Towards a Green Reconstruction for Forests and People (Nana Firman)
‘From Tsunamis and Climate Change,
Towards a Green Reconstruction for Forests and People --
Lessons from an Islamic spiritual journey’
Our conversation with Nana Firman from COP28 in Dubai, 2023.
Click to play.
Nana Firman is an Islamic climate activist and faith leader from Indonesia with an extensive background partnering with many of the world's most important climate initiatives. In this podcast interview Nana shares with eco-theologian, Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo, about her spiritual journey.
Here is an introduction by guest editor and podcast host, Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo:
While attending Climate Change negotiations in Dubai, “COP28,” (the United Nations annual climate conference), Nana shares her very unique spiritual and ecological journey as a Muslim woman. After the destructive Tsunami of 2004, which affected her homeland, Indonesia, and many other island countries, Nana was summoned by World Wildlife Fund to support green reconstruction efforts in Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country.
It wasn’t until she was encouraged to discover and engage in the reconstruction efforts, the ecological tenants of her Islamic faith, and work with local religious leaders, that she began to be heard. She was able to mobilize many -- to protect remaining forests and replant affected mangrove coastal areas, even in the midst of loss and human suffering.
In this podcast Nana shares about her journey, the lessons learned and her faith, which together led her all the way to starting new movements and serving as co-director of the Islamic Society of North American’s Green Initiative. She also shares about what is happening with Sumatra’s forests today.
For a further look into Islamic teachings to save Creation, we recommend Nana’s article: “Enjoying Good and Forbidding Wrong” (published here), where she elaborates on how Islam can be an enormous source of cultural, moral and political influence for Creation Care.
Click image to read, “Enjoying Good and Forbidding Wrong” (Nana Firman)
Thank you, Nana!
Additional Resources
Nana's article: "Enjoying Good and Forbidding Wrong"
Nana’s TED Talk: Climate Change … Here’s How We’re Taking Action
Nana Firman is founder of Eco-Fab Living and initiator of the Eco-Hijrah Movement. She is a senior ambassador of GreenFaith, an interfaith coalition for the environment, and a student of Bayan Islamic Graduate School. Originally from Indonesia, Firman now lives in California.
Thanks for reading. This article is part of our collection, A Climate Transition Supported by Faith: from the voices of Islamic and Indigenous women, edited by Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo. Check that collection for more. Visit our email list, podcasts and YouTube channel for more content. Sign up for our quarterly emails here.
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