One fast. One day. Every month.

The LWF is calling for a fast on the first day each month until December 2015, when the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will take place in Paris, France.  

We fast in many different places and faith communities worldwide.

We fast for climate justice.

We fast in solidarity:

• With people around the world affected by climate change
• With the millions who have lost homes and livelihoods because of extreme weather events
• In remembrance of the many who have lost their lives

Fasting is a long-standing spiritual practice found in many religious traditions.

Become a Faster! Join the Lutheran communion and an expanding network of individuals, groups and organizations in building a groundswell of support for actions that slow climate change.

Follow the campaign: #fastfortheclimate

Departments: Department for Mission and Development, Department for Theology and Public Witness

Programs: Capacity for Advocacy, International Affairs and Human Rights, Public Theology & Interreligious Relations

Partners Include: 18 Million Rising, 350.org, Avaaz, Climate Action Network, Climate Justice Network, Forecast the Facts, Friends of the Earth, Global Call for Climate Action, Move On, World Council of Churches

One fast. One day. Every month.

The LWF is calling for a fast on the first day each month until December 2015, when the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will take place in Paris, France.  

We fast in many different places and faith communities worldwide.

We fast for climate justice.

We fast in solidarity:

• With people around the world affected by climate change
• With the millions who have lost homes and livelihoods because of extreme weather events
• In remembrance of the many who have lost their lives

Fasting is a long-standing spiritual practice found in many religious traditions.

Become a Faster! Join the Lutheran communion and an expanding network of individuals, groups and organizations in building a groundswell of support for actions that slow climate change.

Follow the campaign: #fastfortheclimate

Departments: Department for Mission and Development, Department for Theology and Public Witness

Programs: Capacity for Advocacy, International Affairs and Human Rights, Public Theology & Interreligious Relations

Partners Include: 18 Million Rising, 350.org, Avaaz, Climate Action Network, Climate Justice Network, Forecast the Facts, Friends of the Earth, Global Call for Climate Action, Move On, World Council of Churches

Celebrating World Water Day

World Water Day on 22 March represents a day to celebrate water and how access to it makes a difference in the lives of everyone around the globe. 

It is also a day to bring awareness to the fact that millions of people around the world also suffer from water related issues: lack of water due to drought, poor sanitation facilities and even flooding. 

In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly designated 22 March as the first World Water Day.  Now, this event is celebrated around the world, shining the spotlight on a different issue every year.  This year, the theme for World Water Day is "Water and Sustainable Development" and how water plays a role in creating the future that we want.

Get Involved

Use your voice via social media using the following hashtags

• #World Water Day
• #WaterIs
• #LWFclimate

Interact with us on:

- Twitter
- Facebook

This three-day meeting in Norway assembles a diverse group of young reformers representing Europe. 

Identifying and focusing on themes from their region, the young leaders will lead the “Intergenerational Dialogue on Climate Justice” during the European Leadership Conference on May 13.

We are joining our partners in ACT Alliance for the Ecumenical Centre launch of the ACT climate change campaign, ACT's greatest effort yet to persuade global leaders to cut carbon emissions drastically and help the world’s poorest cope with the impacts of climate change.

The ecumenical movement works tireless in advocacy and campaigning, as well as in prayer and solidarity, to support the millions of people worldwide suffering the worst effects of climate change. This year is critical. In December, governments meet in Paris to come up with a climate change agreement that we hope will keep global warming well below a 2 degree Celsius temperature rise and that will increase public funding for schemes that help poor countries adapt to climate change.

Timed for international Earth Day, April 22 will be a moment for the campaign to gather the support of colleagues in the Ecumenical Centre through prayer, displays, information, and a short march around the centre. 

The LWF is a founder of Fast for the Climate, a global movement of people fasting once a month in solidarity with the people hit hardest by climate change. See: http://www.lutheranworld.org//fastfortheclimate

We encourage members of the ecumenical movement to sign the online ACT Alliance petition calling on the world's leaders to cut carbon emissions drastically and help the world’s poorest cope with climate change. See: www.actclimate.org

One fast. One day. Every month.

In three months time, the nations of the world will agree a new climate deal, which - we hope - will slow the rate of carbon emissions and support the countries bearing the greatest burden of the effect of climate change. 

The LWF is behind a global fasting movement on the first day each month until December 2015 when the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change takes place. Fasting is a long-standing spiritual practice found in many religious traditions. We fast in many different places and faith communities worldwide. We fast for climate justice. We fast in solidarity:

- with people around the world affected by climate change

- with the millions who have lost homes and livelihoods because of extreme weather

- to remember the many who have lost their lives

Join Young Reformers in climate change fast

On 1 September, delegates at the ongoing  LWF international workshop of the Global Young Reformers' Network in Wittenberg , Germany, will demonstrate their solidarity with the Fast for the Climate campaign that calls urgent attention to the global climate crisis. 

The Young reformers who will fast on the first day of September, will also be showing their support for the World Day of Prayer for the Care for Creation led by the Orthodox Church, and recently supported by the Vatican.

Follow the campaign: 

#fastfortheclimate using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Partners

• 18 Million Rising
• 350.org
• Avaaz
• Climate Action Network
• Climate Justice Network
• Forecast the Facts
• Friends of the Earth
• Global Call for Climate Action
• Move On
• World Council of Churches
• ACT Alliance

Join Fast

One fast. One day. Every month.

In two months time, the communities around the globe will agree a new climate deal, which - we hope - will slow the rate of carbon emissions and support the most vulnerable communities bearing the greatest burden of the effect of climate change. 

The LWF is behind a global fasting movement on the first day each month until December 2015 when the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change takes place in France. Fasting is a long-standing spiritual practice found in many religious traditions. As both individuals of faith and religious communities worldwide, we fast in many different places for many different reasons. We fast for climate justice.

