FUNCI participates in the XXII Madrid Science and Innovation Week

Within the framework of the 22nd Madrid Science and Innovation Week, a round table entitled “Environmental Sustainability and Islam” has been organised at the Complutense University of Madrid. Its aim is to analyse environmentalism from the perspective of Islam and to learn about some of the local and international initiatives that have been promoted from Islamic teachings to care for the planet.  The round table will include the participation of Luey Hamadache (Islamic Cultural Centre of Valencia, student of Islamic sciences), Encarna Gutiérrez (Islamic Culture Foundation) and Borja Heredia (Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge), and will be moderated by Johanna M. Lems (GRAIS, researcher Margarita Salas UCM/UAM). After the speakers’ interventions, there will be a question and answer session.

In September 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an action plan that established 17 goals (SDGs) related to the economic, social and environmental spheres, with the aim of tackling the climate emergency in particular. As the latest EU SDG progress monitoring report, published in 2022, shows, now more than ever we need to promote a better understanding of our common destiny, which “lays the reflective, moral and political foundations to address the ecological-climate crisis that threatens our world” (Olabe, 2022).

This enormous environmental challenge requires the greatest possible number of alliances, so that the worsening of the conditions that make life on this planet possible can be halted as a matter of urgency. Among the possible means – or bridges – to promote cooperation between different groups of actors and achieve the SDGs set out in the 2030 Agenda is the role played by religions (Gardner 2006; Madorrán 2022; Tatay 2019). The relevance of religious traditions in debates on environmental sustainability and the need for action lies in their potential to influence and mobilise large numbers of people to take action and bring about societal changes focused on protecting and caring for the earth’s common home. Islam is no exception (Bsoul et al. 2022; Muhammad and Achour 2019; Yusoff and Abu Samah 2011) and its teachings, discourses and practices influence the behaviour of millions of people and can strengthen Muslim engagement with sustainability issues as part of a broader, global civil movement.

General public; university students; secondary school and high school students.

When, when and where?

• Date: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
• Time: from 18:00 to 20:30 (CET/UTC+1)
• Mode: virtual format (Zoom application).

Prior registration is required to receive the link to the round table.

Organizers

Group of Analysis on Islam in Europe (GRAIS ,https://www.ucm.es/grais) and Islamic culture Foundation (FUNCI, https://funci.org/).