On the eve of the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, an interfaith dialogue took place at The Heavenly Cathedral, home to congregants of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Organised by the Interfaith Liaison Committee, with Dominicans for Justice and Peace as one of the co-sponsors, this event brought together representatives from various faiths to discuss their perspectives on the climate crisis.
Fr Andrawes Samir from the Coptic Orthodox Church conveyed warm wishes for a successful meeting, emphasising the importance of humanity, the world, and the preservation of the universe’s treasures.
Rev. Henrik Grape introduced the program, which followed the Talanoa Dialogue approach, engaging participants in sharing initiatives, concerns, and hopes related to climate change. This led to insightful small group discussions on how faith traditions can contribute to addressing the climate crisis and driving positive change.
During a panel discussion, Romario Dohmann from the Evangelical Church of the Rio de la Plata highlighted the active role of youth worldwide in advocating for urgent climate action. Ray Minniecon, representing an Indigenous perspective from the Anglican Church in Australia, urged collective responsibility for the environment’s well-being and the need for repentance for the harm caused.
The event concluded with an Interfaith service uniting participants in prayer for the upcoming two weeks of collaborative efforts toward climate justice.
Aligned with the Talanoa Dialogue spirit, this interfaith gathering aimed to formulate an Interfaith Talanoa Call, conveying concerns, demands, and hopes from COP27 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretariat.