The world is currently in permanent crisis mode. Climate crisis, war, energy shortages, economic crisis, social divisions in society, streams of refugees, etc. are coming to a head.
This hits young adults particularly hard - because it's about their future and concerns them in a phase of life in which they are already severely challenged by career choice, finding their identity and life planning. The big question is "How can I be happy in a world that is on fire?"
The "Bachelor of Being" is a five-month orientation period and school of life for young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, regardless of origin and previous education. Every winter, 25 young people live as a community for five months at Gut Kragenhof near Kassel to devote themselves to the essential questions of life.
The project offers them a broad, holistic range of educational opportunities in the fields of philosophy, ethics, psychology, culture, nature, craftsmanship, democracy, business and sustainability, but also plenty of space and time for in-depth self-exploration, implementation of own and joint projects, reflection and coaching.
Philosopher and mindfulness coach Wolf Schneider guides the participants and accompanies them in regular morning meditations in silence, mindful walking, mindful eating and working. In addition, the young adults are familiarized with metta meditation from Theravada Buddhism and tonglen from Tibetan Buddhism in order to develop a feeling of connectedness with all living beings.
February 13th - 16th, 2024 BIOFACH trade fair Nürnberg
"vegan organic farming"
The association for biocyclic vegan cultivation e.V. is a broad association of dedicated private individuals, companies and institutions from agriculture, production, trade and science as well as organizations that campaign for animal rights and a vegan lifestyle in German-speaking countries.
Its aim is to promote circular organic farming without commercial farm and slaughter animal husbandry and without the use of fertilizers of animal origin such as liquid manure, dung and slaughterhouse waste such as blood and horn meal.
The fertilization is purely plant-based and the development of healthy soil fertility and resilient agro-ecosystems is promoted by active soil life and biodiversity.
The association advises companies on converting to the biocyclic vegan cultivation method, accompanies research projects on the targeted formation of humus and sensitizes the public to the advantages of this type of cultivation.
Animals' Angels accompanies a transport of lambs in Morocco. Again the animals come from Spain, again it is the same transport company with the same drivers whom they accompanied two days before. Once again they document that the transport regulations are not being adhered to: the trucks are overloaded and the lambs are crowded together. No place for them to lie down. Again, there is no food for them on board, even though they are being transported over such a long distance. Again the drinking troughs are not accessible to the lambs. And again the transport times for the animals are unnecessarily extended and the drivers' driving and rest times are ignored.
These lamb transports show once again that once they leave the EU border, no one controls what happens to the animals on the way. And they once again highlight the serious grievances that already exist in the EU. How can it be that veterinary offices still allow animals to be transported over such long distances, overloaded, without access to water and without food on board? Animals' Angels will not give up and will continue to report the problems and fate of the animals on transport to the offices of the responsible authorities.
Environmental destruction, hunger and climate crisis have long been a reality worldwide.
At the same time, agriculture bears responsibility for preserving our livelihoods, must reduce emissions, preserve biodiversity and protect soil and water.
But the federal government is leaving farmers alone in the crisis. They can no longer manage environmental and animal protection as long as these are not adequately rewarded either by the market or by politics.
Low producer prices, unfairly distributed agricultural subsidies from the EU and cuts in development cooperation are pushing farmers worldwide to their limits - economically, but also physically and mentally.
In addition, genetic engineering and patents increase the dependence of our farmers on large agricultural corporations and the high use of pesticides leads to a dramatic loss of biodiversity.
The "my agriculture alliance therefore demands:
The coalition must finally finance the climate-friendly restructuring of animal husbandry, clearly oppose the deregulation of genetic engineering law and not allow patents on plants and animals and their genetic properties.
The alliance also calls for a no to glyphosate in Germany and the EU, to tackle pesticide reduction, to support farmers financially and to finally ban exports of pesticides banned in the EU!
Saturday, 20 January 2024 | 12 noon | Willy-Brandt-Haus | Berlin
2023
November 2023 Bellevue di Monaco
"open sewing workshop for female refugees"
The 'Open Sewing Workshop for Refugee Women' continues to be an extremely well-used offer at Bellevue di Monaco.
New women from different cultures keep coming forward to sew, learn to sew or find connection and support.
Thanks to funding from the Intersein Foundation in the year of the first lockdown in 2020, it was even possible to create an independent upcycling studio in which particularly qualified women from the sewing workshop found work.
Participation and daily structure thus favor their integration into our society.
September 29 - October 01., 2023 Symposium at the Evangelischen Akademie Tutzing
Climate crisis, self-care and radical compassion
We are living in challenging times. The alienation of mankind from the earth and its beings is evident in the ecological crisis. Social inequality and injustice cause a rupture in the cohesion of all. The narrative that one day our children will be "better off" than their parents is turning into its opposite. Many people react to this with fear, sadness, despair and anger.
And yet: Instead of resigning and repressing, instead of withdrawing or fleeing into consumer worlds, more and more people worldwide, especially young people, are engaged in environmental protection, peace and justice. Some try creative forms of protest and civil disobedience; others to realize alternative concepts to the exploitation of earth and people with solidarity and sustainable forms of life. Still others are working for social-ecological transformation in journalism, science, politics, business or education.
Political and personal commitment in times of massive crises is challenging - and often overwhelming. It is emotionally draining and demands a high level of frustration tolerance and patience despite the existential threats to our civilization.
How can we learn to be with "climate feelings" such as fear, sadness and anger and to use their power for the upcoming transformation of our society?
How can we be politically active - and remain so, while respecting our own limits and thus avoiding an activism burnout?
How can commitment, self-care, and radical compassion for other beings be rebalanced over and over again?
At the conference we want to pursue and trace these central questions with keynote speeches and workshops. Together we will learn regenerative practices and strengthen our connection with the earth and other people and beings through exercises from deep ecology, among other things. A framework of physical and mindfulness practices will help us experience stability and grounding.
"Against Discrimination and for Gender Justice: Empowering Adivasi Women in Jharkhand"
Shramajivi Mahila Samity (SMS), partner organization of Action for World Solidarity, works in rural areas with marginalized women and girls who are denied rights and opportunities under a patriarchal society. They are low-income, daily wage-dependent migrant women and girls in Jharkhand state in north-eastern India.
As part of this project, SMS wants to empower women in the project region to use laws to create awareness and demand rights. In order to empower the women, SMS wants to organize activities to involve and advise women in the project, using different methods and traditional knowledge and skills.
For this purpose, regular meetings of the women's groups take place.
110 women from 10 women's groups in 5 villages formulate an orientation and strategy plan for the problems and issues of the workers.
All women's groups in the 5 villages receive training on the rights of working women, violence against women, women's safety and access to resources.
In 2 training sessions, the women's groups will learn practices on how to integrate more equality in the community and their everyday life, such as addressing gender issues in village government meetings, expanding collective farming, educating girls and accessing healthy groceries.
The goals of the project, protection of women, women's empowerment and promotion of climate and environmental protection correspond to the concerns of the Intersein Foundation.
