalethics and also co-authored three reports on faith and ecologycourses in theological education.

Martin Palmer

Martin Palmer is Chief Executive of FaithInvest, aninternational non-profit founded in 2019 to grow thescale and impact of faith-based investing. He has workedwith the faiths on the environment for over 30 years, andco-founded the Alliance of Religions and Conservationwith HRH Prince Philip in 1995. He has written manybooks on religious and environmental topics, translatesancient Chinese texts and is a lay preacher in the Churchof England.

What the World Expects from FBOs and What We Should Do - 28 February 2022; 2pm-3.30 pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Fletcher Harper

Fletcher is an Episcopal priest and Executive Directorat GreenFaith.GreenFaith is a national, interfaith environmental organization thatconducts education and advocacy, and provides sustainability services, tofaith-based groups. Under his leadership, GreenFaith has developedinnovative programs linking religious belief and practice to theenvironment. An award-winning spiritual writer and nationally-recognizedpreacher on the environment, he teaches and speaks at houses of worshipfrom a range of denominations in New Jersey and nationwide about themoral, spiritual basis for environmental stewardship and justice. GreenFaithfacilitates solar and energy services and financing for the faith sector, anduses the power of religious networks help people from diverse backgroundsput their belief into action for the Earth. A graduate of Princeton Universityand Union Theological Seminary, he served as a parish priest for ten yearsand in leadership positions in the Episcopal Church before becomingGreenFaith’s Executive Director.

Jakir Manela

Jakir Manela is the CEO of Hazon and Pearlstone. Born andraised in the Washington DC metropolitan area, hegraduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2004 and wentto work at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center as aTeva Jewish outdoor environmental educator. In 2006 heestablished Kayam Farm, North America's first JewishCommunity Farm at Pearlstone, and in 2012 Jakir waspromoted to become Pearlstone’s Executive Director.

For the past ten years, Jakir has helped lead Pearlstone to itsperennial status in the Slingshot Guide as one of the mostinnovative Jewish organizations in North America. Today,Jakir works collaboratively with the wonderful staff and boardmembers at Hazon and Pearlstone, as well as funders andpartners across the country, leading the new Hazon-Pearlstone entity into a new chapter of growth and impact.Jakir lives just up the road from Pearlstone with his family. Hecoaches youth sports and loves building campfires andmaking music with friends.

Susan Hendershot

20+ years of executive, advocacy, issue campaigndesign, and coalition management in nonprofit, faith-based, environmental, and climate change space;focused on strategizing and advancing public policychange. Ability to engage with cross-constituencyteams and influence diverse stakeholders at all levelsof public, private, and non-profit organizations. Knownfor public speaking, public engagement, andcollaboration savvy as well as achieving policyobjectives.

Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth

Date: Tuesday, 1 March 2022; 2pm -3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth - 1 March 2022; 2pm -3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Sidi Fazlun Khalid

Fazlun Khalid has a worldwide reputation as a pioneer inthe field of Islamic environmentalism having been involvedin this work since the 1980s. He was recognised as one offifteen leading eco-theologians in the world (Gristmagazine, USA 24 July 2000). He founded the IslamicFoundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences whichis now established as the world’s leading Islamicenvironmental NGO. His book Signs on the Earth: Islam,Modernity and the Climate Crisis published in 2019 hasbeen described as a masterclass in framing contemporaryissues from a faith perspective.

Kamran Shezad

Kamran Shezad is the Director for the Islamic Foundation forEcology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES/EcoIslam), he is alsothe Sustainability Lead for the Bahu Trust and the Climate ChangeAdvisor to the Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board, UK(MINAB).A qualified environmental specialist with practical field andmanagerial experience in the sustainable development sector. Heis a strong advocate of using faith based approach in promotingthe message of environment and guiding behavioural change.Kamran is a grassroots environmental activist, he has worked witha diverse range of faith groups and has produced toolkits, practicalguides and mobilised communities for climate action. Kamranholds a Master’s degree in Environmental Sustainability (Strategy& Management), he has been awarded ‘CharteredEnvironmentalist’ status by the Society for the Environment and isa full member of the Institute for Environmental Management andAssessment. Kamran is also currently serving on the Civil Society &Youth Advisory Council to the Presidency of COP26.

Sidi Othman Llewellyn

Othman Llewellyn is an ecological planner and memberof the IUCN World Commissions on Protected Areas andEnvironmental Law, Othman authored Saudi Arabia’scurrent protected area system plan. Born in Colorado,USA, he has lived in the Arabian subcontinent since1982, working to conserve its natural heritage. Hisresearch interests focus on the ecological implications ofIslamic ethics. He wrote “The Basis for a Discipline ofIslamic Environmental Law” in Islam and Ecology: ABestowed Trust (Harvard, 2003). He co-authoredEnvironmental Protection in Islam, (IUCN, 1994) and wason the drafting team of the Islamic Declaration on GlobalClimate Change (Istanbul, 2015).

Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth - 1 March 2022; 2pm -3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Datuk Prof. Azizan Baharuddin

Azizan Baharuddin is the Director-General of the Institute ofIslamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM). She is the Chair inClimate Change of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia-YayasanSime Darby (UKM-YSD), Honorary Professor of the Centre forCivilisational Dialogue, Universiti Malaya and Member ofNational Council of Islamic Religious Affairs Malaysia. She wasappointed as member of the UNESCO International BioethicsCommittee and a member of the Drafting Committee of theInternational Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change(IDCC) launched in Istanbul (2015) in conjunction with theConference of the Parties (COP21) – Paris Climate ChangeConference. She specialises in several areas such as bioethics,interfaith/intercivilisational dialogue, Islam and science,environmental ethics & religion and sustainable development.She has published more than 200 books, book chapters,monographs, journal articles and newspaper articles in theabove-mentioned fields.

