Tie your camel first: A Muslim perspective on climate action featuring Sameer Merchant

June 13, 7 p.m. | Climate Dialogue featuring Sameer Merchant

The latest event in our Climate Dialogue Series: Mobilizing Faith and Spirit for the Climate Crisis

June 13, 7p.m. at the Sanctuary on UCV Campus (949 W. 49th Ave at Oak St)

The Vancouver Unitarians are hosting a series of talks by prominent Canadians from faith, spiritual and secular backgrounds to support us in answering that question. They will educate, nourish, and inspire us, drawing on diverse faith and spiritual traditions including those of Indigenous peoples. They will delve into how these traditions and practices, and the values they represent, help them contend with the climate emergency and the actions they are taking. And, in this way, they will help us engage more effectively with the crisis and create our way forward to a sustainable future – for ourselves and our families, our communities, our nation, and for the health of our loved ones and our planet.

The speaker series will be live-streamed from the campus of the Vancouver Unitarians before a small audience. The speakers will appear in person or virtually. Two Vancouver Unitarians will moderate the series – introducing the speakers, leading discussions after each talk, and providing continuity over the course of the full program. The series will include occasional panel discussions of key themes and learnings from what we heard.

We also will be inaugurating the recently refurbished and technologically up-graded Sanctuary of the Unitarian Church. It is recognized as a remarkable mid-twentieth century architectural legacy – a well-received spiritual gathering place and a civic gathering place for events in the arts, public affairs, and discourse on the issues of the day.

Each event will be recorded and posted on the Vancouver Unitarians website for viewing afterwards.

Tie your camel first: A Muslim perspective on climate action


UCV Climate Dialogue event featuring Sameer Merchant


Monday June 13th in the Sanctuary at UCV Campus (949 W. 49th Avenue) 


Note: This special event will also be available for viewing online via livestream at: https://ucv.im/FaithAndClimate 

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. on June 13th.


*


About the Speaker


Sameer Merchant spent two decades as a software engineer in Seattle and Vancouver working for Microsoft, Hulu, and Tableau. He is currently taking an extended sabbatical to get a better understanding of the climate crisis, what we can do to reduce our individual and collective contributions to the problem, and to understand the psychology behind climate denial and climate inaction. His faith tradition is Ismaili Muslim, which is central to his views on humanity’s role as stewards of the Earth.



Vision and Purpose of the Series


Every day we are reminded that we are in a climate emergency.  Unprecedented heat waves, droughts, fires, extreme weather events, floods, refugees – the list goes on. Taken together with the current pandemic, it’s understandable that many of us feel frightened, overwhelmed, powerless.  Where can we find the individual and collective strength to clearly face the truth of the emergency, mourn the damage being done to our blue planet, and inspire ourselves and others to action?


The Vancouver Unitarians are hosting a series of talks by prominent Canadians from faith, spiritual and secular backgrounds to support us in answering that question.  They will educate, nourish, and inspire us, drawing on diverse faith and spiritual traditions including those of Indigenous peoples. They will delve into how these traditions and practices, and the values they represent, help them contend with the climate emergency and the actions they are taking. And, in this way, they will help us engage more effectively with the crisis and create our way forward to a sustainable future – for ourselves and our families, our communities, our nation, and for the health of our loved ones and our planet.


 
 
 
 
Please select all that apply.
Please email Derrick (moc@vancouverunitarians.ca) with any questions about this event. 
Sliding Scale Program Cost

If you are able to help us recoup some of the costs of this special UCV Forum Series on Faith and Climate, please do contribute as generously as possible for you. Any proceeds after costs are covered will be allocated to The Green Fund of the UCV Environment Team. 

If a donation is not realistic with your family budget, please leave the amount blank and select "not at this time" in the credit card processing fee menu.

We follow the Canadian Unitarian Council's lead on making our programs and events accessible. Sliding scale suggestions are designed to allow participants to choose how much they are able to contribute towards support of the event.

If you are unsure what a fair donation would be for you, check out this graphic and read a few words about sliding scale to think about:


“When I pay more, I know that I am helping others to access the event. When I pay in the middle, I know I am helping the organizers cover costs. And when I pay at the bottom, I know I am letting my community hold me and support me. All of these are wonderful and acceptable ways of participating.”


(Source: Sliding Scale Why, How, and Sorting Out Who)

 
 
Pay by e-transfer: payments@vancouverunitarians.ca  the account has auto-deposit. Include [Climate and Faith] in the memo line.

Paying By Cheque: If you prefer to pay by Cheque please select the "Pay by Cheque" option and "not at this time" for credit card fees in the drop-down menus above to bypass electronic payment. Cheques should be made out to The Unitarian Church of Vancouver with "Climate and Faith series" in the memo line and mailed to:
The Unitarian Church of Vancouver
Attn: Gordon Lowe
949 West 49th Ave
Vancouver, BC V5Z 2T1


 
 
 
 
 

Description

June 13, 7 p.m.
Climate Dialogue featuring Sameer Merchant

The latest event in our Climate Dialogue Series: Mobilizing Faith and Spirit for the Climate Crisis

June 13, 7p.m. at the Sanctuary on UCV Campus (949 W. 49th Ave at Oak St)

The Vancouver Unitarians are hosting a series of talks by prominent Canadians from faith, spiritual and secular backgrounds to support us in answering that question. They will educate, nourish, and inspire us, drawing on diverse faith and spiritual traditions including those of Indigenous peoples. They will delve into how these traditions and practices, and the values they represent, help them contend with the climate emergency and the actions they are taking. And, in this way, they will help us engage more effectively with the crisis and create our way forward to a sustainable future – for ourselves and our families, our communities, our nation, and for the health of our loved ones and our planet.

The speaker series will be live-streamed from the campus of the Vancouver Unitarians before a small audience. The speakers will appear in person or virtually. Two Vancouver Unitarians will moderate the series – introducing the speakers, leading discussions after each talk, and providing continuity over the course of the full program. The series will include occasional panel discussions of key themes and learnings from what we heard.

We also will be inaugurating the recently refurbished and technologically up-graded Sanctuary of the Unitarian Church. It is recognized as a remarkable mid-twentieth century architectural legacy – a well-received spiritual gathering place and a civic gathering place for events in the arts, public affairs, and discourse on the issues of the day.

Each event will be recorded and posted on the Vancouver Unitarians website for viewing afterwards.