21. May - 02. July 2023 Plum Village - Online Retreat
"Zen and the Art of Savíng the Planet"
Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, renowned for his powerful teachings and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace. A gentle, humble monk, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called him "an Apostle of peace and nonviolence when nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Exiled from his native Vietnam for almost four decades, Thich Nhat Hanh has been a pioneer bringing Buddhism and mindfulness to the West, and establishing an engaged Buddhist community for the 21st Century.
The book "Zen and the Art of Savng the Planet" was published in 2021 and contains Thich Nhat Hanh's powerful teachings on deep ecology, committed action, community building and collective awakening.
Edited by his senior students, the book offers his most inspirationaland timely teachings for the next generation and his guidance for how to sustain our efforts to help society and the planet without burning out.
The Plum Village community has developed an online course based on "Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet" that delivers Thay's teachings in a new way.
Being online the course will reach a scale that other retreats have not been able to reach, will appeal to new audiences - younger and more diverse and will allow learning as a community and be sustainable.
The world is currently in permanent crisis mode. Climate crisis, war, energy shortages, economic crisis, social divisions in society, streams of refugees, etc. are coming to a head.
This hits young adults particularly hard - because it's about their future and concerns them in a phase of life in which they are already severely challenged by career choice, finding their identity and life planning. The big question is "How can I be happy in a world that is on fire?"
The "Bachelor of Being" is a five-month orientation period and school of life for young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, regardless of origin and previous education. Every winter, 25 young people live as a community for five months at Gut Kragenhof near Kassel to devote themselves to the essential questions of life.
The project offers them a broad, holistic range of educational opportunities in the fields of philosophy, ethics, psychology, culture, nature, craftsmanship, democracy, business and sustainability, but also plenty of space and time for in-depth self-exploration, implementation of own and joint projects, reflection and coaching.
Philosopher and mindfulness coach Wolf Schneider guides the participants and accompanies them in regular morning meditations in silence, mindful walking, mindful eating and working. In addition, the young adults are familiarized with metta meditation from Theravada Buddhism and tonglen from Tibetan Buddhism in order to develop a feeling of connectedness with all living beings.
"Housing, Mediation and Education for Refugees (HoMER)”
The situation for refugees in Athens is very difficult, often even catastrophic.
The government's Estia Housing project will be completely shut down by the end of the year. This means that around 27,000 apartments in which refugees were previously housed will be lost throughout Greece. Many of these apartments are located in Athens. People are thrown out on the street with little notice, whether they have somewhere to stay or not.
This also applies to pregnant women, single women with children and families.
The principle of maximum severity against refugees is intended to act as a deterrent and lead to emigration to other countries.
There is also a lack of food, clothing, medicine and other basic needs, and hunger is widespread. Those who have to live under such circumstances are exposed to a hard daily struggle for survival. Learning something and promoting integration into society is impossible under such circumstances.
This is where the Meaalofa Foundation project started in spring 2020.
HoMER mainly supports single women, mothers and families with small children by providing living space.
Two full-time social workers and one volunteer, all of whom can speak Greek, look after the detainees.
In addition to accommodation, educational opportunities are provided and support for dealing with authorities, medical problems and legal advice.
Clothing and everyday necessities, above all food and hygiene products, are made available via a network of NGOs.
February 2023 Animals' Angels
"we are there with the animals"
The bedrock of Animals Angels work is their solidarity with suffering animals. At the centre of their beliefs stands their motto: "We are there with the animals. That is the source of our dedication and our strength."
Animals Angels is internationally regarded as a well-qualified specialist organisation with a high ethical profile, known to official bodies, political groups and the haulage industry as well as to other animal protection organisations.
After 15 years of activity they have gained extensive knowledge of the field and expertise. Their teams conduct on-the-spot investigations at slaughterhouses, ports, holding areas, border control points and animal markets and they are constantly on the road, following the transport lorries. The documented results of their missions - reports, photographs and video footage are handed over to relevant authorities and used to lodge judicial complaints, make reports to the police or instigate further legal measures. Their information is accepted as reliable and serious.
Animals Angels is in constant touch with veterinary authorities, the police and influential political decision-makers in Europe and beyond. As a result, they can negotiate in the name of animals at the highest level.
Because the welfare and dignity of our fellow creatures, the right to an unscathed and happy life is a primary concern of the "Intersein Foundation", we promote the work of Animals' Angels throughout the year.
Far too little rain, dry soils and poor harvests - the climate crisis is also becoming increasingly threatening in our country. The logic of growth and wrong political decisions are responsible for the overheating of the planet and the dramatic extinction of species. Many farms have to close down, while large animal factories continue to be approved. Hunger is growing worldwide, and even in this country many people no longer know how to fill their refrigerators.
"We are fed up with corporations that make their business with hunger in the world! Investment funds earn money from speculation on rising food prices. Agricultural, food and fertilizer corporations report horrendous profits in the crisis. Supermarket chains with massive market power turn the price screws. Corporations like Bayer want to bring agro-genetic engineering to our fields and plates. We are fed up with all this!
We are fighting for a social-ecological transformation. It is the answer to the many crises. One thing is clear: without a change in agriculture and nutrition, we will miss the 1.5-degree target and thus global climate justice. All people must be able to afford healthy food. Farms, bakeries and the food trade need fair prices."
The "We're fed up" alliance is back on the streets!
Demonstration: 21. Januar 2023 | 12 Uhr | Brandenburger Tor | Berlin
2022
October 2022 EcoSattva Training
"Solidarity with Life"
With its desperate impacts on already marginalized human communities, the rise in our planets temperature is one of many dramatic ecological shifts underway. We bear witness to an unintended and tragic loss in global species diversity, the web of Earthly life eons in the making. It is as if countless gems in Indras Net are going dark.
Is it any wonder that our human hearts shake with grief, anger, and fear? Still, even amid so much loss, endless ecological wealth and potential remains. The living Earth community, including of course humanity, calls for restoration.
The radical proposition of the EcoSattva Training is that we are not relegated to helpless bystanders in this unfolding. By turning towards this difficult reality, supported by mindfulness, wisdom, practices, and community, we will discover the power to choose both our experience and our response. We can act on behalf of and in solidarity with life.
The EcoSattva Training has been specifically designed to support self-paced and self-scheduled participation, with core video teachings, contemplations, and inquiries. Participate as an individual or member of a small group and then, once a month, join all participants in our live gathering to connect with the global community of EcoSattvas-in-training.
The "Open Sewing Workshop for Refugee Women" continues to be one of the most popular workshop offerings at Bellevue di Monaco.
There is constant interest from up to 30 women who would like to participate. Thanks to a WhatsApp group (the preferred messenger service), participation can be organised, around 6 to 7 workspaces can be offered.
It is still possible to maintain a certain fluctuation, so that the offer is accessible to as many women as possible.
Some come a little more consistently and help by supporting the group.
Contacts also develop outside the workshop, which is one of the core ideas of the project in the first place!
So they continue to happily improvise, thanks to the reliable support of the Intersein Stiftung now in its seventh year!
01. - 08. July 2022 Plum Village - Wake Up Retreat
"Wake Up Humanity 2022"
"to bring peace in the world,
we need to start with peace in ourselves."
