This conference was co-sponsored by the Institute for Ecological Civilization and the People for the Earth Forum. The theme of the conference was “Ecological Transformation on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia.” ICEED was asked to give presentations on the role of NGO’s (non-governmental organizations) at the United Nations, in particular of faith-based organizations. In a secular environment such as the UN, traditionally religious NGO’s have had challenges in introducing religious principles and stating their own relevance. However, since the rise of violent extremism globally, the UN has realized the role of religious actors in reconciliation and peace building. Additionally, policy and discussions on sustainable development are often criticized as being “value-less” and too mechanistic. FBO’s (faith-based organizations) and VBO’s (values-based organizations) play an important role in contributing ethics and values to the dialogue, process and policy making.
The conference program can be seen on the Korea Ecociv website: https://ecociv.org/event/international-conference-for-ecozoic-culture-2/