For the first time, Al-Azhar Grand Imam (GI) participates in the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan and delivers a speech on Islam’s position on environmental issues

Al-Azhar Media Center announced that His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders (MCE), Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, will participate in the opening of the 29th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP29, held from November 11 to 22, 2024, for the first time in the history of the Conference of the Parties. This participation comes upon an official invitation extended by President Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, during his meeting with His Eminence the Grand Imam at Al-Azhar HQ in Cairo in June, this year.

His Eminence is scheduled to deliver an important speech on Islam’s position on the issue of environmental conservation and the climate change crisis, and ways to benefit from the voice of religion in strengthening the role of religious leaders and symbols to raise awareness of this crisis, and work to find solutions to this serious issue that threatens life on the planet.

On the sidelines of this participation, His Eminence is scheduled to meet with a number of officials, religious figures, intellectuals and cultural figures, with the aim of unifying visions and activating joint efforts to confront global challenges, most notably climate issues and the wars and conflicts our world is witnessing today.

It is worth noting that this is the first time that Al-Azhar's Grand Imam has participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP. His Eminence pays great attention to the climate change crisis since it is one of the issues that represent a global challenge that has always affected millions of people around the world, especially the poorest and most needy groups, refugees and the displaced, and those who have lost their homes and shelter.