During this year’s UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), there will be a Faith Pavilion for the first time in the so-called “Blue Zone” (the negotiating zone for which participants require special accreditation). This pavilion will make the voices of faith actors around the world heard and bundle them in the form of messages to the negotiating parties at the UN Climate Change Conference.
More than 70 events will take place in the Faith Pavilion during the UN Climate Change Conference (30 November – 12 December 2023). High-ranking speakers from the participating partners and other stakeholders have been recruited for keynote speeches, panel discussions, fireside chats and other inspiring event formats. All events will focus on climate protection measures and the connections between faith, religions and spirituality. The Faith Pavilion will offer a live stream of each event, which can be accessed on the Faith Pavilion website. After the livestream, each session will be uploaded to the Faith Pavilion YouTube channel. On social media, more information can be found under the hashtags #FaithAtCOP28 and #FaithClimateAction.
The pavilion is a collaboration between the COP28 Presidency, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence and the United Nations Environment Programme. The main organiser is the Muslim Council of Elders. The WEA Sustainability Center (WEASC) is one of the co-hosts and co-organisers of the Faith Pavilion. Over the past 12 months, the WEASC has worked intensively on the preparation and programme planning for the Faith Pavilion.
In the first days of the UN Climate Change Conference, the two co-directors of the WEA Sustainability Center, Dr Chris Elisara and Matthias Boehning, were in Dubai to actively support the launch of the Faith Pavilion. On Sunday, 3 December 2023, Matthias Boehning moderated the full-day programme at the Faith Pavilion. Later in the conference, Dr Chris Elisara will host key thematic events in the Faith Pavilion.
Further information on the events and activities in the Faith Pavilion can be found on the dedicated website and the UNEP Faith for Earth platform.