So Why Do We Fast?

Fasting for climate justice offers people of faith and religious communities an opportunity to address concerns for climate change.

It is a way to:

- expresses common faith, spiritual and ethical values

- urge national governments to be more ambitious in climate change negotiations

- re-think how people of faith and religious communities can both live their lives and re-commit themselves to a responsible and sustainable way of life

- to commit ourselves to the care of creation and preserve this world for future generations

Recently when members of the Global Young Reformers' Network (GYRN) gathered in Wittenberg , Germany, they demonstrated their solidarity with the Fast for the Climate campaign by participating in activities calling attention to climate justice.

Our Partners in Solidarity are Growing

On 1 October, newly-appointed leaders of LWF member churches will also be showing their support by participating in Fast for the Climate activities in Geneva, Switzerland.

Partners

• 18 Million Rising
• 350.org
• Avaaz
• Climate Action Network
• Climate Justice Network
• Forecast the Facts
• Friends of the Earth
• Global Call for Climate Action
• Move On
• World Council of Churches
• ACT Alliance

What You Can Do: 

Follow the campaign: 

#fastfortheclimate using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Join Fast

One fast. One day. Every month.

In less than a month, the communities around the globe will agree a new climate deal, which - we hope - will slow the rate of carbon emissions and support the most vulnerable communities bearing the greatest burden of the effect of climate change. 

The LWF is behind a global fasting movement on the first day each month until December 2015 when the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change takes place in France. Fasting is a long-standing spiritual practice found in many religious traditions. As both individuals of faith and religious communities worldwide, we fast in many different places for many different reasons. We fast for climate justice.

So Why Do We Fast?

Fasting for climate justice offers people of faith and religious communities an opportunity to address concerns for climate change.

It is a way to:

- expresses common faith, spiritual and ethical values

- urge national governments to be more ambitious in climate change negotiations

- re-think how people of faith and religious communities can both live their lives and re-commit themselves to a responsible and sustainable way of life

- to commit ourselves to the care of creation and preserve this world for future generations

Partners

• 18 Million Rising
• 350.org
• Avaaz
• Climate Action Network
• Climate Justice Network
• Forecast the Facts
• Friends of the Earth
• Global Call for Climate Action
• Move On
• World Council of Churches
• ACT Alliance

What You Can Do: 

Follow the People's Pilgrimage:

Learn more

Follow the campaign: 

#fastfortheclimate using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Join Fast

The people’s pilgrimage from Rome to Paris, led by Yeb Sano, is a journey of 1500 km by foot to reach COP21.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in partnership with the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance are honoured to host the pilgrims in Geneva from 3-6 November.

As global faith organizations we invite science and civil society to sit at the same table and together address the urgent questions we have regarding the climate crisis.

You are invited to listen, share and network with the pilgrims and climate change actors based in Geneva.

Speakers:

• Yeb Sano, special climate ambassador, and fellow pilgrim from the People’s pilgrimage

• Martin Kopp, Climate Justice Officer, Lutheran World Federation and Fast for the Climate

• Vitumbiko Chinoko, Climate Change Advocacy Officer, ACT Alliance

• Guillermo Kerber, World Council of Churches (Moderator)

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Side event to 4th annual United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights

With ACT Alliance and the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation closely follows and supports the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights. We've held successful side events, made submissions to the process and have imrpoved the capacity of the faith-based constituency across the world on business and human rights. We want to keep working on this issue and build stronger partnerships. As such, we're holding a side event during the 4th annual forum.

Large-scale industrial agriculture, mining and extraction often leave local residents at risk of losing their rights and dignity. Even though their right to be consulted and protected is entrenched in several international instruments, implementation is rare. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights specify that states must prevent, protect and ensure access to remedies for victims of human rights abuses by business enterprises. In reality, protection is patchy. It is usually unclear, inconsistent and inadequate. Too often, those responsible for violating human rights in mining zones are not held to account. Campaigners who speak out against injustice increasingly face threats to their lives.

Faith-based institutions in Africa, Latin America and Asia play a significant role in raising awareness of human rights violations by transnational corporations engaged in extraction and land-grabbing. The three-day 4th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights - the world’s largest gathering on business and human rights - is an important place to lift up the experiences of churches and affected communities, and to propose concrete actions to uphold their rights.

Our side event at Geneva's Ecumenical Centre on November 16 brings together representatives from churches and communities in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to:

- share good practices in policy tracking, community mobilisation, action and support

- launch a policy brief that links the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to national policy and practice with a view to tracking progress and coherence

- develop a joint plan for tracking national action plans and policies, international advocacy, capacity building, continuous learning and mutual support

- contribute to the discussions in the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights sessions by specifically raising the voices of the affected and those at risk

PROGRAM

09:00-10:30 Panel 1: Case studies

Moderator: Moreblessings Chidaushe

Panellists: Sister Stella Matutina, Panalipdan (the Philippines), Professor Bila Inogwabini, Christian Aid (DRC), Father Teddy Sichinga, Council of Churches (Zambia), Nilton Nazitemba, Lutheran World Federation

11:30-12:30 Panel 2: Policy implementation and coherence: good practices and continuing challenges

Moderator: Ralston Deffenbaugh, the Lutheran World Federation

Panellists: Darlington Muyambwa, Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zimbabwe), Elizabet Periz, Tierra Digna (Colombia), Gloria Mafole, Church Council of Tanzania (Tanzania), Gitte Dyrhagen Husager, DanChurchAid (Denmark), Anabella Sibrian, Plataforma Internacional Contra La Impunidad (Guatemala)

 

United Nations Human Rights