The Muslim Council of Elders and the Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change in the United Arab Emirates have entered into a significant partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting interfaith dialogue and environmental sustainability.
The MoU was formally signed by Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, and Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General and Special Representative of COP28.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Muslim Council of Elders will actively engage in inviting religious organizations, leaders, and spiritual figures to participate in the groundbreaking Faith Pavilion at the upcoming COP28. This unique pavilion, a first in the history of COP conferences, will serve as a global platform to foster religious engagement and interfaith dialogue with the primary objective of raising ambitions and implementing effective measures to combat the climate change crisis. The partnership also underscores the importance of involving religious figures and leaders in developing strategies to address global challenges, particularly related to environmental justice.
The initiative will be a collaborative effort involving the UAE’s Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, the United Nations Environment Programme, and relevant international partners. Together, they will focus on organizing events and activities that empower religious leaders to address the adverse impacts of climate change.
Prior to this partnership, the Muslim Council of Elders and the United Nations Environment Programme had extended invitations to religious and civil society organizations, as well as religious and community leaders, to partake in the Faith Pavilion at COP28.
