Event

COP28 Side-events

Events with involvement of the World Council of Churches and ecumenical partners at the COP28 conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 30 November - 12 December.

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COP28 Faith pavilion

COP28 side event “Intersection of financing, ethics, human rights and climate justice: vital role of faith actors”, Co-organized by Christian Aid and the All Africa Conference of Churches held at the Faith Pavilion. Athena Peralta, WCC programme executive for economic and ecological justice, was among the speakers.

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30 November
15:00 - 20:00: Interfaith Talanoa Dialogue
Location: Christ Church Jebel Ali and online
Organizers: WCC and other members of the Interfaith Liaison Committee to the UNFCCC
- WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay speaking in the panel on the role of faith communities at the COP and contributing to interfaith service; Rev Chebon Kernell (WCC CCIA member) speaking in the panel from an Indigenous perspective.

1 December
11:30 - 12:30 Contribution of faith-based organizations to building climate resilience and adaptation - youth-led climate action
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC, LWF, AACC and Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University (BKWSU)
-Julia Rensberg, Church of Sweden, WCC central committee member, and member of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development speaking as an Indigenous youth.

12:00 - 13:00 Faith - The missing piece in climate discussions and for climate action
Location: UNFCCC Action Lab, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: UNFCCC Secretariat and ILC
- Speakers include WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and Rev. Einar Tjelle, Church of Norway.

2 December
14:30 - 15:30 Faiths for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC and GreenFaith
- Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches and member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs speaking.

15:30 - 17:00 Ecumenical Service on COP28
Location: Christ Church Jebel Ali
Organizers: WCC, MECC and Anglican Communion
- Sermon by WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. Special greetings by Dr Michel Abs, general secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches.

3 December
09:00 - 09:30 Spiritual moment
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC and GreenFaith
- WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay will lead the prayer. Rev. Chebon Kernell, member of the WCC's Commission of the Churches on International Affairs and Joy Kennedy, United Church of Canada, also contributing.

10:30 - 11:30 Interfaith Feminist Climate Justice for the Human Right to a Healthy Society and Environment
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC and Green Hope Foundation

(time to be confirmed) Reaching the Last Mile
Location: COP28 Green Zone
- Ellyanne Chlystun-Githae Wanjiku (WCC Churches' Commitment to Children ambassador) speaking. Hosted within the COP28 Health Day.

4 December
10:30 - 11:30 Intersection of Financing, Ethics, Human Rights and Climate Justice: Vital Role of Faith Actors
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: AACC and ChristianAid

13:30 - 14:00 ILC Press Conference: Interfaith Talanoa Dialogue on COP28
Location: Press Conference Room 2 Zone B6 building 77
Organizers: WCC and other members of the ILC
- Rev. Chebon Kernell, member of the WCC's Commission of the Churches on International Affairs speaking.

5 December
17:00 - 18:15 The human face of climate change: Why life-saving malaria programmes are at risk
Location to be confirmed
Organizers: WHO
- Ellyanne Chlystun-Githae Wanjiku (WCC Churches' Commitment to Children ambassador) speaking for Christian children with David Beckham.

6 December
15:00 - 16:30 Side-event: Bottom up and systemic approaches from faith and affected communities for just transitions
Location: SE Room 7, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC, Anglican Communion, SAFCEI, and Episcopal Church USA
- Speakers include Julia Rensberg, Church of Sweden, member of the WCC central committee and member of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, and Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches and member of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs.

7 December
19:00 - 20:00 Ecumenical Update from the UN Climate Summit
Location: online (register here)
Organizers: WCC, ACT Alliance and LWF

8 December
10:00 - 11:00 Side-event: From Most Vulnerable to Most Valuable
Location: COP 28 Green Zone
Organizers: UNICEF

14:30 - 15:00 ILC Press Conference: Voices of faith call for justice in COP28 decisions
Location: Press Conference Room 2 Zone B6 building 77
Organizers: WCC and other members of the ILC
- Rev. Tamsyn Kereopa, Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia (WCC accredited delegate) speaking. Faith Sebwa (WCC accredited delegate) potentially speaking.

15:30 - 17:00 Amplifying the voice of smallholder farmers in shaping Adaptation Policy: A Faith Based Response
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: Organization of African Instituted Churches
- Rev Nicta Lubaale (WCC accredited delegate) speaking.

9 December
15:00 - 16:30 Side-event: Faith communities and resilient frontliners responding to the nexus of food, water and climate change
Location: SE Room 3, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC-EAA, Center for Food Safety, Local Environment Development and Agricultural Research Society (LEDARS), and International Association of Students in Agricultural and Related Sciences (IAAS)

10 December
12:30 - 13:30 Faith communities have a moral imperative to address water-food-climate justice
Location: Faith Pavilion, COP28 Blue Zone
Organizers: WCC-EAA and Anglican Communion
- Speakers include Archbishop Julio Murray, moderator of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, and Jocabed Solano, WCC Indigenous Peoples' Reference Group member.

 

Learn more:
World Council of Churches at the COP28