Dr. Fadila Grine Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Özdemir

Dr. Ibrahim Özdemir is a professor of philosophy atUskudar University, Istanbul. He holds a Doctoratedegree in philosophy from the Middle East TechnicalUniversity, Turkey. His major is environmental ethicsand environmental philosophy. He was part of the drafting team of the IslamicDeclaration for Global Climate Change, 2015 and aStrategy Document for the Islamic Conference ofEnvironment Ministers (ICEM), 02-03 October 2019in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco. His most recentpublications include The Ethical Dimension ofHuman Attitude Towards Nature, 2nd edition, InsanPublications: Istanbul, 2008; Jalaluddin Rumî andConfucius: Messages and Visions for a NewCentury, Tugra Books: New Jersey, 2013

Dr. Fadila Grine is the Senior advisor, The director of foreign affairsand Cabinet at the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, Istanbul,Turkey, and former Director of Family and Social Affairs to theDepartment of Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs at theOrganization of Islamic Cooperation. An active member of the OICCouncil of Muslim Women, Dr. Grine has long been a strongadvocate of the rights and significance of family and women in allfields of development, with a focused interest on youth, elderly,marriage, leadership and culture. During her time as VisitingAssociate Professor to the Department of Islamic History andCivilization, University of Malaya, Malaysia, she served as Head ofResearch as well as Head of the International Bureau ofConsultancy and Training.

Local Challenges, Local Solutions: Faith Groups for Environmental Action - Tuesday, 1 March 2022; 4pm-5.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Catherine Devitt

Catherine Devitt has worked in environmental policyand advocacy for over ten years. She came to theFaithPlans programme from her role as policycoordinator with Ireland's national climate coalition,Stop Climate Chaos. Catherine also worked asenvironmental justice officer with the Irish Jesuits andEcoJesuit. She lectured in University College Dublin onenvironmental issues and has published in leadinginternational journals on topics related toenvironmental risk, climate change, biodiversity, andinterreligious dialogue and sustainability. Catherine hassabbatical experience in ecology and spirituality, andher academic background is in the social sciences, andin environmental policy.

Lauren Van Ham

Raised in the Midwest, Lauren's professional life beganas a performing artist in NYC before attending interfaithseminary in California. After ordination (1999), Laurenserved as chaplain in both healthcare and corporatesettings, and seminary Dean at The ChaplaincyInstitute. Her passion for spirituality, art and Earth'steachings construct her focus in eco-ministry, grief &loss, and sacred activism.

She is a guest writer for “Progressing Spirit,” an onlinepublication exploring theology, spirituality and publicevents. She holds degrees from Carnegie MellonUniversity and Naropa University. Lauren is a spiritualdirector and serves as guest faculty for several schoolsin the Bay Area.

Atul Bagai

Shri. Atul Bagai is the Country Head for United NationsEnvironment Programme’s (UNEP) India Office. UNEP is UN'sleading global environmental body that sets the globalenvironmental agenda. After UNEP established its footprint in India in 2016, Shri.Bagai has decisively led from the front to fulfil its mandateacross Climate Change; Chemicals, Waste and Air Quality;Environmental Governance; Resource Efficiency; Environmentunder Review; Healthy & Productive Ecosystems and Resilienceto Disasters and Conflicts.

Previously, as a career civil servant, Shri. Bagai rose to be theDirector (Ozone) in MoEFCC, Government of India before joiningUNEP in 2000. He worked on various senior positions inthe State of Uttar Pradesh and the Central Government. As a UNveteran he has spent over two-decades spearheadingchallenging assignments in regions across South and SoutheastAsia & the Pacific Islands.

Dr. Lorna Gold

Dr. Lorna Gold is director of movement building with FaithInvest.Prior to her current role, she led Trócaire’s policy, research andadvocacy activities in Ireland for almost two decades. She holds aPh.D. in economic geography from the University of Glasgow. Sheis chair of the board of the Laudato Si’ movement and a memberof the Vatican Covid-19 Commission Economic Taskforce. Hermost recent book, “Climate Generation: Awakening to OurChildren’s Future,” was described by Naomi Klein as “ananguished journey into the heart of the climate crisis.”

It tells her personal story of waking up to the ecologicalemergency as a mother, academic and activist. Her academicresearch interests include the just transition, civil societymovements and the role of faith groups in climate activism.

Allen Ottaro

Allen Ottaro is the Founder and Executive Director of the Catholic YouthNetwork for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (CYNESA), based inNairobi, Kenya, with chapters in 10 African countries. He is also amember of the steering committee of the Global Catholic ClimateMovement (GCCM), and serves on the Ecology Commission of theWorld Christian Life Community (CLC).

Since 2015, he has served as a member of the climate change workinggroup, under the Justice, Peace and Development department, of theSymposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar(SECAM).

Allen is passionate about engaging young people and faithcommunities in promoting environmental sustainability, with a strongsocial justice perspective. He has a keen interest in bridging the gapbetween environmental policy and practice, and participates actively inpolicy dialogue fora.

Daniel Eror

Daniel Eror was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Heobtained formal education at the University of Sarajevo, MasterStudies of Economy and Management, with a focus on HumanResources as well as the Master Program of Interreligious Studiesand Peacebuilding at the Faculty of Catholic Theology Sarajevo, theFaculty of Islamic Studies Sarajevo, and the Faculty of OrthodoxTheology Vasilije Ostroski Foča. He is a member of civil society with14 years of progressive experience in the field of interculturaldialogue, reconciliation, and peacebuilding, mainly working withyoung people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as abroad.

He is a founder and president of Youth for Peace, an organizationwhich has positioned itself as one of the most prominent youth-ledorganizations in BiH, working in the field of peacebuilding. Danielhas been an active member of the United Religions Initiativenetwork for several years. He has been a URI Global Council Trusteeand URI Europe Treasurer since 2018. In Religions for Peace Europe,he serves as a co-president of the Organization.

