2018: The Eureka Moment and What Followed
In January 2018, Carrie attended a BarCamp in Cologne focused on urban sustainability, hoping to find partners for an upcoming Interfaith Nature Conservation Week she was organizing in Cologne, Germany. During a workshop on bee protection, she learned that even a few flowerpots can support bees, since they travel widely. Suddenly, an idea clicked:
What if religious communities across the city created small bee habitats and bees became “messengers of peace,” moving freely between churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples? This idea, nicknamed "Bees for Peace" became the guiding theme of the 2018 Interfaith Nature Conservation Week in Cologne.
Religious communities from Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Sikh, Baha’i, and Buddhist traditions joined environmental groups to host thirteen events for the Week and create several others independently. Together, we planted bee-friendly flowers and built bee hotels, visited bee protection sites by bike and freed nature preserves from trash, taught both adults and children all about bees, featured religiously-inspired environmentalist groups at a Market of Diversity, learned about environmentalism from different religious perspectives, and more. By caring for bees, communities found common ground—strengthening both biodiversity and social cohesion.
What if religious communities across the city created small bee habitats and bees became “messengers of peace,” moving freely between churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples? This idea, nicknamed "Bees for Peace" became the guiding theme of the 2018 Interfaith Nature Conservation Week in Cologne.
Religious communities from Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Sikh, Baha’i, and Buddhist traditions joined environmental groups to host thirteen events for the Week and create several others independently. Together, we planted bee-friendly flowers and built bee hotels, visited bee protection sites by bike and freed nature preserves from trash, taught both adults and children all about bees, featured religiously-inspired environmentalist groups at a Market of Diversity, learned about environmentalism from different religious perspectives, and more. By caring for bees, communities found common ground—strengthening both biodiversity and social cohesion.
2020: Bees for Peace is Awarded UN Recognition
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On August 17, 2020, Bees for Peace was awarded recognition as an Official Project of the UN Decade on Biodiversity, an honor it carried for two years, 2020-2022. The ceremony took place outside at Christ Church in City Garden, Cologne, Germany, to respect COVID-19 protective measures.
Participants also received Bees for Peace protective masks, then then made their way around the world, from Germany to the US, Canada and Singapore. |
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2021: Bees for Peace Moves to Canada
Bees for Peace relocated to Canada in 2021. Given pandemic closures, Carrie gave numerous online talks with pastors and congregations on bee protection as an expression of care for creation. This helped churches reimagine worship and community life during COVID, opening space for ecological action as a spiritual practice.
2022: Bees for Peace Takes Off
As pandemic restrictions lifted, Bees for Peace came to life!
Talks & Events
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Indigenous Perspectives
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Weekend Retreat
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Bees for Peace got active on church grounds through lively children’s programs and church events, inviting participants to see bee protection not just as environmental action, but as an expression of faith and care for creation.
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With ecologist Junaid Kahn and Métis educator Doug Anderson, Bees for Peace also helped bring Indigenous perspectives into public conversations, reminding participants that humans are inseparable from our other-than-human kin—and that caring for bees is part of caring for our wider living community.
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At a weekend retreat devoted to bees, participants encountered these small teachers up close. Through stories of the sacred and symbolic bee, accessible science on bee diversity, and hands-on experiences, the retreat offered a chance to slow down, pay attention, and rediscover wonder in nature.
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Educating Students, Protecting Bees, Building Community
Carrie also taught a course as part of the University of Toronto Research Opportunity Program, allowing students the chance to engage in hands-on community-based research.
Our Lady of Lourdes
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Martin Luther Church
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United Church of Canada
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Michelle and Olivia worked at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Toronto doing outreach and pollinator gardening. This resulted in parishioners spending more time in the gardens and clergy actively supporting pollinator protection.
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Emily and Mauricio did outreach and created a new pollinator garden at Martin Luther Church Etobicoke. This resulted in the church attracting new members as it shifts from being a German immigrant church to one serving the local community.
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Kezia and Janice ran day camps at St. Luke's and Kimbourne Park United Churches in Toronto to educate children on pollination. Children had a fun summer experience, overcame their fear of bees, and expressed joy at seeing these creatures.
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2023-2024: Buzzin' Bees Summer Camps
Thanks to the generous support of the United Church of Canada Shining Waters Regional Council, we brought the Bees for Peace Buzzin’ Bees Summer Camps to life across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond! With this funding, we hired four dedicated camp counselors, hosted several inspiring camps and cooperated with other camp programs. We’re deeply grateful to our amazing campers and the incredible staff and volunteers at Runnymede United Church, Waterloo North Mennonite Church, St. Luke’s United Church, Silver Lake Mennonite Camp in Kitchener, Kimbourne Park United Church, St. Paul’s United Church in Midland and Pioneer United Church for making it all possible. Together, we had a fantastic time promoting Care for Creation through hands-on wild pollinator protection. Visit the Summer Camps page under “Offerings” to learn more!
