ASWA Remembrance Service for Animals 2016
Everyone is welcome to the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA) Remembrance Service for Animals at the Animal War Memorial, Park Lane, London on Sunday 13th November 2016 at 3pm in recognition of the animals who gave their services and lives in war and conflict.
The service, organised by ASWA, is well attended by ASWA members, Catholic Concern for Animals (CCA) members, members of all faiths, representatives of secular organisations including Nowzad Dogs, HM Armed Forces, those who have travelled to attend the event as well as others who are simply moved and join as passers by. The representatives lay wreaths during the service.
Please come along and share your respects for the millions of fallen animals – They had no choice.
Winchester first University to sign Creaturekind Commitment
On 2 November 2016, Winchester became the first university to sign the Creaturekind Commitment. This initiative, developed by Dr David Clough, Professor of Theological Ethics at the University of Chester, asks signatories to recognise the impacts of intensive farming on humans, animals and the environment, and to commit to a programme of reducing consumption of animal products, sourcing remaining products from higher welfare sources, setting goals for improved practice, and regularly reviewing them.
‘The University of Winchester is a Church foundation and a values-driven institution committed to high standards of environmental sustainability, Fairtrade practices and animal welfare,’ said Professor Elizabeth Stuart, who signed on behalf of the University during the Animal Welfare and Religion Symposium. ‘Signing the CreatureKind Commitment connects our values with our practice. Compassion is at the heart of our institution and we seek to improve the lives of animals used in the production of meat, dairy and eggs, and reduce the demand for animal products from factory farms.’
Find out more about Creaturekind here.
Catholic Concern for Animals AGM 2016
Animal Welfare & Religion Symposium
On 2nd November 2016 Winchester University’s new Centre for Animal Welfare held its first symposium on Animal Welfare and Religion. The event was hosted by the Centre’s director, Prof. Andrew Knight and included inspiring and enlightening talks by leading academics from different faiths.
The first speaker was Joyce D’Silva, Ambassador Emerita of Compassion in World Farming, who spoke on what the faiths say about animals. Other speakers included Professor Anna King of the University of Winchester who spoke on Hindu attitudes to non-human animals; Professor Graham Harvey of the Open University who spoke on Pagan perspectives on animal welfare; Professor David Clough of the University of Chester who spoke about Creaturekind: a new framework for farm animal welfare; Professor Aaron Gross from the University of San Diego who spoke about animal protection and Jewish traditions; and Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra who spoke about Islamic perspectives on animal welfare.
An historic agreement was signed between Winchester University and Creaturekind that would make the University the first Creaturekind University in the country. For further information on Creaturekind click here.
The Centre for Animal Welfare at Winchester University aims to increase society’s knowledge and understanding of animal welfare issues. For further information on the Centre click here.
Last year CIWF formed a strategic partnership with the University to help academia advance animal welfare worldwide. For further information on CIWF’s work in this area, click here.
Earthling Ed’s Animal Rights March Speech
On 29th October 2016 Earthling Ed led thousands of people on an animal rights march in London. Here is his passionate and dynamic speech in a packed Parliament Square.
13th Interfaith Celebration for Animals
The 13th Interfaith Celebration for Animals, sponsored by The Animal Interfaith Alliance (AIA), The World Congress of Faiths and Quaker Concern for Animals was held at Golders Green Unitarians, on 22nd October 2016 at 3.00pm.
The service was led by Rev. Feargus O’Connor, MA, Chair of AIA and Secretary of The World Congress of Faiths and the guest speakers were Rev. Prof. Martin Henig (AIA and ASWA) and Barbara Gardner (AIA and CCA). The service also featured organist: Mary Craine, pianist: Georgina Drewe, soprano: Caroline Hunter and harpist: Marilene Berryman, with the participation of representatives of various world faiths.
For full details click here
Divine Music: The Mystery of the Creation
Following last year’s Interfaith Celebration of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, on cherishing and protecting all God’s Creation, the keynote address at our 13th Animal Interfaith Alliance and World Congress of Faiths Celebration of Animals on Saturday 22 October 2016 at 3.00pm at Golders Green Unitarians will be delivered by Rev. Professor Martin Henig. Professor Henig is a distinguished academic, Vice-president of the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals, board member of the Animal Interfaith Alliance and an Anglican Franciscan.
‘All world religions pay lip service to the sanctity of the natural world, either as divine or reflective of the Divine Creator’, Professor Henig tells us, ‘but most are highly defective in the way they reflect that sanctity.
‘Animals are killed and mistreated by humankind with apparent impunity and the environment is degraded. Humans treat both animals and other humans so badly that it is sometimes hard to avoid despair. As an Anglican priest from a Jewish background, I have for years been stressing the prophetic insights that reveal that all creatures are interrelated and all loved by God. This seems to me to be far more important than differences between faiths. We are judged and will be judged by the genuineness of our love and compassion.’
Central to Professor Henig’s faith is his profound belief in the Eastern religious doctrine of Ahimsa, not doing harm to any fellow living creature.
‘Everything else is ultimately of minor relevance. I find hope in the Platonic doctrine that we live now in a world of shadows and imperfection: blind to the vision of the Divine, truly far beyond our comprehension, and deaf to the heavenly music which orders the Cosmos. In order to begin to achieve enlightenment we need to abandon our pride, our selfishness and lust for power, stop desecrating the Earth and killing animals and treating them, our brothers, sisters and cousins, as a mere commodity. Only then will true peace descend on our errant species.’
Our Interfaith Animal Celebration will begin at 3 pm and will be led by Rev. Feargus O’Connor, Chair of the Animal Interfaith Alliance and Hon. Secretary of the World Congress of Faiths. Among other speakers will be Barbara Gardner, Director of the Animal Interfaith Alliance, former Treasurer of the RSPCA and author of The Compassionate Animal, and Dr Alpesh Patel, scientific advisor to the Dr Hadwen Trust and a Hindu patron of the Animal Interfaith Alliance. A candle will be lit for all the world’s animals. There will be readings from representatives of the world’s great religions and the voluntary collection will go to the Gandhi Schweitzer Universal Kinship Appeal of the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research.
The service will be followed by fellowship and refreshments at 4.15 pm and the AGM of the Animal Interfaith Alliance will follow at 5 pm.
For more details please contact Rev. Feargus O’Connor (phone 020 7837 4472 or email ggunirev@aol.com).
Interfaith Celebration for Animals & AGM
Interfaith Celebration for Animals & AGM
GOLDERS GREEEN UNITARIANS
31 Hoop Lane, Golders Green, London, NW11 8BS
Saturday 22nd October 2016
3.00pm – Interfaith Celebration for Animals – All Welcome!
Keynote Speech – Divine Music: The Mystery of the Creation by Revd Prof. Martin Henig
4.15pm – Tea and Snacks – All Welcome!
5.00pm – 2nd AGM opens – AIA Members & Friends Only
Animal Blessing Service – Wantage
Animal Blessing Service – Sunday 9th October, 3.00pm at St John Vianney Church, Charlton Road, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 8ER. Animals and their human friends are invited to remember St Francis of Assisi in their own special service of blessing and thanksgiving. Led by Canon Peter Turbitt. All Welcome!
Animal Interfaith Alliance 