LONDON: Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID) launched on Wednesday a global forum in Wilton Park, the United Kingdom, titled "Women, Religion and Climate Change" in collaboration with the Partnership for Faith and Development organization, alongside Global One 2015.
The three-day forum aims to establish an interactive, cultural, and scientific platform that underpins inclusiveness, integration among religious teachings and women's efforts in the field of conserving the environment, climate change issues and their relationship with sustainable development, increasing cooperation among religions' followers and workers in civil society institutions, as well as human rights and civil organizations on climate change issues.
The forum intends to expand the scope of women leadership interested in the environment, climate change and sustainable development both at religious and civilian levels, in addition to creating opportunities for joint action between women leaders and their allies from men to complement the current efforts and collaboratively add a value to them.
Chairperson of the Board of Directors of DICID, Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, said the forum has been framed in such kind of topic owing to the clarity of the nexus between religion and climate change, adding that religious teachings are eco-friendly and consistent with sustainable development.
If religion is one of the components that creates the title of this forum, women are likewise the second component, because women can achieve more sustainable peace because of many reasons that would be discussed within the forum's sessions, Al Nuaimi outlined.
He added that paying attention to women in the environment is one of the most critical factors that focus on exploring solutions for prevalent environmental problems, noting that the title of the forum has been meticulously selected with themes that have been earnestly designed to have an additional and new hope from this forum in a field that everyone is currently interested in as a vital topic that touches the reality.
Al Nuaimi hoped the forum would come up with a supporting action plan and strategy to be further added to the immediate efforts.
Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of DICID Aisha Yousef Al Mannai said the importance of organizing this scientific and practical activity stems from the criticality of the pivotal role performed by women in responding to climate change, adding that this was largely confirmed by modern studies.
The studies proved that women could perform a pivotal role in responding to climate change, because they are aware of the surrounding local, social, and environmental conditions, in addition to their leading role in sustainable management of resources or sustainable practices at family and societal levels, Al Mannai outlined.
The forum is convened with the support and participation of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, along with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in the presence of a host of Qatari female entrepreneurs who have major contributions to conserving the environment and achieving sustainable development. Also, the event is supported by the US Sterling Foundation Management, LLC.
The forum features the participation of prominent women dignitaries, several leaders interested in climate change issues, representatives of religious institutions, women's organizations, academics, and researchers in this field.