Local Challenges, Local Solutions: Faith Groups for Environmental Action - Tuesday, 1 March 2022; 4pm-5.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Inger Andersen Dr. Jane Goodall Dr. Charles McNeill

Interfaith Rainforest Initaitive - Tuesday, 1 March 2022; 5.30pm-7pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Blanca Echeverry Carlos Vicente

Laura Vargas

Rev. Matthieu Bonketo Rev. Romi Bencke

Monseñor Alfredo Vizcarra Abbé Donatien Nshole

H.E Dr. Hans Brattskar

Mindfulness, Faith & Sustainability - 2 March; 10am-11.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Dr. Kumanga Andrahennadi

Dr. Kumanga Andrahennadi is aMindfulness Researcher, Educator and aConsultant with over 20 years of experiencein delivering mindfulness-basedprogrammes in the West for children, youngpeople and adults. As the Founder of CALM:Centre for Advanced Learning ofMindfulness, U.K.(www.calmmindfulness.org), Kumangapioneers delivering the ecologicalcontemplative framework, the ‘AdvancedMindfulness-Based Practices’ (AMBP)Programme, within the public, private andgovernment sectors including to MentalHealth, Education, Police Organisations andPrivate Corporations in the U.K. andinternationally. As the AMBP ProgrammeDirector for CALM, Kumanga has deliveredAMBP courses and workshops to thousandsof students, government and private sectoremployees, including to over 250 PoliceOfficers and Staff in the U.K. Kumanga isalso the Co-Founder of ‘Mindfulness forEarth’ (www.mindfulness4earth.org), aninternational initiative established inpartnership with the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP) Faith forEarth.

Dr. Tara De Mel

Dr Tara de Mel is co-chair, Education ForumSri Lanka since January 2020 anda Member of the Worldwide Commission toEducate All Kids (Post pandemic), since theonset of the Covid 19 pandemic. She hasserved the Government of Sri Lanka forover a decade as Secretary to the Ministerof Education, Advisor to the President ofSri Lanka on Education, Vice Chairperson,National Education Commission, andcoordinator Presidential Task Force onEducation from 1997 through2005. Throughout her career, Dr de Mel hasbeen promoting quality and equity ineducation, in child protection andpreventing child abuse in schools, and inpreventing ragging and bullying inuniversities. She is a member of the GlobalConsultative Group- Mindfulness InitiativeUK, and is active in incorporatingmindfulness into schools, developingprograms on mindfulness with values,ethics and social emotional learning,targeting educators in schools anduniversities. She founded Mindful EducatorsSri Lanka in 2019 and co-authored Manualfor Mindful Educators in 2021.

Venerable U. Dhammajiva Maha Thero

Abbot, Chief Preceptor & Meditationmaster, Nissarana Vanaya Monastery, SriLanka Founder, Sati Pasala Foundation.Venerable Uda Eriyagama DhammajīvaMahā Thero is a revered present-dayteacher and is the fourth Abbott and ChiefPreceptor of Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya.

He is highly respected for his widelyencompassing knowledge of the variousmeditation techniques, and particularly forpracticing and teaching mindfulness fornearly three and a half decades. His effortshave resulted in the introduction ofmindfulness into the school curricula in SriLanka.

Venerable Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

Venerable Ringu Tulku Rinpoche is aBuddhist Master of the Kagyu Order. Hewas trained under many great masterssuch as HH the 16th Gyalwa Karmapaand HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Since1990 he has been traveling andteaching Buddhism and meditation atmore than 50 Universities, Institutesand Buddhist Centres in Europe, USA,Canada, Australia and Asia.

He founded Bodhicharya aninternational organization thatcoordinates the worldwide activities topreserve and transmit Buddhistteachings, to promote inter-culturaldialogues and educational & socialprojects.

Swami GunatitanandaSaraswati

Swami Gunatitananda Saraswati,Resident Swami of Chinmaya Missionof Sri Lanka and Member of‘Mindfulness for Earth’ Initiative

He is a seeker of the Truth and adisciple of Swami Chinmayananda, hestudied Vedanta in India atSandeepany Sadhanalaya of ChinmayaMission. He is presently based inChinmaya Mission of Sri Lanka as theresident Swami. In keeping with thevision of Chinmaya Mission - "Innertransformation of individuals resultingin a happy world around them", he isengaged in sharing knowledge fromthe scriptures in the modern context,motivating adults and young adults tobecome positive contributors to society.

The Power of Faith Partnerships to Safeguard Nature: PaRD a case in point Wednesday, 2 March 14.00 – 15.30 (Eastern Africa Time)/ 12.00 – 13.30 CE

Archbishop Thomas Schirrmacher

Archbishop Thomas Schirrmacher (Dr.theol., Dr. theol., PhD, DD) is SecretaryGeneral of the World Evangelical Alliance,which represents Protestant churchesbelonging to 143 National EvangelicalAlliances with altogether 600 millionmembers. He is also Co-President ofReligions for Peace (New York).

He served WEA in different leadershiproles the last two decades, the latest beingthe Associate Secretary-General forTheological Concerns and Intrafaith andInterfaith Relations. He earned fourdoctorates in ecumenical theology, incultural anthropology, in ethics, and in thesociology of religion and is extraordinaryprofessor of the sociology of religion at thestate University of the West in Timisoara(Romania) and at the University of Oxford(Regent’s Park College).

Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp (tbc)

Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp, a Jewishleader, was born in The Netherlands in themiddle of the second world war andsurvived as a hidden child through the helpof a righteous couple. He has been ahuman rights advocate, lecturer, writer,environmental activist and civil societychampion. He has been a foundingmember of Green Cross International, anEarth Charter Commissioner, and afounding member of GIWA, the GlobalInterfaith WASH Alliance.

He is also a member of the InternationalAdvisory Committee of EcoPeace MiddleEast.

