International
Faith
Passionate about the fight against extreme poverty? Apply to the Faiths Act Fellowship
Here’s a great opportunity from our friends at Faiths Act, a collaboration between the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and the Interfaith Youth Core. Faiths Act is a global movement of people of different faiths taking action together against preventable disease and extreme poverty and the program is currently accepting applications for their 2011-2012 fellowship.
The fellowship is a one-year paid program that brings together exceptional future leaders inspired by faith to serve as ambassadors for the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and is open to people in the UK, US, India and Canada between the ages of 20 and 27. Faiths Act Fellows work in local NGOs to mobilize communities to take part in MDG-focused, multi-faith action.
Here’s a video to help explain a little more about the fellowship:
If you’re wondering what your odds are at winning the fellowship, here’s a tip: there are 30 spots available. And we’d LOVE it if a few of our members landed the fellowship. So, apply today or share it with your friends. Good luck!
What gives you hope?
Last week ONE was at its first-ever Ecumenical Church Convention in Germany, which took place in Munich. At our booth, visitors could get information about ONE, become a ONE member or simply come up to us for a chat. Additionally, we asked people to leave a mark – virtually via video message or on our very real ‘post-it note’ wall – and asked them to answer 3 questions:
Our first question “What gives you hope?” pertained directly to the convention’s slogan leading many to name faith in God or the good in people; others draw hope from their family and friends, the sun, the sea or music….
Secondly, we wanted to know “What comes to mind when you think of Africa?” The answer diverged from poverty, HIV and injustice to countryside, music and African culture… It turned out that quite a few of our guests had visited Africa and told us about their experiences.
“Who will win the World Cup”? While some fans put their hopes in Ghana and South Africa, other visitors favoured Spain or the Netherlands. Not surprisingly, most of our visitors seemed to pin their hopes on Germany!
The video messages are all in German, but you can check out our pictures on the ONE Germany Facebook page to get an impression of the Church Convention.
What about you: What gives you hope? What comes to your mind when you think of Africa? And who do you think will win the World Cup?
ONE Sermon Challenge
We’re inviting you to lift up your voice and inspire others to join and act with ONE in the fight against extreme poverty.
The ONE Sermon Challenge, part of ONE Sabbath, invites leaders and members of congregations across the country to create and submit sermons connecting their own faith to these vital issues and lift up the important role of advocacy as an act of faith.
Today we are faced with a global financial crisis in which the world’s poor are the first and most adversely affected. Yet we have proven solutions: Two million people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa receiving lifesaving medicines. Millions of families protected from malaria thanks to simple bed nets. Tens of millions of African children going to school for the first time. and YOU.
Continuing through May, the ONE Sermon Challenge will accept original and inspirational sermons, d’ivrei torah, and khutbas related to global poverty and collect them online at ONE.org. Through the ONE Sermon Challenge, pastors, rabbis, imams and other faith leaders have the chance to share their message to ONE’s millions of members and congregations nationwide, inspiring advocacy and action. At the ONE Sermon Challenge you’ll find inspirational preaching from many traditions, including original Christian, Jewish, and Muslim messages all lifting up a call for action against extreme poverty and treatable, preventable disease.
At the ONE Sermon Challenge you can read Rev. Abby King Kaiser’s inspiring word on the “Work to Do,” download and listen to Rabbi Eric Solomon’s reflections on the role of prophetic leaders like Martin Luther King and Abraham Joshua Heschel, or watch Imam Johari Abdul-Malik’s inspiring Friday khutba on the vital role advocacy plays in fighting global poverty and treatable, preventable disease.
Participants that send us their inspired message will receive a ONE Sabbath Action Pack, resourcing them and their local congregations with next steps to act with ONE.
Last week I caught up with Pastor Eugene Cho, of Quest Church in Seattle, at the Sojourners Mobilization to End Poverty here in Washington DC – he shares his challenge to you to do your part and join the ONE Sermon Challenge:
-Adam Phillips
One World Against Malaria Summit: Interfaith Action
What do Quincy Jones, UN Ambassador Dr. Susan Rice, the Sultan of Sokoto, Nigeria, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, Rabbi David Saperstein, ExxonMobil, Tony Blair Faith Foundation, the First Ladies of Cape Verde and Mozambique, and 8-year old 
They are all acting together in the fight against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
Friday, I attended the “One World Against Malaria Summit” and heard from each of these leaders who are acting together to end malaria deaths by 2015. Presented by the UN Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), the event was the first of its kind, bringing together diverse actors from the worlds of faith, government, NGOs, the arts, and business. The event was led by UN Special Envoy Ray Chambers, and Ed Scott, Chairman of CIFA and one of the founders of DATA.
We can beat malaria. Bed nets to protect against malaria cost only $10 – and they provide “a night of sleeping in paradise,” as one attendee of the event described. Yet, it is estimated that 900,000 people around the world die each year from malaria – 85% of those are children under 5 in Africa. Yesterday’s event outlined the urgent, yet achievable goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.
In a key-note address, Dr. Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, underscored the role of US leadership in ending malaria deaths, offering that it was in “American interests and American values.” She went on to highlighted President Barack Obama’s commitment to the fight through the President’s Malaria Initiative and its $1.2 billion dollar 5-year expansion.
One World Against Malaria Summit: Interfaith Action
What do Quincy Jones, UN Ambassador Dr. Susan Rice, the Sultan of Sokoto, Nigeria, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, Rabbi David Saperstein, ExxonMobil, Tony Blair Faith Foundation, the First Ladies of Cape Verde and Mozambique, and 8-year old
They are all acting together in the fight against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
Friday, I attended the “One World Against Malaria Summit” and heard from each of these leaders who are acting together to end malaria deaths by 2015. Presented by the UN Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty (CIFA), the event was the first of its kind, bringing together diverse actors from the worlds of faith, government, NGOs, the arts, and business. The event was led by UN Special Envoy Ray Chambers, and Ed Scott, Chairman of CIFA and one of the founders of DATA.
We can beat malaria. Bed nets to protect against malaria cost only $10 – and they provide “a night of sleeping in paradise,” as one attendee of the event described. Yet, it is estimated that 900,000 people around the world die each year from malaria – 85% of those are children under 5 in Africa. Yesterday’s event outlined the urgent, yet achievable goal of ending malaria deaths by 2015.
In a key-note address, Dr. Susan Rice, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, underscored the role of US leadership in ending malaria deaths, offering that it was in “American interests and American values.” She went on to highlighted President Barack Obama’s commitment to the fight through the President’s Malaria Initiative and its $1.2 billion dollar 5-year expansion.
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About the Blog
The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
TAGS: Faith, NGO Partners, ONE