Space for Interfaith Dialogue at COP28

For the first-time ever, COP28 has established a Faith Pavilion, acting as a dedicated space for faith-based organizations and parallel events that pertain to topics related to communities of faith.

It’s a groundbreaking achievement that allows the freeflow interaction of people from many different faiths, including Islam, Christianity, HInduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Judaism, and Buddhism (just to name a few), under one roof. But, the inclusion and elevation of voices of faith cannot be underscored, especially to Susan Hendershot, the President of Interfaith Power & Light:

“faiths are well-suited and well-positioned to be the voice for local communities because they have been there for hundreds of years, and they will likely be there for hundreds more, and they know the solutions that work in their communities.”

Kamran Shahzad, of the Sultan Bahu Trust UK and author of A Muslim’s Guide to Climate Change, has put these solutions to practice at his local masjid where, during Ramadan, in which meals to break the fast are provided daily, use of single-use plastics was slowly reduced while also taking into account the community’s reception to behavioral change.

First, he says, “educate and raise awareness. The following year, it then went to 10 days, and then the third year, the whole of Ramadan became plastic-free. So you can’t… just tell people; you have to take them on a journey.”

See more in our latest video* and catch up on all the latest from COP28 at https://tzuchicenter.org/global/cop28.

*Also Debra Boudreaux (Chief Executive Officer, Tzu Chi USA).