November Updates

Dear Envirocare Coordinators and Go Green Champions,

The Sri Sathya Sai International Organisation (SSSIO) recently participated in two virtual events organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP):

1) UNEP Faith For Earth Mid-Term Strategy (MTS) Discovery Session with Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) and Faith Leaders on 27 August 2020; and

2) UNEP Faith for Nature Global Conference, convened during 5 – 8 October 2020. These were not the only times that SSIO graced such events.

At the UNEP Faith for Nature Global Conference, 30 high-level faith and thought leaders addressed the 450 participants from 60 countries and more than 6,500 online viewers. The event took place in 5 Virtual Hubs, as well as one in Iceland. 15 delegates represented SSIO and spoke about Sri Sathya Sai’s teachings and the work of SSSIO.

In fact, last year, SSSIO members also attended the Fourth Assembly of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-4) Faith for Earth Dialogue in Nairobi, Kenya.

In the context of developing UNEP’s next MTS for the period 2022-2025, the Faith for Earth Initiative of the UNEP invited a number Faith Based Organisations, including SSSIO, to attend the Special Consultation Webinar to discuss the current global climate. Two delegates represented SSIO.

The key framework used by the UN is the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“What do humans do that the Earth and life cannot do without? Not a thing. We are totally consumers. It makes sense that our purpose given to us by the Creator is that of expressing our Thanksgiving.” – Freida J Jacques 

“Faith connects directly with and forms the basis of people’s values. The root causes of climate change and other sustainable development challenges emerge from human fallacies and cannot be addressed by technology alone. Faiths define human relationships with the environment and advance values calling for sustainable living” – recorded session, Asia, 6 – 7 October 2020, UNEP Faith for Nature: Multi-Faith Action Conference.

Insights and takeaways from our delegates who attended the UNEP Faith for Nature Global Conference

“It was inspiring to see how much great work is being done by other faith organisations, there is so much potential when we come together in unity.”

“We realised just how powerful, simple, and easy to understand and communicate Sathya Sai’s teachings are with respect to promoting spiritual solutions to the environmental crisis – namely, the five Human Values and Ceiling on Desires. There is much scope and opportunity for the SSIO to be a powerful voice in global dialogue for environmental care.”

Read more on the ESC position paper and Human Values Booklet

Whilst the scientific dimension is often emphasised at such conferences, the SSSIO’s unique contribution is emphasizing the spiritual dimension, namely that Nature is a manifestation of God and that man can discover God through Nature, and also that man’s duty is to live in harmony with Nature and to consume with moderation.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba said, “External pollution is a reflection of internal pollution,” see Summer Showers 2000.

If you are interested to study Sri Sathya Sai’s teachings more deeply, we recommend you to

●Visit the Environmental Sustainability Hub for a wealth of information and practical information.

● Download the two books: 
1) God, Nature, Man - a compilation of Sri Sathya Sai’s discourses by Dr Ross Woodward; and
2) Nature: the Vesture of God, which brings together science, teachings of different faith, and indigenous traditions with Sri Sathya Sai’s teachings.

On the Calendar

SSSIO’s future participation in the fifth United Nations Environment Assembly will be held in February 2021 in Nairobi. The theme of the Assembly is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”

With Sai Love and Care,

Environmental Sustainability Committee 

Sathya Sai International Organisation