Retreats in Space and Time: A Nine-Day Program on Desert Spirituality, Monasticism, Liturgy and Cultural Heritage in the Holy Land 13 – 21 March 2010

The Evangelische Akademie der Pfalz and Sigtunastiftelsen invite you to join!
Participants of all faith traditions – and none – are welcome to join this experiential study program, exploring the spiritual and cultural traditions of the Judean and Negev Deserts, with focus on the history and current reality of the monastic life and liturgies of living Christian communities – of both East and West – in the Holy Land.
You are welcome also to walk together with us on the “Abraham Path”. This is a people-to-people initiative promoting an understanding of past cultural diversity as a positive model for contemporary societies, in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Lecturers:
Daniel Rossing, Director of the Jerusalem
Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations.
Henry Raphael Carse, leader of experiential study programs in
Desert Spirituality, Contemporary Pilgrimage and Interfaith
Dialogue.
Avner Goren, archaeologist and Director of the Abraham Path
in Israel.
A Nine-Day Program* on Desert
Spirituality, Monasticism, Liturgy and
Cultural Heritage in the Holy Land
13 – 21 March 2010

Programme folder

INFORMATION

Box 57, 193 22 Sigtuna
08 – 592 589 00
www.sigtunastiftelsen.se

For more information about costs etc. and application , please contact one of the course facilitators and co-organizers below, before 13 January 2010:

Tina Haettner Blomquist
Sigtunastiftelsen
tina.haettner.blomquist@sigtunastiftelsen.se

Georg Wenz
Evangelische Akademie der Pfalz
georg.wenz@eapfalz.de

Global CLLT 2009 ended successfully

The 17th global Oikosnet Course for Leadership in Lay Training (CLLT) ended on Friday, November 20th. Participants from Africa, Latin and North America, Asia, and the Middle East got certified as Dialogue for Peacful Change facilitators. Some pictures are here

Oikosnet Asia website online again

The website of Oikosnet's Asian branch, ACISCA/Oikosnet Asia is online again:
http://www.acisca.org/index.html

Orthodox Academy of Crete: International Conference "conSERVATION and sustainable use of wild plant DIVERSITY"

“conSERVATION and sustainable use of wild plant DIVERSITY”

May 5-8, 2010
Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC)

Kolympari, Chania, Greece

“We have to preserve wild plant diversity to sustain and improve life support system on Earth”

Conference goals

At the beginning of the 21st century, habitat alteration, unsustainable harvests, overgrazing, the climate change, the introduction of non-native plants, political indifference and public unawareness are just some of the leading causes of declining wild plant diversity and populations worldwide. It is widely accepted that the Earth is entering a severe ecological crisis and the life support system on our planet is in danger. This international conference on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wild Plant Diversity (CSUWPD) aims at bringing together environmental stake holders, scientists, theologians, scholars, politicians, sociologists, farmers, specialists and amateurs to exchange information and insights to promote actions for supporting botanical activities and for building knowledge about plant conservation and their sustainable use. "CSUWPD" conference addresses the need for a human response to plant diversity loss and unsustainable utilization. It affirms human responsibility for the well being of the Earth and the vast communities of Life. The goal of the conference is to create a multi-disciplinary and international forum for information and knowledge exchange among all friends of plants who are conscious of their responsibility toward a more sustainable future for wild plant diversity and population.

events and scientific programme

The main social event associated with the conference is the inauguration festivities of the new botanic garden of the Museum of Cretan Flora – OAC as well as the international photo competition on the “Beauty of wild plants and fungies in Europe”. Visits to the fabulous gorge of Samaria will be scheduled in addition to the excursion to the splendid sea-side protected area of Elafonisi (NATURA 2000 - GR2540002) in the South-West of Crete. The scientific programme will consist of keynote lectures, selected oral and poster presentations as well as arts exhibitions.

Important dates:

Abstract Submission Deadline: December 30, 2009

Author Notification: February 4, 2010

Final Manuscript Due: April 2, 2010



Further information:

Please check our website: www.oac.gr

Contact person: Dr. Lucas Andrianos

Address; Orthodox Academy of Crete, Museum of Cretan Flora, Kolympari, Chania 73006 Greece

Tel. +30-2824022500; Fax: +30-2824022060

E-mail: oac@otenet.gr or laoac@otenet.gr

Δρ. Λουκάς ΑΝΔΡΙΑΝΟΣ (Lucas A. Andrianos)
Επιστημονικός Συνεργάτης ΙΤΕ-ΟΑΚ (Scientific Collaborator FORTH-OAC)
ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΑΚΑΔΗΜΙΑ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ (Orthodox Academy of Crete)
730 06 ΚΟΛΥΜΠΑΡΙ ΧΑΝΙΩΝ (Kolympari, Chania)
Τηλ (TEL): 28240 22245
Φαξ (FAX): 28240 22060
E-mail: LAoac@otenet.gr
www.oac.gr

ACISCA NEWS FOR OIKOSNET SITE

Dear Oikosnet Friends:

It gives me great pleasure to share our news through this Oikosnet web site. Hope you will find it interesting.

