CONVENING A GLOBAL GATHERING OF SPIRITUAL LEADERS TO COP28
Presenting at the historic Faith Pavilion and Participating in Surrounding Events
DUBAI CONVERGENCE
29 Nov – 3 Dec 2023
UNITY EARTH with many partner organizations is bringing an international delegation to participate in the UN’s COP 28 in Dubai. COP (Conference of the Parties) is the UN’s main international gathering each year dedicated to addressing Climate Change and global environmental issues. This year for the first time there will be a Faith Pavilion dedicated to showcasing the important role of Faith and spirituality in relation to climate and the environment in general.
Some of the partners producing the Dubai Convergence are the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, URI-Africa, The Hague Centre for Global Governance, Chishty Foundation, and Guru Nanak Gurudwara in Dubai. Hubcast Media will also be present and broadcasting for UNITY EARTH TV
The Faith Pavilion was co created by UNEP’s Faith for Earth Initiative, the Muslim Council of Elders and Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD). It is here at the Faith Pavilion that UNITY EARTH and Partners will be presenting on December1.
The Dubai Convergence presenting at the Faith Pavilion will focus on three key areas:
- the Power of Prayer
- the Role of Women as Agents of Transformation, and
- Sacred Activism for Sustainability
Pope Francis recently announced that he will also attend COP 28. This will be the first visit to COP by a pontiff in its 28 year history. This follows the recent publication of Laudate Deum, an important follow up by Pope Francis to his historic encyclical Laudato si. Such high level participation from the Vatican is representative of the caliber of faith leaders, diplomats, artists and social activist from all walks of life that are coming together for COP 28.
UNITY EARTH will be presenting two panels from the Faith Pavilion and UNITY EARTH TV will also be broadcasting live from COP 28 from November 30 – December 3 during these historic Convergence events
Featuring:
Audrey E. Kitagawa, J.D., is the President/Founder of the International Academy for Multicultural Cooperation, the President of the Light of Awareness International Spiritual Family, the Chair of the Anti-Racism Initiative and Co-Chair of the Gender Equality Working Group of the G20 Interfaith Forum, and the former Advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations.
She is a United Nations Representative for the United Religions Initiative, an Ambassador of Religions for Peace International, and Chair Emerita of the NGO Committee on Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, A Committee of the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations. She has been enstooled into the royal family as the Nekoso Hemaa, (i.e. Queen Mother of Development), of Ajiyamanti in Ghana, West Africa, and has a school which she helped to build named after her in her African name, the Nana Ode Anyankobea Junior Secondary School.
Mr. Surender Kandhari Singh was born in 1948 in India. In 1976, Mr. Kandhari came to Dubai to grow the family business and formed the Al Dobowi Group. The group today is the leading management services provider in the UAE and has grown to have over 2000 employees and have a significant presence in Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Ghana, Europe, and Canada.He is also the Chairman of the Guru Nanak Darbar, Sikh Temple, Dubai – the First Sikh Gurudwara in the UAE; to name a few of his activities.
He has attended the G20 Interfaith Summit held in the Gold Coast Australia in 2014 and in Malaysia in 2015 as a delegate of the UAE Government to promote Interfaith Harmony & Tolerance.
Rocky Dawuni is an UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, international music star, producer and activist who straddles the boundaries between Africa, the Caribbean and the United States to create an appealing sound that unites generations and cultures. With an easy-going charisma and reputation as a dedicated champion of social causes, Dawuni’s eloquence, cultural diplomacy and successful melding of music and activism have led him to become a passionate spokesperson for various global causes.
Syed Salman Chishty hails from the Chishty Sufi family of Ajmer Sharif, the Gaddi-Nashin (hereditary custodians) of the 11th century Sufi shrine of Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishty. His work involves the research of Sufi traditions and their interaction with global cultures and traditions. He is a regular participant at international conferences on interfaith dialogue and has represented the Chishty Sufi Order in the Middle East, Asia, the United States and the United Kingdom. A founding member of the Chishty Foundation, he has served as its director for the last five years. He has also written several articles on Sufism and spiritual understanding for various national and international publications. Chishty also has an interest in photographing the ‘sacred’ and captured his Sufi journeys across the globe. His work has been exhibited at various events and exhibitions.
Ben Bowler is the Executive Director of UNITY EARTH, a global network empowering solutions for unity, purpose and peace.
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