Dear beloved young friends,
We are so happy that conditions are sufficient for us to gather once more in Plum Village for time together in nature, to heal and to restore ourselves in this special retreat for young mindfulness practitioners aged 18-35.
We will have a week-long retreat from 1-8 July where we we will welcome many hundreds of you, especially from Europe, to enjoy live Dharma talks, sitting meditations, walking meditations, living together joyfully, simply, and happily. There will be time for hikes, listening to one another, bonfires, and touching a spiritual dimension in our life.
Please spread the word with your friends and be sure to book early as we still have to limit the number of places.
We hope to see you all for this legendary gathering of our spiritual family!
20. - 22. May 2022 Symposium at the Evangelischen Akademie Tutzing
"The big picture - and we in the middle of it, life in the Anthropocene"
Disturbing news about climate change, species extinction and social division make it more and more difficult for us to orientate ourselves and to recognize in which ways we can act meaningfully and in a sustainable manner.
The current pandemic is paralyzing everything and it is still unclear whether it is just a temporary crisis in global coexistence and economic activity, or whether it heralds a new era with a completely new form of "normality".
In view of the sheer scale and complexity of the challenges, but also in view of the impression that the economy, society and politics are failing in overcoming the climate crisis, we often feel powerless, overwhelmed and disappointed.
The conference is intended to create a space to discuss the current change in the relationship between humanity and the earth in the Anthropocene and to experience it in practice-oriented formats. It wants to encourage participants to perceive themself as a living part of the earth and to embrace their own creative power with hope, without overburdening themself with the claim to "save the world".
The German-Greek human rights organisation Equal Rights Beyond Borders assists refugees in Greece and across the globe. They provide legal support in refugee camps and along the borders, helping people who have no access to legal support because they live in lawless zones.
The organization stands with refugees and asylum seekers in the fight against degrading living conditions on the Greek mainland and in the EU hotspot camps on the islands.
Human beings should be treated like human beings, shouldn't have to live in filth, shouldn't be arbitrarily imprisoned, shouldn't be deported to war zones without due process. Equal Rights Beyond Borders ensures that human rights violations are addressed in individual cases and beyond, and that those who violate human rights are held accountable.
With an international team of lawyers and interpreters, legal means are used to defend and protect the dignity and equality of every human being, regardless of their individual status.
March 2022 association for biocyclic vegan cultivation e.V.
"how to simply switch to biocyclic vegan"
The association for biocyclic vegan cultivation e.V. is a broad association of dedicated private individuals, companies and institutions from agriculture, production, trade and science as well as organizations that campaign for animal rights and a vegan lifestyle in German-speaking countries.
Its aim is to promote circular organic farming without commercial farm and slaughter animal husbandry and without the use of fertilizers of animal origin such as liquid manure, dung and slaughterhouse waste such as blood and horn meal.
The fertilization is purely plant-based and the development of healthy soil fertility and resilient agro-ecosystems is promoted by active soil life and biodiversity.
The association advises companies on converting to the biocyclic vegan cultivation method, accompanies research projects on the targeted formation of humus and sensitizes the public to the advantages of this type of cultivation.
4.- 6. February 2022 Retreat for young adults at Benediktushof
"Climate Crisis.Mindful.Action."
The man-made climate crisis is the social challenge of the 21st century.
The facts have been known for a long time, yet at the political and individual level, necessary changes are only hesitantly initiated. It is the young generation of activists who have brought the urgency of the crisis into the mainstream consciousness.
But climate activism can become stressful for many reasons and lead to activism burnout. This is where the practice of mindfulness can promote resilience in order to remain sustainable.
It's about engaging with a deeper level of processing and accepting rather than repressing feelings such as anger, fear or powerlessness. If this can be done, these feelings can become a source of strength and motivation.
In this seminar, led by the psychologist and Zen student Constanze Meyer, who is herself active in Psychologists for Future, we will explore the question of how sustainable activism can succeed without exceeding one's own stress limits.
In impulse lectures, small and large group work, mindfulness exercises and meditations, a mindful approach to climate feelings will be practised so that one's own engagement can become meaningful and deeply satisfying.
A lack of animal welfare is an international problem, all countries are struggling with it. Even those who have animal welfare laws, for example for the transport of animals.
Animals Angels is therefore active in Europe and around the world, including at the Birqash camel market, one of the largest in Egypt.
Most of the animals come from Sudan and have had an extremely long and arduous journey. They were transported across the country on trucks. For days they are on the move, cooped up with their legs tied together, like lifeless parcels.
When they arrive at the market, the starved and thirsty animals expect blows and kicks. When they are finally sold, their ordeal continues.
Most camels are transported to the slaughterhouse in pick-ups or small vans. The loads are horrific, the animals are pushed and beaten into the vehicles with no loading ramps and space.
In the midst of all the brutality, Animals' Angels has been trying to set an example for some time. With young veterinarians from Egypt they educate the local people and help the camels as best they can.
Agriculture is in the middle of a crisis. In the climate crisis, the effects of which can be felt worldwide. In the crisis of biodiversity, in which habitats are destroyed every day and insects become extinct. And in the crisis of farm inheritance: More and more farmers are giving up because they are getting ruinous prices for their food.
With the new government there must be a fresh start in agricultural and food policy!
In future, the following must apply: Those who produce good food must receive political support; those who want to produce sustainably and in a species-appropriate manner should and must receive help.
Follow-up costs for the environment and climate must be visible in the food price. At the same time, those who cannot afford these food prices need government support.
The "We're fed up" alliance is back on the streets!
Demonstration: 22. Januar 2022 | 12 Uhr | Kanzleramt | Berlin
2021
October 2021 One Earth Sangha
"EcoSattva Training"
Climate change is happening all around us and many of its compounding effects cannot be stopped, let alone reversed.
While evidence of the looming crisis is accumulating here and now, the grief, fear, and helplessness we experience place a serious burden on daily life. We don't know what's coming, but we live at a crucial time, at a turning point.
The latest version of the EcoSattva training has been developed to support participants in this unprecedented challenge with new insights from the Dharma and the growing field of climate psychology.
The course will begin at the level of experience, a good place to start given our pervasive stress. Climate psychologists are demonstrating that these crises are traumatizing, with the attendant adaptations to trauma showing up in both our individual and collective defenses. We will spend time in this course understanding that dynamic and then bring in specific Dharma and trauma-informed practices that can soothe our eco-stressed bodies, hearts and minds, so that we can actively and creatively love this life. Deeply rooted and thoroughly engaged, we can thus find the most authentic and helpful response to the ecological crisis that is available to us.
The term "EcoSattva" is a blend of "eco" or "ecology" and "Boddhisattva," an enlightened being who is totally dedicated to the freedom and well-being of others.
One Earth Sangha has developed this online training to illuminate ecological crises from the perspective of Buddhist teachings and to find an "appropriate response" in practice deeply rooted in the Dharma.
"I am deeply convinced that your generation is capable of transforming the new century into a century of peace and dialogue,
that you are capable of uniting humanity once again,
with itself and with its environment." H.H. the XIV. Dalai Lama. "An Appeal by the Dalai Lama to the World"
The Tibetische Zentrum e. V. is a registered non-profit association for Buddhist teachings in theory and practice, and for the promotion of non-violence and tolerance. It was founded in Hamburg in 1977 under the patronage of H. H. the 14th Dalai Lama.
