– At COP28, the first-ever Faith Pavilion will bring interfaith cooperation to a global stage, to inspire ambitious goals and to call for concrete commitments on climate change
– Over 300 faith leaders, public figures and experts, alongside 70+ leading faith-based organisations, representing 45 countries, will participate in programming at the Faith Pavilion during COP28
– Pope Francis to inaugurate the Faith Pavilion on Sunday 3 December at 9am, followed by a series of more than 60 events to engage faith communities and policymakers, throughout COP28.
Dubai, 27 November 2023 – His Holiness Pope Francis will inaugurate the first-ever Faith Pavilion on Sunday 3rd December 2023, at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), following his appeal to world leaders at the World Climate Action Summit.
A joint event of faith leaders will also be held at the UN Climate Action Zone, during which the interfaith movement will present five key policy asks to negotiators, including interfaith support for a Fossil-Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Over 300 faith representatives and public figures are expected alongside 70+ leading faith-based organisations at the Faith Pavilion, a dedicated space for different religions, traditions, and perspectives to come together to achieve a better future for planet Earth and humanity.
The Pavilion will also house the Tree of Conscience – a tree collectively planted by 28 high-level faith leaders from over 19 faiths and denominations during the Global Faith Leaders Summit on climate change this past November in Abu Dhabi.
Inclusive collaboration and dialogue
The Faith Pavilion is a pioneering space designed to be the focal point for fostering meaningful interfaith collaboration and engagement, with the goal of catalysing effective and ambitious climate action. The space will host dialogues and sessions promoting climate justice collaboration among religious and Indigenous representatives, scientists, young people, and political leaders.
The full programme has now been announced for the Faith Pavilion, featuring over 60 sessions covering issues ranging from nature restoration, investment, and loss and damage, to displaced communities, youth leadership and feminist climate justice.
The Pavilion will host high-profile speakers representing different organisations, disciplines and religious traditions for opening remarks and fireside chats, including:
· Sadhguru, founder and head of the Isha Foundation
· High Commissioner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi
· Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of The Art of Living foundation
· Adil Najam, President, WWF International
· Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan
· United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Nazila Ghanea
· World Evangelical Alliance General-Secretary Archbishop Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher
· Founder and CEO of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism Lynn Forester de Rothschild
· Indonesian American climate activist Nana Firman
· Canadian environmental activist Kehkashan Basu
The full programme can be accessed here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/179lIMdSxAxM3OTUCjTxqkILgENh4GCb3/view?usp=sharing.
Throughout the conference, the Faith Pavilion will also host discussion groups, youth cafes, daily prayers and pastoral care for negotiators.
Faith Pavilion session highlights include:
| Date | Time (GST) | Event |
| 1st December | 12:00 | Faith: The missing piece in climate discussions and for climate action (held at the UNFCCC Climate Action Zone Hub) |
| 2nd December | 9:00 12:30-13.30 14:30-15:30 | Pope Francis addresses the World Climate Action Summit in Plenary Al Hairat Integral Ecology Faith-Based Journeys Towards Ecological Conversion: Sharing Strategies for Overcoming the Dominant Technocratic Approach to Climate Change (with Laudato Si’ Research Institute) Faiths for a Fossil-Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (with GreenFaith) |
| 3rd December | 09:00 TBC 10:30-11:30 17:30-19:00 | Inauguration of Faith Pavilion with His Holiness Pope Francis Press briefing following the Inauguration Interfaith Feminist Climate Justice for the Human Right to a Healthy Society and Environment (with Green Hope Foundation and World Council of Churches Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance) Afrodescendant People’s Day: Hope and Resilient Communities Against Climate Change (with Global Coalition Against Systemic Racism and for Reparations) |
| 4th December | 10:30-11:30 11.30-12.30 12:30-13:30 16.30 – 18:00 | Intersection of Financing, Ethics, Human Rights and Climate Justice: Vital Role of Faith Actors (with All Africa Conference of Churches & Christian Aid) Climate-Forced Migration & Displacement, Faith & Indigenous Peoples (with Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) Islamic Social Finance for Climate Action (with Green Faith and UNHCR) Women of Faith for Rights and Resilience: Taking Stock of Lessons Learned from Decades of Climate Action(with Religions for Peace & Global Peace Initiative of Women) |
| 5th December | 10.30- 11.30 12.30-13.30 | Advancing Understanding for Our Common World (with Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam & Reverend Johnnie Moore) Overcoming barriers to a just transition: Inclusive Capitalism and Anglican Consultative Council |
| 6th December | 11:30-12:30 | Bringing “Al Mizan: A Covenant for Earth” to Life (with Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences) |
| 8th December | 10:30-11:30 17:00-18:30 | Planting the Seeds of Human Fraternity: Building Bridges for a Greener Tomorrow (with Zayed Award for Human Fraternity) Religions in Action for Forests, Climate and Indigenous Peoples: Innovations from the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative in Brazil, Colombia, DRC, Indonesia and Peru (with Interfaith Rainforest Initiative) |
| 9th December | 12:30-13:30 14:30-15:30 | How to Mobilise Your Faith Community TowardsLand Restoration (with UN Convention on Combating Desertification) Faith in Action for Climate Justice in Addressing Loss & Damage (with Christian Aid, CIDSE, SCIAF, Maryknoll, KOO, Church of Sweden) |
| 10th December | 14:30-16:00 17:30-18:30 | Listen to Those Who Listen to the Earth: A Plea for an Urgent Ethical Blue Framework by Indigenous Populations and World Religions (with GLOBETHICS) Science-Based Targets for Faith: Advancing a Global Standard for FBOs to Measure, Manage and Report GHG Emissions (with World Resources Institute) |
| 11th December | 11:30-12:30 14:30-15:30 | Youth, Climate Anxiety and the Role of Faith (with Bahu Trust) Sustainability in the Quran and Sunnah (with Mohamed Bin Rashid Center for Islamic Culture) |
| 12th December | 10:30-11:30 | Faith, Scripture and Living in Ecological Balance (with Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development) |