Dinesh Suna

Dinesh Suna serves the WCC in thisposition in Geneva since 2012. TheEcumenical Water Network (EWN) is aplatform of Christian churches andorganizations committed to increasingaccess to safe drinking water and adignified sanitation worldwide. He is aLutheran and has worked with severalecumenical organizations in his homecountry in India since the 1990s, includingthe National Council of Churches in India,Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action andStudent Christian Movement of India. Currently he is also one of the Co-leads ofthe PaRD (Partnership of Religions andSustainable Development) workstream on“Environment, Water and Climate Action”(WeCARE). Mr Suna has a master’s degreein Social Work.

Joan Okitoi-Heisig

Joan Okitoi-Heisig is a project manager atthe World Evangelical Alliance –Sustainability Center and a freelancecommunications consultant. She designsand implements communication and socialmedia strategies for both big and smallinternational organizations. Joan ispassionate about shifting language inglobal development from an ‘aid’ narrativeto one of solidarity. She has spoken inevents organized by Health Poverty Actionand USAID to contribute to this long-termprocess of humanizing the sector. She alsoco-hosts a monthly space (#GlobaldevCommunicators Connect) at the HealingSolidarity Collective for communicators in#globaldev with Jennifer Lentfer toreimagine communications and supportefforts towards decolonizing developmentcommunications.

The Power of Faith Partnerships to Safeguard Nature: PaRD a case in point Wednesday, 2 March 14.00 – 15.30 (Eastern Africa Time)/ 12.00 – 13.30 CE

Jean F. Duff

President, Partnership for Faith andDevelopmentMs Duff works for full engagement of thepositive power of local faith actors for thecommon good. She serves as an advisor tofaith groups, and to governmental andprivate organizations seeking to enhanceglobal and local faith engagement oncommunity devel-opment and humanitarianissues. Recent focal areas include Gen-der,Climate Change, WASH, People on theMove, and principles of effectivepartnerships.

She co-moderated the working group onGender Equality for the 17 Rooms project,supported by the Rockefeller Foundationand Brookings institution. In 2012 she co-founded the Joint Learning Initiative on Faithand Local Communities which she served asCEO until 2020. In 2008, she co-foundedthe Center for Interfaith Action on GlobalPoverty at Washington National Cathedral.Previously, she led the Cathedral’s globalpoverty program as Managing Director ofthe Center for Global Justice andReconciliation.

Prof Katherine Marshall

Professor Katherine Marshall is theexecutive director of the WFDD atGeorgetown University. She worked at theWorld Bank from 1971 to 2006 and hasnearly four decades of experience on awide range of development issues inAfrica, Latin America, East Asia, and theMiddle East. She led the World faith andethics initiative between 2000 and 2006.Marshall has written extensively aboutreligion and development, peacebuilding,women, and the fight against poverty.

Peter Prove

Peter Prove assumed the office of Directorof the Commission of the Churches onInternational Affairs (CCIA) at the WorldCouncil of Churches in February 2014 andhas responsibility for the WCC’sprogrammes in the field of peacebuilding,disarmament, and human rights.

A lawyer by profession, Peter has morethan 20 years’ experience representingchurch-based organizations in theinternational policy arena, including priorto his current role more than 12 years asAssistant General Secretary forInternational Affairs & Human Rights atthe Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and4 years as Executive Director of theEcumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA).

Peter has served in numerous leadershiproles in UN and civil society contexts,including as President of the NGO SpecialCommittee on Human Rights (Geneva)2000-2008; as a member of the UNInternational Task Team on HIV-relatedTravel Restrictions,

Prof. Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati

Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, PhD s arenowned spiritual leader and socialactivist based in Rishikesh, India. Sadhvihas received numerous national andinternational awards and recognition forher work in the sector of WASH as well aswomen’s upliftment and empowerment,including a Lifetime Achievement Awardfrom the President of the United States. Sadhviji has lived on the banks of thesacred Ganga river, in the lap of theHimalayas, in Rishikesh, India for morethan 25 years engaged in spiritual service,wisdom teaching, sacred action, and deepspiritual practice.

Today she serves as Secretary general ofthe Global Interfaith WASH Alliance and asthe President of the Divine ShaktiFoundation as well as in the UnitedNations Faith Advisory Council on Religionand PaRD. She is also the author of newlyreleased bestselling memoir, Hollywood tothe Himalayas: A Journey of Healing andTransformation.

Faith and Food: Nature Positive Solutions for a Flourishing World - 2 March 2022; 4pm-5.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Dr. Marium Husain

PDr. Marium Husain, MD, MPH is ahematology/oncology fellow at The Ohio StateUniversity James Comprehensive CancerCenter. She graduated from The Ohio StateUniversity College of Medicine and completeda residency in Internal Medicine. She recentlyworked as an oncology hospitalist at theJames.

Marium has been working on communityservice projects in the Columbus area andabroad for the past 10 years. As the VicePresident of the national non-profit, IMANA(Islamic Medical Association of NorthAmerica), she has been working on publichealth education and creating domesticcampaigns for food insecurity, reproductivehealth, mental health and climate change. Shehas also traveled to Haiti, as part of IMANAMedical Relief, to help provide primary care ata rural clinic and raised money to build wellsfor clean water access. IMANA is a leadingresource and network for American-Muslimphysicians, dentists and other healthcareprofessionals in North America.

Kelly Moltzen

Kelly Moltzen is a tireless advocate of makingconnections between food, faith, and socialjustice. In addition to being a co-convener of theInterfaith Public Health Network, Kelly is aprogram manager at the Institute for FamilyHealth with the Bronx Health REACH initiative.She is a 2015 Re:Generate Fellow with the Food,Health and Ecological Well-Being Program ofWake Forest University School of Divinity,Professional Development Co-Chair with theReligion Member Interest Group of the Academyof Nutrition and Dietetics, and a member of theEcumenical/Interfaith Committee of the USASecular Franciscan Order.

