,

At each of our previous Convenings, we have adopted a Statement or Declaration capturing the commitment and passion of those assembled. As with most meetings or conventions, these statements were often drafted by a smaller group, with little real input from the larger assembly. Convening Virtually gives us an opportunity to create more engagement in developing the statement and the opportunity to be more creative in the presentation.

At the close of this note you will find a link [below] to a proposed VISUAL STATEMENT on which we seek your engagement and endorsement. When you click on the link you will be taken to a website that allows you to control the statement, to consider it at your own pace, to focus as long as you would like on particular words or images, and to move backward and forward in the statement. We hope you will find that the images amplify the words and that the words echo the passion and emotions generated by the images, without need for a sound track or voice over.

Our Call to Action

First, we seek your comments and reflections on the Visual Statement; tell us what you think – what your reaction is by emailing us at powrstatement@parliamentofreligions.org. We’ll capture your comments to be part of the presentation of the Visual Statement on our website, together with any images that you would like to share. These will also become part of the permanent record of the 2021 Convening and the Statement.

Second, we invite you to personally endorse the Statement in a specific, action-oriented way. After watching the statement, please consider making a change in your life in response to the challenges we face, and send us a description of that commitment.

Finally, we ask you to share the Visual Presentation with others – and to have a conversation with someone you love about the challenges we face and what we can each do in response to the challenges facing our world.

Respectfully,
Nitin Ajmera, Chair, Parliament of the World’s Religions
David Hales, Chair, PoWR Climate Action Task Force