Anwar Esslimani – SAID Arabic & North African Director-
World leaders gathered in the United Arab Emirates for COP28, the UN climate change conference, to protect the Earth and warn of dangerous climate changes that threaten the future of the planet. Religious leaders also gathered under the supervision of the Muslim Council of Elders in a dedicated pavilion, where they discussed the role of religions in facing these challenges. One of the most important outcomes of the conference was the creation of a special fund for international assistance to countries affected by climate change.
The beginning of the conference was a human cry and a UN warning issued by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said that 2023
was the hottest and driest year on record, which is why we are sounding the alarm.
One of the highlights of the conference was the agreement between the world’s largest Islamic religious authority, represented by Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, and Pope Francis, who co-authored the “Call of Conscience” document, which is a very important document aimed at protecting the
environment and facing the serious climate challenges that threaten human life…
So far, everything is encouraging, but let’s go back to the timing of the conference, the symbolism of the attendance, and the importance of the document co-authored by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Pope Francis, and compare it to what is happening to children in Palestine and infants in Gaza, and how women, children, and the elderly are killed because of the barbaric war of the Israeli government on the innocen Palestine
How can we talk about climate change and protecting the Earth, while we see how the Earth and its inhabitants are being destroyed? It is difficult to talk about climate change while we see how the occupation in Palestine contributes to the destruction of the human .
The cry of Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar to stop the fighting and return to peace, and the defense of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar of the right of children to live and the rejection of occupation is in fact the crux of the issue of climate and its changes. We cannot address climate change while and man, woman and children who are the first victims
of climate change are killed and their homeland destryed by a totalitarian occupation.
Religion is about protecting, dialogue and preserving everything on this earth.