She has an MPH from NYU, completed herdietetic internship with the James J. PetersVeterans Affairs Medical Center, and has a BS inNutritional Sciences & Dietetics from theUniversity of Delaware. Kelly was recognized aspart of Hunter College's NYC Food Policy Center40 Under 40 Class of 2020.

As director of sustainability and global affairs,Andrew Schwartz leads the Center of Earth Ethics'programs, such as the 2021 Faith + Food CoalitionDialogue series, that bring together voices fromaround the world to further environmental andclimate justice. He has nearly a decade ofexperience working with community leaders andgovernment officials to create multilateralcoalitions and support environmental movements.

Before joining CEE, Andrew worked as interimexecutive director of Bend 2030, a coalition ofdiverse stakeholders in Bend, Oregon, co-directorof the Micah Challenge USA, an advocacy groupfocused on ending extreme poverty, and programmanager of the Climate Reality Project, founded byAl Gore to influence national and internationalenvironmental policy on climate change.Andrew earned his bachelor’s degree from PacificLutheran University and his master’s from UnionTheological Seminary.

Andrew Schwartz James Lomax

James Lomax has been the SustainableFood Systems and Agriculture ProgrammeOfficer in UN Environment's Division ofTechnology, Industry and Economics basedin Paris, France since 2009. James leadswork on mainstreaming sustainableconsumption and production practicesfrom 'farm to flush' in the agriculture andfood sector.

He has pioneered the idea of systemsthinking in the food and agriculture sectorwhere nutrition, waste, environmentalexternalities and livelihoods must beconsidered if a shift to more sustainablefood systems is to be realized.

Faith and Food: Nature Positive Solutions for a Flourishing World - 2 March 2022; 4pm-5.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Dr. Cristina Tirado

Dr. Tirado works at the interface betweenscience and policy related to climatechange, health, food and sustainabledevelopment with the University, WHO,UNEP, UNFCCC, governments, and NGOsworldwide. She has served as WHORegional Adviser in Europe and in LatinAmerica, Scientist at the WHO SurveillanceProgram at the Federal Institute for RiskAssessment in Berlin, Director of the PHI’sCenter for Climate and Health in Oaklandand adjunct professor at the UCLA Schoolof Public Health, affiliated with the UCLAInstitute of Environment and Sustainability.

Dr. Tirado is Director of InternationalClimate Initiatives at the LMU Center forUrban Resilience and serves as Secretariatof the Mediterranean Cities Climate ChangeConsortium. She is member of the UNFCCCResearch constituency and adviser onClimate and Health for several UNorganizations.

Steve Chiu

Steve Chiu is Buddhist Tzu Chi FoundationUSA’s Main Representative at the UnitedNations. In alignment with Tzu Chi USA’swork in disaster relief, climate action,education for global citizenship,sustainable development and genderequality, Steve works to build relationships,share best practices and develop programswith other organizations to make tangibleimpacts on the ground, with the mission ofalleviating the suffering of those in need.

With over 19 years of experience incommunity based development and localinterfaith partnership, Steve seeks toconnect the importance of grassrootsaction to policies that are being developedon the international level.

Lyla June

Lyla June is an Indigenous musician,scholar and community organizer of Diné(Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne) andEuropean lineages. Her dynamic, multi-genre presentation style has engagedaudiences across the globe towardspersonal, collective and ecological healing.She blends studies in Human Ecology atStanford, graduate work in IndigenousPedagogy, and the traditional worldviewshe grew up with to inform her music,perspectives and solutions. She is currentlypursuing her doctoral degree, focusing onIndigenous food systems revitalization.

Dr. Stefanos Fotiou

Stefanos Fotiou is an international expert onenvironment and sustainable development withover 25 years of experience in the UnitedNations system, private sector and researchorganisations. He currently serves as Director inthe Office of Sustainable Development Goals inFAO as well as Head of the UN Food SystemsCoordination Hub hosted by FAO. In these roles,Stefanos provides strategic leadership andoversees implementation mechanism to supportcountries developing and implementing SDGsbased agrifood transformations.

Prior to joining FAO, Stefanos served 16 years inthe UN Secretariat including 6 years as Directorin the Environment and Development Division ofthe UN Economic and Social Commission forAsia and the Pacific as well as 10 years in theUNEP leading global and regional work on greeneconomy and sustainable consumption andproduction

Faith in Action: Only One Earth - 3 March 2022; 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Indian Standard Time / 10:00am-11:30am East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Hon. Pujya Sister BK Shivani ji Hon. Shri Yuri Jain ji

Shri Vipul Shah Hon. Shri Ravneet Singh Hon. Shri Gauranga Das Ji

Shri Atul Bagai Shri Pinaki Dasgupta

Hon. Smt/Ms Kamana SwamAtmarpit Vidhiji

Faith in Action: Only One Earth - 3 March 2022; 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Indian Standard Time / 10:00am-11:30am East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Hon. Shri Bhayva Shrivastava Hon. Dr. AK Merchant Haji Syed Salman Chishty

Hon. Smt/Ms. Mamta Bishnoi Hon. Dr Mathew Koshy Punnackad Hon. Shri Swami Dipankar Ji

Mary Pay Fisher

Faith – the Solution to Pollution? - 3 March 2022; 2pm-3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Rt. Rev. Dr. Malayil SabuKoshy Cherian

Luyanda Hlatshwayo

Luyanda is a Reclaimer and anImplementation Officer at the AfricanReclaimers Organisation currently based inthe City of Johannesburg.

As a reclaimer, Luyanda works to collect,sort, and sell recycled materials from mostwhat we think is waste through theirseparation at source initiatives. His otherfunctions at ARO include organising otherreclaimers in different communities so thattheir voice and importance in society isrealised.

Emina Frljak

Emina Frljak is a Program Coordinatorwithin Youth for Peace (Bosnia andHerzegovina). She is also a member of theInternational Youth Committee of Religionsfor Peace since August 2019. Heracademic background is in educationalsciences, interreligious studies, andpeacebuilding. Her area of work andinterest are peace education, interreligiousdialogue, and religious literacy.

