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Anglican Bishop Geoff Davies delivering a speech at the launch of the campaign.
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Norwegian Church Aid is working to mobilize faith based partner organisations from all over Africa towards the summit on climate change (COP17) in Durban in December. The We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign has already been launched in several African countries such as Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, and on the 21st of September the time had come to launch it in South Africa, the host country of the summit.
We believe in change
Religious leaders from different faith communities in South Africa signed the petition at the launch. Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and members of the Baha’i community all showed their support for the campaign, and promised to mobilize their communities and members towards the summit.
- We must ensure a better outcome of COP17 in Durban than of previous climate summits. The fact that faith based actors are coming together in this way, is sure to put pressure on the South African government, says Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedt who heads NCA’s office in South Africa.
The launch was held during a climate conference for religious leaders in South Africa. They will now be working together to put pressure on world leaders towards COP17. But they will also be spreading information to ordinary South Africans about climate change and how the summit in Durban affects their lives.
Read more about the campaign here
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Youth gathered at the launch of the We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign in South Africa.
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Youth mobilisation in the churches
Youth in the churches of South Africa plays a vital role in the campaign. The leader of SACC Youth Forum, Vuyani Pule, gave a speech at the launch. He believes youth can make a change.
- Young people can conduct advocacy and lobby community leaders and church leaders so that they make decisions that make a contribution towards stopping climate change. It is also important to listen to young people from rural communities that have direct experiences with climate change.
Therefore, SACC Youth is now travelling across South Africa to engage young people in the churches in the topic of climate change.
- We must tell them that climate change is here, it is effecting our communities, and it is real, Vuyani Pule said.
SACC Youth will also go to gatherings such as concerts, to the universities and to community meetings to collect signatures for the petition.
Sign the petition here
Together in Durban
The day before the climate summit starts, on the 27th of November, the campaign will gather people and faith based organisations from all over Africa for an interfaith rally at King’s Park Stadium in Durban. Among the people participating in the event will be Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson, as well as a choir of 1000 youth. They will all be calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate agreement. All the signatures that are now being collected throughout Africa and beyond will be delivered to the chair of the COP17-negotiations at the rally.