There was a new addition at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference known as COP28, which took place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 in Dubai. Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, inaugurated the first Faith Pavilion to offer a place where anyone from any faith could come for meditation, prayer, and hope. Because Pope Francis was unable to attend the event, he sent the following video to introduce this new concept:
The importance of the Faith Pavilion as part of international talks on climate change did not go unnoticed by national media outlets:
Establishing a venue through which individuals of different faiths can come together and focus on their similarities (e.g., caring for the Earth) rather than their differences represents an important step toward effectively addressing concerns related to climate change and sustainability. For more details on the Faith Pavilion and COP28, please visit the website of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development.
Objective: During this time of year when various religious holidays are being celebrated, try to engage at least one neighbor who has different religious beliefs than yourself by learning how their own faith traditions view and act upon concerns for the Earth as they relate to climate change and sustainability.
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