Episode 41: Halldor Thorgeirsson

Hello and welcome to the Baha’i Blogcast with me your host, Rainn Wilson. In this series of podcasts I interview members of the Baha’i Faith and friends from all over the world about their hearts, and minds, and souls, their spiritual journeys, what they’re interested in, and what makes them tick. In this episode, I'm in Reykjavik, Iceland with Halldor Thorgeirsson, the Chair of Iceland’s Climate Council, and retired Senior Director of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC). We talk about the environment, and Halldor teaches me about how Carbon Matter really matters. He tells me about Iceland, his work, how he became a Baha'i, the importance of consultation and accompaniment, Baha'is who have influenced his life, and the importance of moral leadership and engaging in constructive forces in our society. I hope you enjoy the conversation! To find out more about some of the things we covered in this episode, check out the following links: * Find out more about the UNFCCC here: https://unfccc.int/about-us/about-the-secretariat * Here's the official website for the Baha'is of Iceland: https://www.bahai.is/node/51?language=en * I mention that I'm in Iceland for SoulPancake: https://soulpancake.com/ * At the beginning of the podcast, Halldor shares the following prayer by Baha'u'llah in Icelandic: "Ég ber því vitni, ó Guð minn, að Þú hefur skapað mig til að þekkja Þig og tilbiðja Þig. Ég staðfesti á þessu andartaki vanmátt minn og mátt Þinn, fátækt mína og auðlegð Þína. Enginn er Guð nema Þú, hjálpin í nauðum, hinn sjálfumnógi." Here's the English translation of that prayer: "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." * Halldor makes reference to the following Writings of Baha'u'llah: "Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant." * Halldor mentions Baha'i pioneers: https://bahaipedia.org/Pioneer * Halldor mentions the following Hands of the Cause (https://www.bahaiblog.net/2014/06/hands-cause/): - Ugo Giachery (https://bit.ly/2uUhAyH) - William Sears (https://bit.ly/36WiFE5) - Abu'l-Qasim Faizi (https://bit.ly/384fRVE) - Amatu’l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum (https://bit.ly/2RjaET7) - Rahmatu’llah Muhajir (https://bit.ly/2tacvln) * Halldor talks about the Kyoto Protocol: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol * Halldor mentions the Universal House of Justice: https://bit.ly/2tnb6aX * Halldor mentions the "Mashriqu’l Adhkar", which means a Baha'i "House of Worship", also commonly referred to as a Baha'i temple. Find out more about Baha'i temples here: https://bit.ly/2Nu4rCO * We talk about Devotional Gatherings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iop-CFOdgFg * Halldor talks about Richard St. Barbe Baker "The Man of the Trees", who was the first global conservationist and was a Baha'i. You can read this book about him by Paul Hanley: https://amzn.to/36Xi4SH * Halldor talks about this book by Arthur Dahl 'Unless and Until': https://amzn.to/35ZFJ3P Be sure to subscribe to the Baha’i Blogcast for more episodes on: * YouTube: bit.ly/2JTNmBO * iTunes: apple.co/2leHPHL * Soundcloud: @bahaiblogcast * Spotify: spoti.fi/2IXRAnb If you would like to find out more about the Baha'i Faith visit BAHAI.ORG, and for more great Baha'i-inspired content check out BAHAIBLOG.NET: bahaiblog.net/ Thanks for listening! -Rainn Wilson