If you are interested in our programs please contact me at: issa.zechariah@gmail.com. You are most welcome.

God bless you.

John Zechariah
Chairman OIKOSNET ASIA/ACISCA
===============================

Brief Report of Dhaka Workshop
 
Theme: Climate Change – Role of Christian NGO's and Churches in Bangladesh
Jointly organized by HOPE Foundation (HF) and ACISCA/Oiksnet Asia
Place: Hope Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Participants: 30
Date: July 13 and 14, 2009
Reported by: Pabon Pritchil

Chairman of HOPE Foundation, Mr. Joyanta Adhikari presented the inaugural message
 
Fist session was conducted by Dr. Dwijen Mallick, - Sociologist- Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) researcher and expert in Climate Change.  Topic of his presentation was "Climate Change impacts and its linkages with poverty, livelihood and development in Bangladesh ". He comprehensively covered and discussed all the issues Dr. Mallicks presentation was comprehensive and straight forward to the point.
 
2nd session conducted by Rev. Martin Adhikary, He presented, Biblical perspective:
 "Climate change and its impact in Bangladesh – Role of Christina NGO's and Churches" He is theology teacher, social leader and writer. Presently, he works for The Leprosy Mission Bangladesh ass Director, Advocacy, Promotion & Spiritual Development. 

In Biblical perspective, he referred Bible chapters and verses and explains the God's desire for His people. He refers and describes chapters & verses from different books of Bible - Psalm 24:1, Acts 17:24, Genesis 1-2, Psalm 1:26-28, 2:19-20, Genesis 9:8-17,  Roams 8:22 and 2nd King 2:17-22.
 
He recommended that Christian NGO's and Churches can play a very vital role in Climate Change in education awareness and mitigation.
 
3rd session conducted by Sudipto Charles Sarker- Consultant of Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) Expert implementer of disaster management for 15 years plus.  The topic he presented was "Climate Change & linkage with disaster in Bangladesh - Role of Christian NGOs and Churches"

 
4th session conducted by Humayun Kabir, Managing Director of Programs Support Professionals Ltd.  The topic he presented was "Climate Change, Awareness & Major impact in Bangladesh" He is grass roots expert in capacity building and training in Climate Change awareness Program
 
 
5th session was group discussion and presentation on the topic "Initiatives Christian NGO's and Churches can take for Climate Change" The group was divided into two for discussion and presentation on the findings.
 
6th sessions Roseline Costa. The   topic of her presentation was: Human Rights violation perspective: "Climate Change and its impact in Bangladesh - Role of Christian NGOs and Churches:
 
In closing she made remarkable recommendation that the responsible people must come out and rescue from this disaster since, because of their pleasure the innocent human race is suffering. And we must act together to face this challenges.
 
Conclusion
 
The workshop had good learning interaction because of like- mind organizations and Churches participation.  Further, they felt good because the title of the workshop has been very situational approach kind of topic. Participants especially thanked ACISCA/Oiksnet Asia and HOPE Foundation for organizing such valuable workshop for greater interest of the Country and Society. They said undoubtedly the leaning will benefit the organization and churches.  Moreover, the facilitators were very resourceful and cordial in their deliberation and resource materials handouts.
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Capacity Building Workshop, Bali, Indonesia
 
Theme: Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Jointly organized by ACISCA and MBM, Bali Indonesia
Date: July 21-23, 2009
Place: Maha Bhoga Marga, Bali, Indonesia
Participants: 40
(As repotted by Rev. Suvama Nengah, MBM, Bali)
 
Important Topics dealt:

1. Disaster Terminology              2. Capacity, Vulnerability and Disaster Risk Analysis
3. Disaster  Management            4. Disaster Risk Alleviation
5. Recognizing Conflict               6. Conflict Analysis Session I, II and III
7. Conflict Management Strategy

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OIKOSNET ASIA/ACISCA programs, September 2009 to October 2010:

1. ACISCA CLLT will be organized in Indonesia (Bali). November 30 to December 9, 2009.

2. Global DPC and CLLT in Bangkok, Thailand. November 5 to 20, 2009

3. Workshop on Composite Heritage in 2009. December 14 to 19, 2009 in Dhaka, Bangladesh

4. Youth Capacity Building training for ACISCA staff, March 2010, ISSA Youth Center, Pune, India

 

5. Workshop on migrant labor, women and children in Asia, July/August 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand

6. National (Asian centers) programs are planed, between September 2009 to October 2010.

 

7. General Assembly and 40th Anniversary of ACISCA in November 2010, Bangkok, Thailand
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Oikosnet centre director elected as new head of UCC Canada

Mardi Tindal, director of Five Oaks (Ontario/CA) was elected head of UCC Canada. Congratulations!
More here

Meet the new president of Oikosnet, Serop Megerditchian (Aleppo/Syria)