The intention of the organisation is to convey an authentic Dharma and, at the same time, also to contribute to a secular culture of compassion, tolerance and dialogue in accordance with the Dalai Lama's special inspiration.
Thus, the Tibetische Zentrum is ceaselessly engaged in making Buddhist spiritual training available to as many people as possible in various ways, e.g. through studies, seminars, retreats, lectures and meditation offerings, but also to participate in interfaith forums and to engage socially in Sangha and refugee aid.
Since March 2020, the Centre, like most institutions around the world, has had a significant loss of income due to the Corona-related restrictions on events, but has still endeavoured to offer online courses and meditations, which for many people has been an important contribution to supporting their daily structure during these stressful times.
"Warriors of the forest, indigenous women against illegal logging and large-scale projects"
The Guerreiras da Floresta belong to the 600 indigenous Guajajara who live sedentarily in villages in the Caru protected area in the federal state of Maranho. Each family cultivates between 1.5 and 3 hectares of land and grows food for their own needs.
The protected area is severely threatened by illegal logging. Loggers enter to cut precious woods or to clear land for large landowners to create new pasture or arable land. Settlers from surrounding villages also set fires to obtain charcoal.
In the village of Maaranduba, the group of "warriors of the forest" consists of 32 women who want to defend the remaining forest and their traditional way of life at all costs.
The situation is serious: the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Victoria Tauli- Corpaz had already warned in 2016 of the risk of ethnocide against Brazil's indigenous peoples.
Under the government of President Bolsonaro, the situation is getting worse and worse. New laws are intended to facilitate access to indigenous lands and prevent the designation of new territories. Intimidation and murders of leading activists are on the rise.
To strengthen the indigenous communities of Amazonia, ASW partner FAOR has brought together all those threatened by hydropower projects, mining and infrastructure works. Together they consult on the situation, which is increasingly threatening to their survival, and develop new self-defence strategies.
The goals of the project, protection of women, women's empowerment and promotion of climate and environmental protection correspond to the concerns of the Intersein Foundation.
15. July 2021 Buddha-Talk: Bhikkhu Bodhi in Discussion with David Loy
"Buddhist responses to a world in crisis"
In this Buddha Talk Special, the author and activist David Loy and the venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi, a Buddhist monk and scholar who advocates more climate justice and peaceful solutions to social conflicts, discuss the challenges of a world in crisis.
The global community today faces major challenges. We witness increasing economic inequality, surges in ethnic and racial violence, climate change and other forms of environmental destruction, and a rise of authoritarian governments.
These are issues with deep ethical implications, yet compared to Western theistic religions, the Buddhist response has, with some exceptions, been relatively muted.
What are the reasons for this?
Does Buddhism actually have resources in its inherited traditions to address these challenges, resources we are just not aware of?
Or does Buddhism need to transform itself, to bring forth unrealized potentials within its own body of teachings, if it is to contribute active solutions to today's crises?
And if so, could there be any inherent dangers for the Buddhism that we practice?
We look forward to a lively discussion of these and other questions in this special event.
Against the background of the refugee crisis and a month-long debate about urban vacancies in Munich, an action alliance was created in the summer of 2014 that wanted to bring the topic of flight and migration from collective accommodation on the outskirts to the heart of the city.
Supported by the impressive atmosphere at the Munich mass demonstrations against Pegida around the turn of the year 2014/2015, a social cooperative was founded in March 2015 with the aim of establishing an accommodation and cultural center for unaccompanied young refugees and interested Munich residents: the Bellevue di Monaco eG.
Since the completion of the renovation and the move into the last apartments in the summer of 2018, the Bellevue has offered around 40 people accommodation, as well as a central point of contact on the subject of flight and migration with its advisory services, its event rooms and a large cultural program.
Today it is more important than ever to enable the refugees to arrive pragmatically, calmly and humanely. The Bellevue di Monaco provides the space for this - and also a forum for debates in which the entire urban society grapples with future issues such as flight and migration, exclusion and immigration, extremism and populism.
"Improving the living conditions of Dalit women through joint ecological agriculture "
The term Dalit is the common name given to the descendants of the Indian natives who, according to the religious-dogmatic distinction in Hinduism, are considered "untouchables".
The Odisha region is hit by floods almost every year, which forces the poor in particular to fight for survival. Planting and harvesting goals are becoming increasingly unpredictable and nutrition is often not guaranteed. The men migrate up to 6 months a year to Delhi or Kerala. Meanwhile, the women left behind face the daily problems of family nutrition, health care and education issues alone. Government aid does not reach these people in sufficient quantities, especially due to the powerful caste structures.
In view of these problems, the project focuses on the economic and social empowerment of women. 400 women from the Dalit communities will learn how climate-resilient crop cultivation works. The aim is to empower women by getting together in groups and supporting each other in learning processes. This will enable them to pursue their interests together, secure their own livelihood and create a platform against violence against women.
The goals of the project, protecting and empowering women and promoting climate resilience and ecological cultivation methods correspond to the goals of the Intersein Foundation.
24. - 28. February 2021 Plum Village - online retreat on mindful activism
"Action from the Heart"
"Theres a revolution that needs to happen and it starts from inside each one of us. We need to wake up and fall in love with Earth. Our personal and collective happiness and survival depends on it." Thich Nhat Hanh
Many of us are wholeheartedly and tirelessly engaged to create a better world through peace, climate and social justice activism in different ways. Because we work with dedication and in often challenging environments, we are facing the risk of burn-out or experience frustration and despair. How can we be engaged and face suffering, and still take good care of ourselves and our happiness? This is where the practice of mindfulness can help us.
In this retreat well explore how to truly listen to our hearts, restore balance and harmony in our life, and find the strength and inspiration we need so that we can reinforce our deep aspiration to achieve the change we want to see, and be a stable refuge for those who need us. We will hear talks from teachers from Plum Village as well as some sharings from people who already practice "mindful activism", take part in circle-sharing and connect to our community of like-minded friends from around the world.
Action from the Heart:
An Online Retreat with Plum Village Monastics www.youtube.com
In 2011 the campaign "my agriculture launched the demonstration "We are fed-up .
Farmers, conventional and organic, nature- environmental and animal rights activists, engaged young people and critical citizens take to the streets together to campaign for an agricultural and food policy that is suitable for our grandchildren.
There must be a real change in politics in the super election year of 2021!
The demands include:
-> Support farmers in converting their agriculture!
-> Stop animal factories - reduce the number of animals!
-> Fight the climate crisis - reduce meat consumption & secure healthy grounds!
-> stop pesticides & genetic engineering - protect health & insects!
-> EU-Mercosur agreement in the bin - human rights instead of free trade agreements!
Demonstration: 16. Januar 2020 | 12 Uhr | Kanzleramt | Berlin
2020
October 2020 Plum Village
"mindfulness & engaged Buddhism"
Plum Village is a global community of mindfulness practice centres offeringretreatsand teachings onengaged Buddhism andthe art of mindful living, founded by Zen MasterThich Nhat Hanh.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, Plum Village has to remain closed to visitors and is not allowed to host any public retreats.
