Emerging Peacemakers Forum sends message of hope to COP28

Fifty young people from 24 countries have sent a message of hope to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which will be hosted by the UAE later this year.

The message was delivered during a special ceremony as part of the second edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum, held in Geneva, Switzerland.

Participants in the forum, which is organised in partnership between the Muslim Council of Elders, the World Council of Churches, and the Rose Castle Foundation, planted an olive tree, symbolising the importance of youth making positive contributions in addressing contemporary global challenges and building peace.

Hailing from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, forum participants expressed their appreciation and support for the efforts undertaken by the United Arab Emirates, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in tackling the negative impacts of climate change. They also expressed their hope for the COP28 conference to yield results that contribute to mitigating the global humanitarian threat.

They emphasised that planting the olive tree is an invitation to foster environmental peace and protect life on this planet and stressed the need for open discussions between youth, civil society leaders, and religious leaders and for the visions, experiences, initiatives, and proposals of young people to be heard and considered.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam stated he was pleased with the positive spirit demonstrated by the participants in the second edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum and that the world is eagerly anticipating COP28, and the significant outcomes that can be achieved in countering the negative effects of climate change. He praised the efforts of the UAE in promoting environmental security and finding effective solutions to the issue of climate change.

The second edition of the Emerging Peacemakers Forum commenced in Geneva on Thursday.

Participants at Emerging Peacemakers Forum send message of hope to #COP28#WamNews https://t.co/hRvOrT7rru pic.twitter.com/FTGKjO23DF

— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) July 9, 2023