SDGs

A Case for Followers of Christ Engaging the SDGs

A Case for Followers of Christ Engaging the SDGs by Dwight J. Friesen I want to suggest that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are not a political experiment or a secular distraction—they are a faithful, tangible way to live out

admin November 13, 2025November 13, 2025

Faith for Cities + IDGs = SDGs

This is my presentation titled, “Inner Development Goals & Faith for Cities: Cultivating the Inner Capacities for Sustainable Urban Futures.” I was hoping to present it in person in Yogyakarta, Indonesia next week but sadly my funding fell through. The

admin November 1, 2025November 6, 2025

Vital Conversation for Our Future Together

The IDG Summit website states: Today’s world is dividing socially and politically, environmentally and technologically. Leading to ever-growing tensions, conflicts and even war. As a consequence, we find ourselves pulled between opposing stories, values and worldviews. Making it harder to

admin September 4, 2025September 4, 2025

My Poster Board on Faith for Cities

As part of this year’s “Day of Scholarship” at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, I presented a poster board highlighting some of the work I do in service of the UN-Habitat’s efforts at implementing the Sustainable Development Goals

Dwight J. Friesen January 11, 2025January 17, 2025

WUF . Call to Action

UN-Habitat’s 12th session of the World Urban Forum wrapped up at the end of last week. A standard practice at the end of these kinds of conferences is the crafting and release of a summary statement which includes a “Call

Dwight J. Friesen November 11, 2024November 25, 2024

WUF12 Begins in Just a Few Days

Well, I’m very excited that UN-Habitat’s 12th convening of the World Urban Forum is just a few days away. WUF is the world’s premier conference on sustainable urbanization. This year – for the first time – there is a Faith

Dwight J. Friesen November 1, 2024November 1, 2024

Inner Development Goals

If you follow my blog at all, then you know that I am passionate about helping realize the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I often say that the 17 SDGs are as audacious as they are beautiful and are a

Dwight J. Friesen March 18, 2024May 7, 2024

Faith For Cities

I’m joining Chris Elisara and the folks at Faith for Cities seeking to harness multi-faith insights and actions in the face of an unparalleled era of urbanization. As we know more than eight out of people people on the planet

Dwight J. Friesen February 7, 2024February 7, 2024

Multi-Faith Side Events . COP28

Speakers: James Bhagwan, Julia Rensburg, Tara van Ryneveld. Remove: Episcopal Nana Firman & Meryne Warah, H.E. President Wavel Ramkalawa Islamic Dev Bank/Islamic Solidarity Fund, Phoebe Chatfield Faiths for a Just Transition: Bottom up & Systemic Approaches from Affected Communities 🌍

Dwight J. Friesen January 31, 2024January 31, 2024

SDGs & Religion . Free eBook

On the Significance of Religion for the SDGs: An Introduction, by Dr Christine Schliesser, is part of Routledge’s “Religion Matters” series. And it is available for free as an eBook on Amazon. I’m not sure whether this is permanently free

Dwight J. Friesen January 20, 2024January 20, 2024

Spirituality & Polycrisis

Some of the people of faith I’ve been collaborating with to activate our respective traditions to engage the SDGs for a more sustainable urban future for all everything alongside UN-Habitat and the World Economic Forum have just published a new

Dwight J. Friesen January 19, 2024January 19, 2024

Join the “Urban October” Celebration

Today begins the month long celebration and exploration of all things “city” thanks to UN-Habitat’s “Urban October.” This year’s theme is: Mind the Gap: Leave No One & No Place Behind! What are the gaps in your parish or neighborhood? What

Dwight J. Friesen October 1, 2022October 1, 2022

Urban Economy Forum 4, Roundtable

The fourth convening of the Urban Economy Forum is less than two weeks away. You still have time to register! I will be participating in a roundtable exploring urban policy and public services, our theme is, “Inclusive Urban Finance.” You

Dwight J. Friesen September 19, 2022September 26, 2022

Laying Down our Hammers

Over the last few weeks the Lectionary Sunday Gospel readings have awakened our Sabbath rest imaginations. It seems fitting that this weekend, many of us will participate in an observation of Labor Day… a much-needed extra day of rest. I