Mindfulness practice, however, is needed more than ever!
In society, much of our suffering comes from feeling disconnected from one another. Each person lives separately, cut off from the support of the community, especially in these times, in which "social distancing" has been imposed.
Many people are suffering from loneliness, fear and anxiety, which is why the Plum Village monastics are actively offering online retreats and dharma sharing groups to support the practice of mindfulness, transmit teachings, and to cultivate and promote a deep sense of connectedness, of interbeing.
Our society faces a multitude of social and ecological challenges:
Progressive and visible climate change, loss of biodiversity, increasing global and national social inequality are just a few examples.
Founded in 2017 from the Netzwerk Plurale Ökonomik e.V., the Institute for Sustainable Economies (ZOE) is a non-profit think & do tank dedicated to the dissemination and implementation of strategies for an economy within social and planetary boundaries.
Kate Raworth's model of the donut economy aims to create an economic construct in which both ecological and social aspects are the core criteria for the orientation of the economic system of the future.
While the outer circle of the doughnut marks the ecological limits that cannot be exceeded, the inner part represents the social foundation. This creates a memorable and strong image that consistently thinks together what belongs together:
humans, economy and nature.
Social, economic and ecological.
The Institute for Future-Fit Economies wants to further develop this model and translate it for application in civil society practice in order to promote the protection of the environment as well as a new awareness of the human rights dimension of economic activity.
The Bellevue di Monaco is a social cooperative that operates a residential and cultural center for refugees in the center of Munich.
The houses serve as a place of education and meetings with a focus on integration and international understanding.
Thanks to the promotion of the Intersein Foundation, the commitment of the open sewing workshop for refugee women could be expanded in such a way, that some women, who have worked professionally as dressmakers in their countries of origin, will be given an employment contract. In this way, they can work in their learned profession and slowly build up their own existence.
The open sewing workshop has developed into a very popular and frequented offer, the Bellevue can no longer be imagined without it.
"Help for persecuted Tibetans and protection of Tibetan culture"
The situation in Tibet has deteriorated increasingly in recent years. With numerous laws, regulations and measures, the Chinese government is massively restricting human rights.
In so-called "patriotic re-education measures", Tibetans are systematically forced to deny their language, their religion, the teachings and the person of the 14th Dalai Lama and their millennia-old culture. Monasteries such as Larung Gar are destroyed and nuns and monks are expelled.
People who no longer tolerate the growing repression by the Chinese authorities and peacefully stand up for their rights are threatened with arrest, torture and death.
The International Campaign for Tibet demands an immediate end to repression and the protection of Tibetan culture from the Chinese government.
To achieve this, they are increasing pressure on China in talks with governments and before the UN to end the oppression of Tibetans and demand that China comply with international agreements. They inform the public and, for example, petition for the release of unjustly imprisoned people who have claimed their right to religious freedom in Tibet.
frau-kunst-politik.de is organizing the exhibition "Women - between Disguise and Revelation" for the International Women's Day 2020.
The aim of this art project is to contribute to the social and political shaping of our future by illuminating current topics from different perspectives and encouraging viewers to critically reflect.
In their works, the participating artists deal with the question of whether girls and women in Muslim societies are really subject to strict religious rules, whether their bodies are only perceived as objects of desire and therefore have to be covered with headscarves, jilbab, chador or burqa, and on the other hand, what about western patriarchy? What is the life situation of girls and women in Christian-Jewish societies? How are girls and women perceived here, how do they perceive themselves?
Gudrun Nositschk, a researcher of women's topics, states, that the western patriarchy is misogynistic and has shifted its fields of activity from religion to the commodity market of capital. By this she means that everything can and may be marketed, including the bodies of girls and women.
This is the dramatic tension in which girls and women stand.
The art project wants to encourage a debate that does not exclude cultures, traditions and religions, but also discusses grievances and exposes the often serious taboos that violate human rights.
Through their work the artists express the examination of their cultural roots, prejudices, traditions, rituals and discourses. In this way, visitors can see, perceive and empathize with everything they have lived, felt or thought in pictures, sculptures, films, installations, readings and music.
"Shaping and changing the world: Ethics, social action and spirituality"
In the face of a climate change that has already occurred, the polluted oceans, growing migration and all the news reaching us daily through the media, we must ask ourselves fundamental questions:
Can we develop together the ability for a new social and environmentally compatible action?
Could new perspectives emerge in spite of the daily flood of bad news, which could lead us deeper into ourselves, give an appropriate measure to globalisation and let new ideas emerge?
And could an enlightened ethic and a contemporary spirituality offer stability and orientation instead of experienced helplessness?
These and other questions will be explored in workshops, lectures and the exchange among each other, as well as in the silence of meditation.
The camps for students and apprentices want to promote a mindful self-awareness and a conscious lifestyle. They are held twice a year (spring and autumn) for more than 100 participants each at the Benediktushof in Holzkirchen.
"Wherever an animal is forced into the service of man, the suffering it endured concerns us all."
Albert Schweitzer
Whoever gets involved with the fate of the animals for slaughter becomes a witness of brutality and destruction on an unimaginable scale. The modern agro-business calculates with what animals can just endure without dying. The suffering takes place under exclusion of the public.
In the EU alone, around 3.8 million animals are transported every day. That is 1.4 billion animals a year. As in all sectors of the economy, money is at stake. The transport of animals goes where the highest profits come from. In the agricultural industry, work steps are separated, breeding, husbandry and fattening are concentrated where feed and labour costs are low.
The longer an animal transport lasts, the more the animals suffer.
Christa Blanke, theologian and founder of Animals' Angels, and her team are there when cow, pig, sheep, horse and chicken are transported to their slaughter.
They know that they can neither prevent the transport nor the death of the animals, their concern is to be with the individual animal, to ease its distress, to show love and compassion and stay with it until the end.
Christa Blanke: "God didn't leave the animals, I'll make sure they know."
Industrial agriculture has fatal consequences: indiscriminate use of pesticides is killing insects; the overuse of slurry and fertilisers pollutes our water; rainforests burn for the production of GM soy feed used in factory farms; cheap exports flood markets in the global South and deprive farmers of their livelihoods. Agro-industry is heating up the planet and fuelling social conflict - lets stop this now!
2020 can make or break the transition to sustainable, climate-friendly farming:
EU agricultural reforms will determine whether billions of EU subsidies will fund the transition towards sustainable farming or accelerate insect loss and climate change. A German veto against the EU-Mercosur trade deal could help curb the Amazon fires. Time is ticking and yet politicians are stalling.
At the 10th Wir haben es satt!-demonstration, tens of thousands rally to demand: Change agriculture, act for the climate - walk the talk!
Demonstration: 18. Januar 2020 | 12 Uhr | Brandenburger Tor | Berlin
2019
November 2019
"Foundations For Future" declare their solidarity with the "Fridays For Future" movement
As foundations, we are committed to supporting and promoting charitable causes. And what could serve the society more than the commitment to the preservation of all our livelihoods? We therefore declare our solidarity with the "Fridays for Future" movement and its demands for compliance with the goals of the Paris Climate Protection Agreement and the 1.5 C target.
