MHM, which is also called the Muslim Council of Elders, is an independent, cross-border organization that was founded in 2014 and is based in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
"This Southeast Asian Conference was held as a preparation for the World Summit of Religious Leaders in Abu Dhabi on November 6–7, 2023," MHM secretary general counselor Mohamed Abdelsalam said in a statement released on Friday.
He informed that the MHM conference will discuss the contributions of religious leaders and figures as well as solutions to reduce the negative impact of climate change.
The conference on religion and climate change in Southeast Asia is being held in preparation for the Conference of the Parties 28 (COP28), which will take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the end of 2023, Abdelsalam added.
"At COP28, and for the first time in the history of COP, there will be a Religion Pavilion initiated by MHM," he informed.
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MHM member from Indonesia, Quraish Shihab, said that the world is currently facing the threat of climate change due to natural and environmental damage.
This damage shows that the impacts of climate change are near due to drought, global warming, melting snow in Antarctica, and rising sea levels, he added.
"All of us, including individuals, groups, community organizations, and religious organizations, must work together to increase awareness of environmental cleanliness and reduce pollution," he said.
Meanwhile, executive committee member of MHM, TGB M. Zainul Majdi, said that the conference would discuss a number of important topics, including countries and the challenges of climate change, green theology, religious beliefs on building awareness of environmental conservation, and the role of religious institutions and figures in dealing with the impacts of climate change.
The conference will also issue a number of strategic recommendations to increase efforts to prevent the negative impacts of climate change, based on good practices that have been implemented in Indonesia and countries in Southeast Asia, he added.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Resinta S
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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