Lately, her interest is focused also on usingsocial media for educational andcampaigning purposes, with specialemphasis on countering hate speech. SinceJanuary 2021 Emina is doing her KAICIIDInternational Fellows Program, which isfocused on equipping religious leaders, civilsociety actors, and academics in the fieldof interreligious and intercultural dialogue.

Rt. Rev Dr. Malayil Sabu Koshy Cherian is the 13thBishop of the Madhya Kerala Diocese, Church ofSouth India. He earned BSc in Mathematics, PGDCA,B.Ed, and MA in Sociology. Later he received hisBachelor of Divinity (BD) from UBS, Pune and Doctorof Ministry from New York Theological Seminary.

He started his ministry as a missionary in the AndhraMission, where he spearheaded medical, educationaland church planting ministry in Warangal district. Asa missionary, he supported the protest movements ofthe marginalized labourers for suitable daily wagesand conducted free night schools for the illiteratepeople in villages. From 2017, he has utilized thebarren land to start organic farming and promotedgreen homes, helped the community kitchen byproviding agricultural products cultivated from parishproperty during the pandemic period, and gaveleadership for supporting the families affected byfloods in surrounding areas.

Rabbi Ed Rosenthal

Rabbi Ed Rosenthal was born in landlocked St.Louis Missouri in the United States. His passionfor the Sea began on a hiking trip in the Sinaidesert in 1982 when, for the first time he wentsnorkeling in the Red Sea. Overcome by the aweand wonder of the deep, he felt as if he entered anentirely new universe. The water was teemingwith life; thousands upon thousands of fish andcoral of every shape and color.

Deep blues, vibrant yellows, rich purples, reds andgreens, colors he never imagined could exist, allshimmering and shining in the dancing light of theSea. Ever since that first experience, he has beenobsessed with exploring the Spirituality of the Seaand the Wonders of Water and sharing it with asmany people as possible.

Faith – the Solution to Pollution? - 3 March 2022; 2pm-3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Parthaa Bosu

Parthaa Bosu has two decades of experience working onvehicular emissions. He started his career at the Societyof Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), where hewas a part of the team that developed the computerizedemission check system (PUC) for vehicles in India (whichremains in use today). In 2010, he joined the UNPartnership, Clean Air Asia, as the India Representative,before becoming their India Director and South AsiaLiaison. During his tenure, he gained importance for airpollution in India. He was a part of the working group onnon-motorized transport promotion at the Ministry ofUrban Development, Govt of India. He developed theworld’s first walkability survey app. He also structuredthe country’s first and only Green Logistics WorkingGroup with the Ministry of Heavy Industries and the NITIAayog. to reduce emissions and improve freightefficiency. He also launched the IndAIR repository ofindigenous air quality studies with NEERI and CPCB.Currently, he is the lead India advisor to EnvironmentalDefense Fund (EDF). In addition, he is directing theUSAID funded Clean Air Catalyst, a multi-stakeholderconsortium, working towards clean air in Indore anddeveloping a protocol on hyperlocal hotspots in India.

Shayna Cohen

Shayna Cohen is the Community Outreach andExpansion Director of Repair the Sea/TikkunHaYam. Since joining the organization's teamas its first employee in 2018, she jointly grewa college club, Scubi Jew, into an internationalorganization, expanded an annual localcleanup into a debris removal program in 18countries, and coordinated the transition ofover 50 campus organizations to 100%biodegradable dinnerware.

As a Master SCUBA Diver Trainer, Shayna hasspent over 1000 hours underwater, shared theunderwater world with hundreds of divers,and removed thousands of pounds of debrisfrom the ocean. Shayna has a BA in Biologyfrom Grinnell College.

Mari Williams

Mari Williams is Senior Policy Associate atTearfund. She has been working in the field ofinternational development and environmentalsustainability for more than 20 years, and leadsTearfund’s global advocacy programme onwaste picker rights.

She co-authored Tearfund’s influential reportson plastic pollution: No time to waste and TheBurning Question.

Marina Pires de Lacerda

Marina is an intern at UNEP’s Faith forEarth Initiative and member of theMultifaith Action Group on Pollution. Sheholds an Undergraduate Degree inElectrical Engineering from the FederalUniversity of Bahia, Brazil, and aspecialization in Petroleum Engineering.

She recently completed a Master’s Degreein Environment (with distinction) at theUniversity of Melbourne, Australia,specializing in Climate Change.

Youth Council: A Forum for Environmental Action - 4 March 2022; 2pm-3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Alphonce Munyao Muia

Alphonce is a Core teammember at Catholic Youth Networkfor Environmental Sustainabilityin Africa,arole that has shapedhis understanding of the faith andenvironmentalism nexus propelling himto currently serve as the Faith andEnvironment thematic facilitator in theUNEP Children and Youth MajorGroup global steering committee(theofficial youth engagement mechanism toUNEP). Alphonce’s passions and commitmenthave made him develop his expertise onvarious realms including Environmentalpolicy,advocacy and other sustainabilityand ecological topics and he isinterested in bridging the gapbetween environmental policiesformulation and implementationespecially with the base of youngpeople. He holds a Bsc.Environmental Scienceand several certificates onenvironmental multilateralism.

Shantanu Mandal

Born and brought up in India, Shantanuhas great humanitarian values,spirituality and eco-friendly traditions. Hewas introduced to Transcendentalmeditation and Rajyoga meditation in hischildhood . Since then it has been 20years of him practicing Rajyoga.Academically a very bright scholarShantanu did his graduation in Fashiondesign from the prestigious NIFT, Kolkatawith an award for most innovativeDesign Collection for year 2012 & was anexchange student to ModartInternational, Paris. He also holds asecond bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.

After a brief experience in Fashionbusiness he shifted into teaching designand fashion in many reputed universitiesof Design and Fashion as a guestlecturer. His environmental incilinationhelped him with designing special coursestructures that are focused on upcycling,recycling and deconstruction.