Fridays For Future's specific demands include:
Net zero by 2035
Coal exit until 2030
100 % renewable energy supply by 2035
As a member of the "Foundations For Future" movement, the Intersein Foundation undertakes to make its foundation activities compatible with these requirements and to fulfil at least three of the following criteria:
no flights for business trips within Germany
Substitution of business trips by telephone or video conferences
Enabling home office workplaces and encouraging employees* to take advantage of this offer
Compensation of foundation-related CO2 emissions (energy, travel, events) through high-quality certificates
Office power supplier with OK-Power-Label
environmentally friendly procurement of office supplies and general use of recycled paper
Catering at appointments, events, etc. meat reduced, biological and preferably regional
> 50 % of the foundation capital invested in sustainable forms of investment
Our collective crisis is deepening. Informed by a view of reality which presumes separation and competition, many powerful institutions and institutional actors are actively investing in separation: our religious affiliations, national, racial and ethnic identities, rich and poor, human and nature.
At the same time, we see a renewed sense of citizenship and empowerment forming in resistance. But is resistance to these forces the extent of our vision? Can we respond to this moment not merely as a crisis in our politics or even culture but instead as an opportunity to confront and transform the world views, the ways of seeing reality, that brought us here? What are the wisdom and practices that will not only help us respond to current conditions, but sow the seeds of the courage, connection and devotion needed as our world enters a period of dramatic change?
Among many gifts, the Dharma invites us to cultivate qualities of the heart and clarity of the mind. In particular, we are encouraged to contemplate view, the way we are seeing, the stories we tell and what we consider to be reality. With practice, we can see the way our stories are conditioned into existence and taken as truth. Moreover, we can see where our stories lead and ask if this is where we want to go.
The term "EcoSattva is a blend of "eco or "ecology with "Boddhisattva, an enlightened being wholly dedicated to the freedom and well-being of others.
The One Earth Sangha has developed this online training to reflect and understand ecological crises from the perspective of the Dharma and to inspire an "appropriate response as a form of practice, deeply rooted in the Dharma.
Together, well explore this time of intensifying change and cultivate the wisdom and compassion that can carry us forward.
22.-25. September 2019 student camp at Benediktushof
"Who am I? self-discovery, self-awareness"
In order to act responsibly in the complex contemporary world, young people need access to self-management and impulses for sustainable engagement with society and the environment.
The aim of the project is to provide young people a space and framework where, far away from everyday life, they can focus on themselves and important life topics.
The camps for students and apprentices want to promote a mindful self-awareness and a conscious lifestyle. They are held twice a year (spring and autumn) for more than 100 participants each at the Benediktushof in Holzkirchen. The program is a combination of meditation, lectures and many workshops.
For 43 years, 150,000 Sahrawi refugees have been persisting in five large camps in Algeria near the town of Tindouf. Since 1991, they have been waiting for a United Nations referendum on the future of their country. International food aid, on which people in the camps are totally dependent, has fallen 40 percent in recent years. There is a lack of fruits and vegetables as well as of proteins. "More than 60 percent of children under the age of 5 are affected by this deficiency and 2 out of 3 pregnant women suffer from anemia," says Najat Ali Salem, explaining the dramatic supply situation.
The hope for a life in dignity remains. In the self-governing Saharawi camps, people are trying to find an answer to this difficult situation. Agricultural expert Taleb Brahim from the Smara camp has developed a concept for family gardens. "My goal is an independent supply of the camps with vitamins. Permaculture as an ecological cycle effect makes this possible" he explains the basic idea.
Central is the cultivation of fast-growing Moringa and fig trees, which throw off the necessary biomass for the enrichment of the soils. A stone wall protects the landscaped beds from sandstorms and goats. The greenhouses prevent the drying of soil and plants in the blazing sun. Here, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and peas are planted. The water needed for the irrigation system is brought by lorry. This requires binding agreements with the relevant government agency, because water is scarce in the desert.
The gardens of solidarity not only improve the food situation of the people in the refugee camps, but give them strength and hope for a better future.
livestock farming without slaughter, is that possible?
An increasing number of people reject killing of animals for human consumption or for covering everyday material needs like leather, wool, etc.
Many vegans and vegetarians prefer organically grown products.
However, these too are mostly fertilized with manure from animals which are slaughtered or pellets from horns and claws used for fertilizing. In this respect, a vegan diet is often still chained to the killing of animals.
Lebenlassen e.V. promotes and end to this eternal cycle of rearing, use and slaughtering of animals.
But what would the consequences look like?
A life without cows, pigs, sheep and chickens?
How would our landscape change?
Or could there be a "third way" in agriculture - the use of animals and animal products without animal suffering?
According to Lebenlassen e.V. a possible approach to this could be the termination of offspring.
The initiators say:
"For millennia, the so-called farm animals have accompanied the history of human culture.
Let's give them their place at our side, not to slaughter them, not to pay the cost of living with their blood. Let's take their manure for soil improvement as a gift and give them back love and gratitude for their services to our cultural development! "
The Western way of thinking and the strongly scientific Western culture have brought us far. Technological and medical advances based on scientific knowledge have made life in many parts of the world much easier, more enjoyable and free. The world moves together. On the one hand.
On the other hand, the developments of recent decades have shown that we are pushing our limits and that science alone can not answer the final questions that people are dealing with. We live in a time of conflict. New solutions, new ways of thinking and living are demanded.
We have to try alternative ways which can lead us out of the complex crisis.
The existing value system is no longer viable and can not withstand the new challenges of environmental degradation, climate change, demographic distortions, social inequalities,
jeopardizing economic systems and violent conflicts. We need a fundamental change of values and paradigm.
The proven wisdom tradition of Buddhism offers itself as an addition to our western culture. An in-depth discussion with the Buddhist teachings and spiritual practice can expand our frame of thought and experience .
With the six-year full time study of Buddhism in the newly founded Dharma college in Hamburg, the Tibetan Center aims to offer a solid training program in which Westerners can devote themselves in an authentic way to study the philosophy and practice of Buddhism.
At the same time, according to the inspiration of the Dalai Lama, a contribution to a secular culture of compassion, tolerance and dialogue shall emerge.
"Rebels of peace - Sacred Activism & Political Action"
Activists against the destruction of nature and quality of life
are increasingly calling for fighting for the "sanctity of life". Politicalecological resistance thus gets a spiritual component, which also changes the form of the protest.
The first 'Sulzbrunner Symposium' aims to address this new form of
international protest that symbioses two essential humanist approaches:
the search for ethical and spiritual values that will determine our actions,
and the active resistance to the destructions that the industrialized growth
society has inflicted on the organism of earth, which we might call Gaia.
These combined approaches include the synthesis of inner potential and
consciousness development with the critical-political analysis of current
political developments. The aim of the symposium is to combine the
approaches of inner growth and political action in such a way that the
commitment to a sustainable world is strengthened.
The following questions shall be addressed:
What deep ethical values do we need for a future culture?
How to overcome the brainwashing of materialism and constant growth?
What step do the religions have to take to preserve the creation?
