The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, welcomed Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and a delegation from the Catholic Church to the Faith Pavilion at COP28. The delegation explored the activities presented by the pavilion, organized by the Muslim Council of Elders in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence in the UAE, and the United Nations Environment Programme, serving as a global platform for interfaith dialogue on climate issues.

Cardinal Parolin and the visiting delegation praised the Faith Pavilion at COP28, the first of its kind in the history of COP conferences, for its religious and cultural diversity and acknowledged its potential to enhance the role of religious leaders and symbols in addressing the negative impacts of climate change. They expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Muslim Council of Elders, led by His Eminence Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, in unifying the voices of religions to confront global challenges.

The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders welcomed Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the accompanying delegation, affirming that the Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb and His Holiness Pope Francis have jointly provided an inspiring model for promoting peace, coexistence, and human fraternity.

The Vatican delegation included Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, Monsignor George Koovakkad, Coordinator of External Trips for His Holiness Pope Francis, and Bishop Archbishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates.

The Faith Pavilion at COP28 hosts numerous religious leaders, scholars, environmental experts, youth, and representatives of indigenous peoples to discuss and explore solutions addressing the challenges of climate change. Through 70 dialogue sessions, over 300 speakers from around the world participate in raising awareness about the dangers of this global threat.