Join us for FORUM2022

Register Here

FORUM2022 Program Highlight

Earth Democracy: Sustainability and Justice

Dialogue with Bill McKibben and Dr. Vandana Shiva


Keynote dialogue between Bill McKibben and Dr. Vandana Shiva will expound upon the era of unrestricted capitalism and inspire us to embrace a moral and spiritual perspective for restoring our bio-system.


Bill McKibben is a contributing writer to The New Yorker, and a founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 to work on climate and racial justice. He founded the first global grassroots climate campaign, 350.org, and serves as the Schumann Distinguished Professor in Residence at Middlebury College in Vermont. In 2014 he was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, sometimes called the ‘alternative Nobel,’ in the Swedish Parliament. He's also won the Gandhi Peace Award, and honorary degrees from 19 colleges and universities. He has written over a dozen books about the environment, including his first, The End of Nature, published in 1989, and the forthcoming "The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon: A Graying American Looks Back at his Suburban Boyhood and Wonders What the Hell Happened."


Vandana Shiva, a world-renowned environmental thinker, activist, feminist, philosopher of science, writer and science policy advocate, is the founder of Navdanya Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in India and President of Navdanya International. Trained as a Physicist at the University of Punjab, she completed her Ph.D. on the ‘Hidden Variables and Non-locality in Quantum Theory’ from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. She later shifted to inter-disciplinary research in science, technology and environmental policy, which she carried out at the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore, India. In 1982 she founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (RFSTE), an independent research institute that addresses the most significant problems of ecology of our times, and two years later, Navdanya (‘nine seeds’) the movement in defense of biodiversity and the contributions made to the climate, environment and society by small farmers. The recipient of many awards, including the Right Livelihood Award, (the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’) and the Sydney Peace Prize, she has been named among the top five “Most Important People in Asia” by AsiaWeek. She is a prolific writer and author of numerous books and serves on the board of the International Forum on Globalization, and member of the executive committee of the World Future Council.


October 20, 2022 10am-12:15pm ET Online

The Temple of Understanding 

in collaboration with Marble Collegiate Church present


FORUM2022 Science, Spirituality, Solidarity: 

Weaving Interconnections for Change


FORUM2022 is a call to action on the global crisis facing humanity and all life on planet Earth. Connecting the variable causes of the climate crisis, our speakers bring together ancient wisdom and modern science to address this time of severe destruction, with positive and effective solutions. 


Our dialogue keynote speaker, Dr. Vandana Shiva writes, “Earth Democracy’s success concerns not just the fate and well-being of all humans, but all beings on Earth. It is not about the next protest or the next world social forum ⎯ it is about what we do in-between. It addresses the global in our everyday lives and creates change globally by making change locally. The changes may appear small, but they can be exponential in impact. They are about nature’s evolution and our human potential.”


Dr. Shiva’s dialogue partner, Bill McKibben, Co-founder of 350org, expresses in his book, Falter, “The fight over climate change is ultimately not an argument about infrared absorption in the atmosphere, but about power and money and justice. Given that industry has most of that money and hence most of that power, it usually wins - unless, of course, a movement arises, one capable of changing hearts as well as minds.”


FORUM2022 presents an overview of the many ways climate change is affecting our planet and how each of us individually and collectively can impact current industrial and governmental practices and policies to bring about the rapid restoration of our biosphere. Our presenters from diverse fields such as religion, science, agriculture, ancient and indigenous wisdom, the arts and more, expand upon our intimate relationship with the environment and emphasize the interconnectedness of all life.


Chief Arvol Looking Horse to open FORUM2022

Distinguished 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, Chief Arvol Looking Horse, will open FORUM2022 with traditional Native American Sioux prayers.

Prayers for the Earth

Prayers will be offered for the global ecological crisis by several world religious leaders:

The Rev. Sally Bingham, Canon for the Environment for the Diocese of California, or you can use founder and President Emerita, Interfaith Power and Light. (Christian)   

Pandit Shukla Ji, Hindu Priest, Hindu Samaj Mandir Mahwah, New Jersey (Hindu)

Rabbi David Rosen, KSG CBE, International Director of Interreligious Affairs,

American Jewish Committee (Jewish)

Imam Saffet Catovic, Head of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Office for Interfaith, Community Alliances, and Government Relations.  (Muslim)

TBA, (Buddhist)

Sacred Soil & Sacred Forests

Panelists examine the relationship of ancient knowledge and current scientific thinking, and present practical solutions for the climate crisis. Ray Archuleta, American soil scientist, is joined by Irish botanist and author, Diana Beresford-Kroeger and Kenyan Elizabeth Wathuti, founder of Green Generation Initiative, to discuss the crucial importance of healthy soil and vibrant forests for life on our planet, balancing the climate, harnessing water and sustaining food supplies.

Earth Poetica

A short video will introduce Jerusalem artist Beverly Barkat’s “Earth Poetica,” a phenomenal sculpture constructed from plastic waste collected from around the world, which will be permanently located at New York City’s World Trade Center complex next year.

Caring for our Endangered Oceans and Waterways

Panelists on Caring for our Endangered Oceans and Waterways analyze the many ways to address the trashing of our oceans, create international water policy and tackle ocean warming. Dave Ford, founder of the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network, USA, an activist to industry organization, is joined by David Helvarg, executive director of Blue Frontier and Dr. Kelsey Leonard, citizen of the Shinnecock Nation, who is a water scientist, legal scholar, policy expert, writer, and assistant professor, University of Waterloo, Canada.

Join us at FORUM2022 and be inspired about how you can address climate change! 


Make a donation here for FORUM2022


Please contact Suzy Meszoly, FORUM2022 Director, for any questions regarding the event.


Free Registration Here for FORUM2022
Become a Supporter of the Temple of Understanding and Make a Difference Today!
Your support will impact the lives of others through low or no fee education programs, advocacy efforts, and the development of events that educate the mind and touch the heart.
The Temple of Understanding is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 13-1935186) and all donations are tax deductible.
Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  
Support the TOU Today!
Sign up for the TOU Newsletter