What can value based activism look like?
How is activism sustainable? Which methods promote resilience?
What new forms of action does civil society need?
What is sacred in Sacred Activism?
Special emphasis should be placed on inviting theologians, indigenous
people, priests, mystics, spiritual activists and change-makers' focussing
on a formation of collective spiritual and ethical values for a
life-enhancing future.
East of Anklam lies the "Anklamer Stadtbruch", a wide swamp
between land and sea. Sea eagles, crane, wryneck, dwarf flycatcher, carmine bullfinch and spotted peacock live here completely undisturbed from people on almost 15 square kilometers.
Due to its size and impassability, the "Anklamer Stadtbruch" is one of the few real wilderness areas that Germany still has to offer.
Black-necked grebe, common tern and black tern, northern geese, beaver, otter, moor frogs and the highest density of white-tailed eagles in Germany are at home here.
Unimaginable 1,360 hectares of this nature's most valuable wilderness are now sold by the city of Anklam. The NABU Foundation National Heritage wants to seize this unique opportunity and acquire the land in order to preserve it forever.
The Bellevue di Monaco is a social cooperative that operates a residential and cultural center for refugees in the center of Munich.
The houses serve as a place of education and meetings with a focus on integration and international understanding.
In one of the common areas of the Bellevue, a sewing workshop for refugee women is offered weekly for two hours.
It gives women the opportunity to be sheltered, to recover from exertions and stressful situations and to help themselves in a practical way by sewing or repairing their clothes. They are professionally and empathically looked after by an art therapist, receive material, technical guidance and an open ear. Overcoming the fear of leaving their accomodation and getting into the sewing workshop is an important step towards independence and leads to a stronger self-confidence.
The bedrock of Animals Angels work is their solidarity with suffering animals. At the centre of their beliefs stands their motto: "We are there with the animals. That is the source of our dedication and our strength."
Animals Angels is internationally regarded as a well-qualified specialist organisation with a high ethical profile, known to official bodies, political groups and the haulage industry as well as to other animal protection organisations.
After 15 years of activity they have gained extensive knowledge of the field and expertise. Their teams conduct on-the-spot investigations at slaughterhouses, ports, holding areas, border control points and animal markets and they are constantly on the road, following the transport lorries. The documented results of their missions - reports, photographs and video footage are handed over to relevant authorities and used to lodge judicial complaints, make reports to the police or instigate further legal measures. Their information is accepted as reliable and serious.
Animals Angels is in constant touch with veterinary authorities, the police and influential political decision-makers in Europe and beyond. As a result, they can negotiate in the name of animals at the highest level.
Because the welfare and dignity of our fellow creatures, the right to an unscathed and happy life is a primary concern of the "Intersein Foundation", we promote the work of Animals' Angels throughout the year.
More and more peasants are farming without glyphosate, keeping their animals in an appropriate manner and feeding them gmo-free.
More and more people are practicing foodsharing, are part of a solidary agriculture and opt for good, organic food from the region.
In order to strengthen and promote this development the campaign "my agriculture"calls for the demonstration on the 19.th of January 2019
and demands from the federal government:
Subsidies only for environmentally friendly and climate-friendly agriculture, public money only for animal welfare and more support for small and medium-sized agricultural businesses that produce good food for all of us.
Demonstration: 19. Januar 2019 | 12 Uhr | Brandenburger Tor | Berlin
2018
September 2018 project peace
"peace journey Bosnien"
project peace is a year long transition program for German speaking young adults aged 18 - 25 about peace, sustainability and cultural innovation.
With the support of the facilitation team, inspiring workshop leaders, the eco-social farm "Gemeinschaft Sulzbrunn" (project location) and a network of worldwide volunteering placements the participants get the opportunity to both theoretically and practically involve themselves into the topics of peace, sustainability and cultural innovation.
During their first module of the training the group will undertake a peace journey to attend the international peace week in Sanki Most, Bosnien.
Throughout the week concerts, film screenings, and inter-religious meetings will be organised. To further the mission of peace and tolerance, the centre for peacebuilding in Sanki Most also host workshops and seminars on topics like peacebuilding, dialogue, and reconciliation.
medica mondiale is a non-governmental organisation based in Germany which stands up for women and girls in war and crisis zones throughout the world. medica mondiale supports women and girls having experienced sexualised violence, regardless of political, ethnic or religious affiliation. Together with women from around the world, medica mondiale is committed to helping women to lead a dignified and self-determined life.
Every day women and girls around the world are being raped, tortured, kidnapped and enslaved as part of wars and conflict.
The new campaign "My body is no battlefield" from medica mondiale aims to draw
attention to these violations of human rights and to demonstrate how women in war zones can be protected.
With the support of the organisation "Action for World Solidarity" many self organised gardens arise all over the world.
They do not serve merely the food supply but offer women a space to gather, exchange knowledge, share experiences and learn about their rights.
Through micro-credits the women are enabled to sell their products and strengthen their economic situation, which increases the value of their
status in the family and can hereby protect them from domestic violence.
20.-22. June 2018 International and Interdisciplinary Conference University of Hamburg
"Buddhism in Dialogue with Contemporary Societies"
Buddhist studies is the fastest growing sub-discipline of religious studies in the world. The ongoing encounter between Buddhism and contemporary Western societies has already left a lasting mark on both parties, as happens in any open dialogue. Buddhist influence on Western culture is noticeable in many areas, the main intersection with Buddhism so far is found in the secular fields like neuro sciences and psychology, where mindfulness and meditation are increasingly applied.
At the same time, arriving in the "West, Buddhism has been confronted with the values of European enlightenment and human rights, articulated within the paradigms of Judeo-Christian culture.
To explore these dialogical processes, the International and Interdisciplinary Conference "Buddhism in Dialogue with Contemporary Societies brings together 20 outstanding scientist as well as representatives from the three mainstream traditions of Buddhism to address such questions as: Does Buddhism matter today? Can the teaching and practice of Buddhism enrich the world today? If so, what would this contribution look like? How far can Buddhism give impulses within the areas of peace work, social justice, applied ethics, mindfulness and psychotherapy? Where and to what degree can and must Buddhism adapt to its new context? What is considered to be the core teaching or practice that cannot be subject to revision or adaptation?
To ensure a successful academic outcome of the conference, the first two and a half days will be dedicated mainly to listening to the presentations,
followed by an intensive exchange with the speakers, respondents, and faculty. In the afternoon of the third day, preliminary results will be summarized and discussed with the interested expert audience.
May 2018 social announcement spot by sixt sense film production
"DENIED"
In everyday life it is often completely overlooked how people of different origin are already an integral part of our society. The quality of a group consists of the skills and talents of the individual and of a precisely coordinated togetherness.
In the spot, the power of a functioning team is exemplified by an orchestra,
a ballet company and a football team.
And also how it would be, if all foreigners were removed.
It is important to the Augsburg filmmaker Stefanie Sixt, with the means at her disposal, to raise awareness of an urgent topic, to stimulate reflection and thus to contribute to more tolerance, compassion and peace.
The destruction of the rainforests is one of the world's central environmental problems, caused amongst other things by massive agricultural use like the creation of palm oil plantations.
