Pope Francis and Grand Imam Ahmed al Tayeb, Sheikh of Al Azhar, They have called for unity and action to stop climate change and to End wars and ensure world peacebecause if the conflicts continue It will be impossible to protect the Earth.
Both religious leaders attended the inauguration of the Faith Pavilion at the Dubai COP28 climate summit, the first of its kind at a UN climate conference, via video message.
In his message, Francis emphasized that this fact testifies: “the will to cooperate” And The world needs “alliances that are not against anyone, but for everyone”. In this sense, has called on religions to set a good example and work together for the interests of our worldof which he said the two most important now were peace and climate.
Change lifestyle
“Let us as religious representatives be role models, to show that change is possiblefor manifest a respectful and sustainable lifestyle And Let us urgently ask those responsible for the nations to ensure that our common home is preserved“, concluded the Pope.
In a speech later read by his Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, he called on us to resist it.to the delirium of the insatiable omnipotence that is ravaging the planet“And warned that When man “thinks himself to be the master of the world,” he “reifies” himself and goes so far as to destroy even that which makes life possible for him.
Francisco pointed out that there is an urgent need to act in favor of the environment, stressing that this requires not only money, but also We must change the way of life and therefore we must educate to a sober and fraternal lifestyle.. “A poor world of contemplation will be a soul-polluted world that continues to segregate people and produce waste; A world without prayer will say many words, but without compassion and tears it will live only on a materialism consisting of money and weapons.“, he explained.
Wars and conflicts, he said, damage the environment and divide nations. This prevents a shared commitment to protecting the planetand added that a house can only be lived in “for everyone” if there is a climate of peace inside.
The earth, a common good
For his part, Ahmed al Tayeb, a reference for Sunni Islam, said that the COP28 Faith Pavilion offers the opportunity “We are redoubling our efforts to protect our shared environment from the impending destruction that threatens each year“.
In Islamic logic he explained: “People are responsible for the environment, just as they are responsible for themselves and those around them.“He added that Allah has warned that if they cause harm on the earth, “They will suffer diseases, disasters and calamities, the intensity of which will be proportional to the corruption caused.”“.
Speeches by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, during the signing of the Interfaith Declaration of Action and the opening of the Faith Pavilion at COP28.#FaithAtCOP28 #FaithClimateAction pic.twitter.com/OxFuCEE3Jp
— Faith Pavilion (@faithpavilion) December 3, 2023
On the other hand, the Muslim authority has expressed its protest against this:the horror of the relentless terrorist killing machine used by the ruthless against the world’s innocent citizens, including men, women, children, babies and even the unborn“.
“I am equally concerned about the acts of violence, sabotage and destruction being witnessed in the occupied land of Palestine“said Al Tayeb, who pleaded with the world to put an end to “these cruel and criminal wars” because if they continue, “we will have neither a livable environment nor a habitable climate for our children or future generations.”