Religious leaders' Baku summit concludes first day with urgent calls For interfaith action on climate crisis

The Global Summit of Religious Leaders in Baku, on margins of COP29, has wrapped up its first day with a plenary session entitled "World Religions for a Green Planet."

The session commenced with the screening of the video "Our Planet," Caliber.Az reports per local media.

During the plenary, speakers addressed various topics, including the perspectives of religions and beliefs on the climate change crisis and its impact on the planet, life, and livelihoods.

Discussions also focused on the role of religious and confessional organisations in promoting a green future, raising awareness, and combating climate change, as well as the importance of interfaith and intercultural dialogue in the fight against climate change.

Additionally, the discussions highlighted how armed conflicts, violence, ecocide, and urbanicide are damaging the environment and hindering the global struggle against climate change.

With the conclusion of the first day of the Summit, participants are now poised to continue their important discussions in the days ahead.

Notably, the two-day Global Summit of Religious Leaders is underway at the "Gulustan" Palace in Baku, Azerbaijan. Attended by around 30 leaders from various world religions and 30 international organisations across 55 countries, the event brings together religious officials, including representatives from the Vatican and Al-Azhar, alongside prominent global religious and public figures.

This summit marks Azerbaijan’s continued commitment to fostering interfaith dialogue on critical global issues. Previously, Azerbaijan hosted the First and Second World Summits of Religious Leaders, and for this summit, aligned with COP 29, the focus is on addressing climate change through a moral and ethical lens.

The theme, "World Religions for a Green Planet," underscores the need for united religious action on environmental sustainability for the future of the planet.

Organised under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev, the event is supported by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, the Caucasian Muslims Office, the International Council of Muslim Elders, and the UN Environment Program.

Additionally, foreign attendees are scheduled to visit territories in Azerbaijan recently liberated from Armenian occupation, providing further insight into the region's development and future plans.

By Aghakazim Guliyev