Dwight J. Friesen September 1, 2022September 26, 2022

Bellevue’s Future

The City of Bellevue is updating it’s “Comprehensive Plan.” This plan is an important tool that will help guide growth and development in Bellevue for the next twenty years. People are at the heart of Bellevue’s plan for the future

Dwight J. Friesen July 8, 2022September 26, 2022

“Envisaging the Future of Cities”

Every two years UN-Habitat releases a major report regarding the World’s Cities. The latest report was just released during WUF11 in Katowice, Poland last week… I even got to be there for the press release. This year’s report, titled: “Envisaging

Dwight J. Friesen July 4, 2022September 26, 2022

Off to Poland

This Friday I am on my way to Katowice Poland to participate in the United Nations Habitat’s eleventh convening of the World Urban Forum. So I thought I’d offer a bit of an explanation of what I will be doing…

Dwight J. Friesen June 22, 2022September 26, 2022

100 Million Refugees Worldwide

Currently we have surpassed 100,000,000 refugees on our planet. That’s more than 100 million people just like you and me, who have had to make the terrible decision to flee the place they love, their home, and what they know

Dwight J. Friesen June 20, 2022December 9, 2022

Wednesday is “World Oceans Day”

Recovering or relearning how to live in harmony with creation is vital to our survival. I call on all people of faith to search their sacred texts for examples of, teachings about, or practices for living in harmony with the

Dwight J. Friesen June 6, 2022December 16, 2022

Celebrating Pride Month

Friend, I seek to follow in the Way of Christ, I am a pastor, a professional theologian, and a professor at a Christian seminary… I have spent the majority of my life doing a few things: practicing love in the

Dwight J. Friesen June 1, 2022December 16, 2022

A Vital Resource for Church & City

Since its creation, United Nations Habitat has been striving to put practical tools in the hands of local people and communities to equip them with the needed information, inspiration, and ideas to mobilize grassroots people to bring about real change

Dwight J. Friesen May 11, 2022December 19, 2022

UN-Habitat 2021 Annual Report

The 2021 annual report of UN-Habitat was recently released, so I’ve posted a link to the PDF below. The UN-Habitat website states: In 2021, conflict, pandemic and climate emergencies continued to shape the challenges faced by human settlements. UN-Habitat was

Dwight J. Friesen January 30, 2022December 19, 2022

More People Feeling Lonely

According to the Barna Research Group, 31% of U.S.A. adults report feeling lonely at least some of each day. Their report – posted at the end of last 2021 – highlights that even before the pandemic, loneliness has been an

Dwight J. Friesen January 7, 2022September 26, 2022

Changing Cities & City Changers

I’m a City Changer is a worldwide campaign with the aim of sensitizing and creating awareness among citizens on urban issues to achieve better cities. It is promoted by UN-Habitat, the city agency of the United Nations, through the World

Dwight J. Friesen November 20, 2021September 26, 2022

Complexifying Indigenous Homelessness

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness posted a profoundly wise complexification of indigenous homelessness. Indigenous peoples from across nations within Canada identified 12 dimensions of indigenous homelessness. These 12 dimensions expose a few realms inviting my deeper listening. One such realm,

Dwight J. Friesen November 12, 2021September 26, 2022

The Future of Seattle

This is worth checking out. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen October 12, 2021September 26, 2022

Becoming More Walkable

I stumbled across this article by David Malone highlighting some of the intentional steps – pardon the pun – that the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is taking to make it a more walkable city. Walkability is a vital to

Dwight J. Friesen October 7, 2021September 26, 2022

UN-Habitat “Urban October”

We have one month to get ready for the UN-Habitat’s Urban October. UN-Habitat is engaging people and groups from all over the world to think about where they live and how they live where they live, with an eye to

Dwight J. Friesen September 1, 2021September 26, 2022

2021 Climate Change Report

Earlier this week the sixth assessment report (AR6) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is a well researched and carefully documented report coming in at nearly 4,000 pages. While I haven’t finished reading the full report yet,

Dwight J. Friesen August 14, 2021September 26, 2022

Planning for our Mega Cities

I invite you to watch the above video with an open heart. Attend to your own curiosity as you watch it. Every one of us come to data dumps like this with our uniqueness and particular hermeneutics. This is is

Dwight J. Friesen May 18, 2021September 26, 2022