The ASW partner organization FASE helps local farmes to renounce these practices by training them in sustainable agriculture.
Jointly they develop environmentally friendly tillage, permaculture and ways to marked their products so that they can earn a living and protect the rainforest at the same time.
"Kanthari" in Trivandrum, Kerala, South of India, is an accredited international institute for social visionaries.
It offers a 7 month, scholarship based leadership program for people, who have overcome adversity and who are keen to drive ethical social change anywhere in the world. Through intensive training, kanthari equips participants with all the techniques, methods and ideas they need to start up and run effective, relevant social or environmental projects all over the world.
Since 2009, 160 social change makers from 38 countries were trained at kanthari. This has already resulted in more than 125 social initiatives and organisations that are making a positive impact in the lives of thousands of people within their communities.
The Campaign "My Agriculture" calls for action:
"Agricultural companies are merging into ever larger mega-corporations, the consequence: monocultures, factory farming, genetic engineering and patents on plants and animals, loss of biodiversity, polluted water...
We want a food policy that promotes regional and sustainable food rather than industrial mass production! In mega-barns and slaughterhouses, the meat industry continues to trim animals for profit. But pigs, chickens and cows need straw, space and grazing land. The "always bigger" and "more intense" drives farms into ruin. We want an end to subsidies for the agro-industry! Germany's government must support a form of animal husbandry that puts animals welfare first!
Aggressive export strategies and failed agricultural policies are ruining farmers around the world. Instead of hedging corporate interests with free trade agreements, we need secure access to land, water, seeds and food globally. We want an end to dumping exports, more support for peasants' rights and real change in farming at the global scale!
On January 20, Germany's government is inviting agriculture ministers from all over the globe to the world's largest agricultural fair: Berlin's "Green Week." Being the host of the International Agriculture Ministers Conference, Germany's government will be in the public eye. It's the perfect moment for us: While inside they want to decide about our food and farming, we will be outside to pressure for real change.
Our proposals for a new food and farming policy are on the table. But: Germany's new government will only act if and when our protest in the streets becomes impossible to ignore. So grab your cooking pot (and a pair of earplugs) and join us to make noise for good food and farming - here and all over the planet!"
Demonstration: 20 January 2018, 11:00 a.m. at Berlin's main train station www.wir-haben-es-satt.de
January 2018 Animals' Angels
"we are there with the animals"
The bedrock of Animals Angels work is their solidarity with suffering animals. At the centre of their beliefs stands their motto: "We are there with the animals. That is the source of our dedication and our strength."
Animals Angels is internationally regarded as a well-qualified specialist organisation with a high ethical profile, known to official bodies, political groups and the haulage industry as well as to other animal protection organisations.
After 15 years of activity they have gained extensive knowledge of the field and expertise. Their teams conduct on-the-spot investigations at slaughterhouses, ports, holding areas, border control points and animal markets and they are constantly on the road, following the transport lorries. The documented results of their missions - reports, photographs and video footage are handed over to relevant authorities and used to lodge judicial complaints, make reports to the police or instigate further legal measures. Their information is accepted as reliable and serious.
Animals Angels is in constant touch with veterinary authorities, the police and influential political decision-makers in Europe and beyond. As a result, they can negotiate in the name of animals at the highest level.
Because the welfare and dignity of our fellow creatures, the right to an unscathed and happy life is a primary concern of the "Intersein Foundation", we promote the work of Animals' Angels throughout the year.
September 2017 Promotion of the International Youth Initiative Program YIP
The International Youth Initiative Program, YIP, is a societal entrepreneurship training, offering a holistic educational program that promotes an expanded global and personal awareness. YIP aims to strengthen young peoples capacity to take initiative in the face of current global challenges.
for more information:
www.yip.se
22.-24. September 2017 Symposium at the Evangelischen Akademie Tutzing
"Breath of the earth" Spiritual and cultural answers to climate change
In times of climate change, human influence on the planet becomes more and more obvious. Present generations are the first to realize the immense influence of humankind on the climate, as well as being maybe the last ones who can prevent the climatic conditions for life on earth to change fundamentally. And while technology, economic development and the lifestyle that led to this situation evolved over the past centuries, it is now only within some decades that humans are realizing this new situation and at the same time have the chance to take decisions and to act.
Various spiritual and religious traditions are already finding ways to perceive the relation between humans and animals, plants and minerals surrounding them. In which ways do the different approaches conceptualize human relation with the Earth? What is the potential of spirituality in the anthropocene? In form of which practices, ceremonies or art projects do the different approaches reflect on and engage in the relationship with the earth? And what practical and political consequences do they derive?
In a three day symposium, we will ask how ecopsychology and ecophilosophy analyze this particular point in time, and how humans can deal with this situation.
The project offers them a broad, holistic range of educational opportunities in the fields of philosophy, ethics, psychology, culture, nature, craftsmanship, democracy, business and sustainability, but also plenty of space and time for in-depth self-exploration, implementation of own and joint projects, reflection and coaching. 
Low producer prices, unfairly distributed agricultural subsidies from the EU and cuts in development cooperation are pushing farmers worldwide to their limits - economically, but also physically and mentally. 
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The book "Zen and the Art of Savng the Planet" was published in 2021 and contains Thich Nhat Hanh's powerful teachings on deep ecology, committed action, community building and collective awakening. 
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The project offers them a broad, holistic range of educational opportunities in the fields of philosophy, ethics, psychology, culture, nature, craftsmanship, democracy, business and sustainability, but also plenty of space and time for in-depth self-exploration, implementation of own and joint projects, reflection and coaching. 
In view of the sheer scale and complexity of the challenges, but also in view of the impression that the economy, society and politics are failing in overcoming the climate crisis, we often feel powerless, overwhelmed and disappointed. 
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Many of us are wholeheartedly and tirelessly engaged to create a better world through peace, climate and social justice activism in different ways. Because we work with dedication and in often challenging environments, we are facing the risk of burn-out or experience frustration and despair. How can we be engaged and face suffering, and still take good care of ourselves and our happiness? This is where the practice of mindfulness can help us.
In society, much of our suffering comes from feeling disconnected from one another. Each person lives separately, cut off from the support of the community, especially in these times, in which "social distancing" has been imposed.
The International Campaign for Tibet demands an immediate end to repression and the protection of Tibetan culture from the Chinese government.
To achieve this, they are increasing pressure on China in talks with governments and before the UN to end the oppression of Tibetans and demand that China comply with international agreements. They inform the public and, for example, petition for the release of unjustly imprisoned people who have claimed their right to religious freedom in Tibet.
2020 can make or break the transition to sustainable, climate-friendly farming:
The first 'Sulzbrunner Symposium' aims to address this new form of
international protest that symbioses two essential humanist approaches:
the search for ethical and spiritual values that will determine our actions,
and the active resistance to the destructions that the industrialized growth
society has inflicted on the organism of earth, which we might call Gaia.
These combined approaches include the synthesis of inner potential and
consciousness development with the critical-political analysis of current
political developments. The aim of the symposium is to combine the
approaches of inner growth and political action in such a way that the
commitment to a sustainable world is strengthened.
