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Loka Initiative
Led by Dekila Chungyalpa, The Loka Initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison is an education and outreach platform for faith leaders and religious institutions focusing on environmental issues. Its mission is to support faith-led environmental efforts by building the capacity of faith leaders and religious institutions related to environmental protection, sustainable development, and global health issues, and by creating new opportunities for partnerships, public outreach, and project implementation.
“Loka” (लोकः), an ancient Sanskrit term, usually refers to “our world” as the basis for all life. The world evoked by Loka is a complex and interwoven one, where multiple environments, species, and dimensions interact to constitute a whole.
Featured Media
Mother Wisdom: Learning to Embody Interdependence
Why we need contemplative practices and communal ceremonies that engage everyone in upholding Nature’s law of interdependence.
How Dekila Chungyalpa Draws on Faith to Protect the Planet
She’s now an interfaith climate change facilitator, but Dekila Chungyalpa wasn’t always able to reconcile her Buddhist practice with a career in environmentalism.
Becoming a Buddhist Climate Scientist
Dekila Chungyalpa is a conservation scientist and director of a faith-based, climate-change initiative. In this podcast, she shares how Buddhist teachings on emptiness, impermanence, non-attachment, and compassion sustain her.
