The British Council and the London School of Economics’s Religion and Global Society department successfully organised a workshop today on the theme of Faith and Climate. The event brought together religious and civil society leaders from Al-Azhar, the Coptic Church, and the Anglican Church to explore the emerging shared language in faith-based climate discourse and its potential for enhancing interreligious dialogue.
The workshop provided a valuable platform for participants to engage in meaningful dialogue, capture valuable insights, and identify collaborative actions for the future. Guided by the theme of “Centring Middle Eastern climate responses within religious traditions and thought”, the convening sought to foster a deeper understanding of the religious perspectives on the environment.
Prominent representatives from Muslim, Coptic, and Anglican faith traditions, along with civil society leaders involved in climate initiatives, actively participated in the workshop. The discussions also explored the transformative power of faith-based language, imagery, and narratives to inspire and mobilise Egyptians in climate initiatives following the conclusion of COP 27.
Elizabeth White, the British Council’s country director in Egypt, expressed her thoughts on the workshop, stating, “We are delighted to have organised this workshop in partnership with LSE Religion and Global Society. It serves as a testament to our commitment to fostering interfaith dialogue and addressing the global challenge of climate change.”
Professor James Walters, Director of LSE Religion and Global Society, added, “Language matters. The terminology we use to describe problems shapes our ability to address them. With climate change, that terminology is often scientific and political, and, even in the West, that language struggles to connect with ordinary people. But here in the Middle East, it is clearly essential to attend to the religious ways in which people articulate their experience of a changing climate.”
This workshop is an integral part of the British Council’s English for Interfaith Dialogue programme. In 2021, LSE Religion and Global Society also initiated a three-year research endeavour exploring interfaith dialogue in various contexts. The workshop aligns with the project’s focus on climate change and interfaith relations in the Middle East, with a specific emphasis on understanding the emerging religious discourse around climate in Egypt and its implications for international collaborations.