Magamba Richard (Erasto)

Erasto is the Acting Youth Coordinator since 2018,responsible for coordinating Youth in 37 Churcheswithin the Capital city in different activities such asInclusion of Young people in decision making,Environment Conservation, Project on tangible skills. Since 2017 he has represented the Religious sectorduring the Ugandan Youth Parliament up to now and in2019 represented both Uganda and the Church ofUganda on the Commonwealth Youth Roundtable onUnemployment discussing about Agriculture, ClimateChange, Education, Politics and Health and the successof Governments in the aforementioned sectors. In 2020 & 2021, he participated in the CommonwealthYouth Parliament as a delegate for Uganda discussingCOVID-19, Climate Change, Education, Tourism andHealth as tools to create employment for youth inCommonwealth land. Again in 2021 he was nominatedby the Parliament of Uganda as a Candidate during theCommonwealth Youth Council as a Vice ChairpersonInclusion and Engagement and my sister from Ghanawon the position and currently working on theCommonwealth Inclusion & Engagement Committee asa member.

Nicholas Pande

NIcholas has extensiveexperience in project design,implementation, monitoring,evaluation, accountabilityand Learning. Experienced inlivelihood programming,disaster risk managementand Environmental policyInfluencing and advocacy.

Carrick Reddin

Carrick Reddin is ProjectManager for the WRI Faith andSustainability Initiative. Hepartners with faith-basedgroups to identify ideas andimplement programs that buildcapacity for community-levelsolutions to sustainabilitychallenges with the goal offostering environmentallysustainable, socially justcommunities. Based in LosAngeles, USA, Carrick holds amaster’s degree from the UrbanSchool at l’Institut d'étudespolitiques de Paris and abachelor’s degree in architectureand international developmentfrom Washington University inSt. Louis.

Youth Council: A Forum for Environmental Action - 4 March 2022; 2pm-3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Daniel del Valle Blanco

Mr. Daniel del Valle Blancocurrently serves as Political andYouth Advisor to theAmbassador at the PermanentObserver Mission of theSovereign Order of Malta to theUnited Nations, New York. Danielis based in Madrid, Spain. Hismain professional interestsinclude diplomacy, internationalrelations, law, human rights andeconomics. In addition, he lovesmusic and is an accomplishedsinger, a former soloist of theEscolania Boys’ Choir of the ElEscorial Royal Monastery, theRoyal Choir of Spain.

Bernd Hirschberger

In various youth work positions, Dr. BerndHirschberger has been advocating for climatejustice and human rights for years. As EuropeanCo-President of FIMCAP, the internationalfederation of Catholic parochial youthmovements, (2014-2021) and co-founding boardmember of Generation Climate Europe (2019-2021), for instance, he conducted large-scaleclimate justice consultations and edited the“Young Voices on Climate Justice” report. As amember of the youth platform of COMECE andthe interfaith initiative on the European GreenDeal, he helped prepare the 2021 Interfaith YouthConvention on the European Green Deal. AsIYNGO delegate to the Structured Dialogue andthe EU Youth Dialogue and member of theEuropean Working Group (2015-2020), hecontributed to the development of the EuropeanYouth Goals. Bernd holds a Ph.D. degree in socialsciences (LMU Munich), having researchedexternal communication during asymmetricconflicts. He also holds a B.A. & M.A. degree inpolitical & social science, international politics &law (University of the German Federal ArmedForces Munich), and a B.Sc. degree in geosciences(LMU & TUM Munich).

Dr. Fadila Grine

Dr. Fadila Grine is the Senior advisor, Thedirector of foreign affairs and Cabinet atthe Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum,Istanbul, Turkey, and former Director ofFamily and Social Affairs to theDepartment of Humanitarian, Culturaland Social Affairs at the Organization ofIslamic Cooperation. An active memberof the OIC Council of Muslim Women, Dr.Grine has long been a strong advocate ofthe rights and significance of family andwomen in all fields of development, witha focused interest on youth, elderly,marriage, leadership and culture. Duringher time as Visiting Associate Professorto the Department of Islamic History andCivilization, University of Malaya,Malaysia, she served as Head ofResearch as well as Head of theInternational Bureau of Consultancy andTraining.

Kehkashan Basu

Winner of the 2016 International Children’s Peace Prize, Kehkashan Basu,M.S.M. is an iconic global influencer, environmentalist, champion of womenand children’s rights, TEDx speaker, Climate Reality Mentor, author, musician,peace and sustainability campaigner. A Forbes 30 Under 30 and the first-everWinner of the Voices Youth Gorbachev-Schultz Legacy Award for her work onnuclear disarmament, Kehkashan is a United Nations Human RightsChampion, a National Geographic Young Explorer, a UN Habitat Young CityChampion, the Regional Organizing Partner for North America for the NGOMajor Group and one of Canada's Top25 Women of Influence. Kehkashan isthe Founder-President of global social innovation enterprise Green HopeFoundation, that works at a grassroots level in 26 countries, empoweringyoung people and women, especially those from vulnerable communities, inthe sustainable development process and she has spoken at over 300 UnitedNations and other global fora. She is the youngest Trustee of the Parliament ofthe World's Religions, an Action Coalition Leader of UN Women GenerationEquality Forum's Feminist Action for Climate Justice, the Co-Chair of theUniversity of Toronto's SDG Student Advisory Council, Council Lead of theToronto-St. Paul's Constituency Youth Council, Canada and a member of theWorld Humanitarian Forum Youth Council. She is the recipient of severalawards that include the World Literacy Award for Significant Contribution toLiteracy by a Young Person, Canada's Global Energy Show Emerging LeaderAward, the Pax Christi Toronto Teacher of Peace Award and the MeritoriousService Medal of Canada. She continues to work tirelessly to amplify thevoices of young people, women and girls in decision-making processes.

