June 6, 2023
In-person and online at 9:30am EDT
Episcopal Church Center
815 Second Avenue
New York City, NY, USA
A Program in Observance of World Environment Day
A Pre-Parliament Event of the August 2023 Convening of The Parliament of the World’s Religions
The Right to a Healthy Environment was approved overwhelmingly as a basic human right by the UN General Assembly in July 2023, the first recognition of a new basic human right since The Right to Water and Sanitation in 2010. This was a historic step forward for human rights and protection of the environment, and faith-based organizations played a significant role in the campaign for this recognition. The Right to a Healthy Environment is included in the constitutions of over 100 countries but is far from realization. What role can the world’s religious communities play going forward to fully manifest the right to a healthy environment – in the urgent “triple crisis” of the climate emergency, pollution and loss of biodiversity? The recognition of a new basic human right is especially notable as this year we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Speakers:
Daniel Magraw
President Emeritus, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Senior Fellow, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
The Rev. Melanie Mullen
Director of Reconciliation, Justice and Creation Care
The Episcopal Church
Geoffrey Roth (Lakota)
Member 2023-2025
United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
David Hales
Chair of Climate Action and Trustee
Parliament of the World’s Religions
Visioning Roundtable of Faith-based Organizations
Concluding Reflections
The Ven. Doyeon Park
Co-Chair, Committee of Religious NGOs at the UN
President, Buddhist Council of New York
Representative of Won Buddhism to the United Nations
Please note! Our program will be in the first-floor Chapel of Christ the Lord of The Episcopal Church Center. The Chapel will open for arrivals and fellowship beginning at 9:00 a.m.. The program will start at 9:30.