Water Adaptation Community Webinar: Water and Spirituality for Climate Adaptation

Global

VIRTUAL

19 October 2021, 13:00 CEST

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Source:

In this dialogue, speakers will discuss water-related spirituality as a source of inspiration and wisdom to cope with climate change impacts on the water cycle—such as the increase in the frequency of droughts, floods and storms.

Event description:

People have always understood the value of water to sustain life, health, economies and ecosystems. A lot of cultural heritage has been built around water over the millennia. Examples are civil structures for water supply and for defence against water-related perils, for navigation, and for the generation of energy. Also part of this heritage are the governance systems set up for equitable and efficient management of water resources. Besides, societies and religions have developed a multitude of visions, rituals and  practices related to water.

Despite the abundance of water-related cultural heritage, its significance for present and future climate  challenges is not widely recognised. This partly due to the complexity of our relationship with water, and partly because of disciplinary and institutional divides between water managers and heritage experts.

As a contribution to COP26 and to kickstart the Community of Practitioners on Water and Heritage, GCA’s Water Adaptation Community (WAC) and the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Water and Heritage (ISC Water) are organising a dialogue among spiritual leaders, who will discuss water-related spirituality as a source of inspiration and wisdom to cope with climate change impacts on the water cycle—such as the increase in the frequency of droughts, floods and storms. This will be a precursor to the dialogue among spiritual leaders to be held at the UN Water Decade Mid Term Review to be held in New York (2023).

Key questions:

  • What does a spiritual view on climate challenges look like?
  • Can spirituality prove to be a source of resilience to climate change effects?
  • How do we build upon our water-related cultural heritage, to forge strategies for climate change adaptation?

Program (subject to updates):

  • 13:00-13:05 – Introduction by the moderator: Sergio Ribeiro, Director General of CIRAT, Brazil, and Board Member of ICOMOS ISC Water
  • 13:05-13:15 – A vision on adaptation to climate change in the Laudato si’, the second encyclical of Pope Francis: Ms. Maria Hammershoy, Secretary General, Caritas Denmark
  • 13:15-13:25 – A vision on adaptation to climate change: Mr. Núñez, Leader of the Wa:k Community San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation near Tucson, Arizona, USA and Ms. Mona Polacca, Native American Spiritual Elder
  • 13:25-13:35 – A vision on adaptation to climate change: Valériane Bernard, Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University UN Representative
  • 13:35-13:45 – A vision on adaptation to climate change – A Buddhist Perspective: Dharma Master Hsin Tao, Founding Abbot of the Ling Jiou Mountain Buddhist Society and Founder of the Museum of World Religions
  • 13:45-13:55 – A vision on adaptation to climate change – Iberê Guarani Mbyá, Leadership, Guanary People, Brazil
  • 13:55-14:05 – A vision on adaptation to climate change – Sister Marvie Misolas, Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic’s
  • 14:05-14:30 – Reflections, Conclusions, and Next Steps: Panel Discussion
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