Youth Council: A Forum for Environmental Action - 4 March 2022; 2pm-3.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo Natalija Vojno

Lejla Hasandedic-Dapo is a psychologist,psychotherapist, lecturer, activist,peacebuilder, and volunteer from Bosniaand Herzegovina. Currently, she is doing herPhD in psychology at Ankara YildirimBeyazit University, in Turkey. She is workingas United Religions Initiative (URI) EuropeCC Liaison Officer and she is co-founder ofYouth for Peace, an organization thatpositioned itself as one of the mostprominent youth-led organizations inBosnia and Herzegovina, working in thefield of peacebuilding. Besides this, she isvice president of the European InterfaithYouth Network (EIYN) and Board member ofReligions for Peace Europe. Lejla is also aNon-violent communication trainer,Learning to Live Together (ArigatouInternational) trainer, she holds a Diplomain Islamic studies from the University ofSarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and sheis PPA and KAICIID fellow.

Natalija is a peace innovator with over adecade of experience helping diverse groupsalign on environmental priorities and actions.Her past roles have included environmentalcampaigner, speechwriter for Ontario’s Ministerof the Environment, and founding member ofthe Water Youth Network. Approaching conflict transformation from acreative lens, she has piloted values-basedcommunity building projects and is anUNLEASH Innovation Lab fellow. Natalijafounded Our Future First a non-profit throughwhich she delivers positive peace initiativesglobally. Natalija holds a BA from the University ofToronto, and an MSc in Water ResourcesManagement from UNESCO-IHE, in theNetherlands. She is currently a Rotary PeaceFellow at ICU in Tokyo (via Zoom). Her researchfocuses on environmental peacebuilding andparticipatory water governance processes

Abdullahi Abdi Mohamed

Abdullahi holds a bachelor's of internationalrelations and diplomacy worked with massdistructon weapon, youth and socio ecnomicaspects, and ocean assesment and chaired SYDFas special repourtuer of the ecnomic and socialcouncil of the united nations with more than 10years in youth topics.

Faith for Stockholm+50 - 4 March 2022; 4pm - 5.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Karenna Gore Fazlun Khalid Archbishop Mark MacDonald

Ambassador Lissinger Peitz is recentlyappointed to lead the work within the SwedishGovernment offices on preparations from ahigh-level meeting in the commemoration of thefirst UN conference on the human environmentthat took place in Stockholm in 1972. Beforethat she has been the Lead negotiator forSwedenand EUin the UN Climate Changeprocess and earlier on in the field ofchemicalsand waste. She was the EU lead negotiator onclimate finance in the period after Paris andleading up to Katowice. She has also had rolesas COP president for the 7thConference of theParties for the Stockholm Convention and forthe third ministerial meeting on integratedchemicals policy(ICCM3).Her last assignmentwas at the Swedish Mission to the UN in NewYork leading the work together with India onthe Industry transition track ahead of theClimate Summit in September2019.Ambassador Lissinger holds an M.Sc.

Fazlun Khalid is an advisor to the UN onenvironment and faith. He is a member of theGoverning Council of the United NationsEnvironment Programme, a member of the UN TaskTeam on Religion and of the UN’s DevelopmentAdvisory Council. As the founding director of theIslamic Foundation for Ecology and EnvironmentalSciences (IFEES), he is recognised as one of topfifteen leading eco-theologians in the world.

P. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam

Born and brought up in India, Shantanu has greathumanitarian values, spirituality and eco-friendlytraditions. He was introduced to Transcendentalmeditation and Rajyoga meditation in his childhood. Since then it has been 20 years of him practicingRajyoga. Academically a very bright scholarShantanu did his graduation in Fashion design fromthe prestigious NIFT, Kolkata with an award formost innovative Design Collection for year 2012 &was an exchange student to Modart International,Paris. He also holds a second bachelor's degree inFine Arts.

After a brief experience in Fashion business heshifted into teaching design and fashion in manyreputed universities of Design and Fashion as aguest lecturer. His environmental incilination helpedhim with designing special course structures thatare focused on upcycling, recycling anddeconstruction.

The Most Rev. Mark MacDonaldbecame the Anglican Church ofCanada’s first National IndigenousAnglican Bishop in 2007, after servingas bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Dioceseof Alaska for 10 years. In 2019 nowBishop MacDonald was elevated toArchbishop.

Faith for Stockholm+50 - 4 March 2022; 4pm - 5.30pm East African Time (GMT+03:00)

Gopal Patel

Gopal D. Patel is a faith-based environmental activist,campaigner and consultant. For more than a decade hehas spearheaded the development of environmentalinitiatives engaging religious communities and leaders inIndia, East Africa, Europe and North America. He is Co-Founder and Director of Bhumi Global, a non-profitorganization that works to educate and mobilize Hinducommunities globally for environmental action. He is co-chair of the United Nations Multi-faith Advisory Counciland is a member of the Advisory Board to the UN Decadeon Ecosystem Restoration. He also serves on the Board forInterfaith Power & Light and is an Advisor to the WWFBeliefs and Values Programme, Born and raised inEngland, he currently lives in the New York City MetroArea.

Ambassador Johanna Lissinger Peitz

Ambassador Lissinger Peitz is recently appointed to lead thework within the Swedish Government offices on preparationsfrom a high-level meeting in the commemoration of the first UNconference on the human environment that took place inStockholm in 1972. Before that she has been the Lead negotiatorfor Swedenand EUin the UN Climate Change process and earlieron in the field ofchemicals and waste. She was the EU leadnegotiator on climate finance in the period after Paris andleading up to Katowice. She has also had roles as COP presidentfor the 7thConference of the Parties for the StockholmConvention and for the third ministerial meeting on integratedchemicals policy(ICCM3).Her last assignment was at theSwedish Mission to the UN in New York leading the worktogether with India on the Industry transition track ahead of theClimate Summit in September 2019.