Saturday’s article, Healing the Planet through Global Collaboration, in the Times Colonist and here on Faith Forum (August 1st 2020), from the Victoria Multifaith Society, addressed the need for global solutions to global problems. The question naturally arises: what can individuals and groups do? In researching the subject, it was surprising to learn just how much is being done. These groups need people to know about their work in order to gain traction and make progress. This list has been compiled to share that learning and suggest how individuals and groups can move forward together.
- RESEARCH. Learn about the work that’s already begun. Check out the websitesand videos below and the VMS resources page. Sign up for notification of offerings from the VMS on this issue.
- REFLECT. What do the teachings of your spiritual tradition bring to the conversation about healing the planet? What are the characteristics of the future you want to see? What actions will lead to those outcomes? Identify the unifying principles at the basis of a healthy world.
- BE MINDFUL. Meditate and reflect deeply on how you might contribute to solutions. Be mindful of opportunities that arise. Look for others with whom to combine your talents and energy.
- TAKE THE HIGH ROAD. Use language and actions that keep the conversation positive and goal-oriented. Avoid defensive reactions and polarization. Use means consistent with your goals & values.
- SEEK TRUTH WITHOUT BIAS. Listen intently to all perspectives in an unbiased search for truth, regardless of affiliation or background. Research from the source, rather than forming opinions based on other’s opinions.
Research to Do, Campaigns to Support
- On the national and regional levels, encourage your business or organization to endorse the Just Recovery project, supported by approximately 200 organizations across Canada.
- Support the Together First campaign, a growing movement of global citizens, experts, practitioners, civil society activists and business leaders from all regions of the world, committed to making the best ideas for global governance a reality. Founded in 2018 to create a “to-do” list for the international community, it proposes concrete, feasible steps “to mitigate global catastrophic risks and put us on a pathway to the broader global governance revolution we need”. Join here as an organization or an individual.
- Included in the Together First campaign is the Common Home of Humanity effort for one Global Pact for the Environment (GPE), giving coherence and effectiveness to the current fragmented approach. The new legal instrument would serve as a binding, universal “umbrella text” to address the many gaps in international environmental law. The UN Environment report found that despite a 38-fold increase in environmental laws put in place since 1972, failure to fully implement and enforce these laws is one of the greatest challenges to mitigating climate change, reducing pollution and preventing widespread species and habitat loss.
- Read Global Governance Forum - Proposals 2020, by authors of Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century, Cambridge University Press Free pdf version
- Endorse the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly, an advisory body to act as the voice of global citizens rather than governments, to advise on world problems and act as a catalyst for reform. The history of the idea is long and well-supported by governments and civil society groups.
- Democracy without Borders in collaboration with Democracy International and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, as well as other civil society organizations across the world are pushing forward a global campaign that advocates the creation of a UN World Citizens' Initiatove.
- The Simultaneous Policy (Simpol) Initiative is an innovative solution based on the simple fact that governments acting alone run the risk that businesses will go where it's less regulated, hence the need for simultaneous policies and an electorate encouraging change.
Videos and other rescources csn be found at Victoria Multifaith Society - Resources page
The Victoria Multifaith Society was founded in 2006. It's mission is "to learn from one another, to celebrate our unity in diversity, and to work together for the well-being of the community and the world". It's board consists of members of nine different faith traditions.
You can read more articles on our iterfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking, HERE
Photo of world in hands by Bill Oxford on Unsplash
