Grand Imam of Al Azhar to participate in COP29 Climate Summit, deliver speech on Islam’s Perspective on Environmental Issues

CAIRO- 9 November 2024: Prof. Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, will participate in the opening of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 

This historic appearance marks the first time in COP history that the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar has been invited, following an official invitation extended by His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, during his meeting with the Grand Imam at Al-Azhar headquarters in Cairo in June.

The Grand Imam is scheduled to deliver an address outlining Islam’s perspective on environmental preservation and the climate change crisis. His speech will explore ways to harness the influence of religious values and reinforce the role of religious leaders in raising awareness of this urgent issue and in promoting viable solutions to this critical threat to life on Earth.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders is also expected to meet with several officials, religious figures, thinkers, and cultural leaders to unify perspectives and strengthen joint efforts in addressing global challenges, particularly climate issues, as well as the conflicts and crises afflicting the world today.

This participation marks the first time a Grand Imam of Al-Azhar has attended a UN Climate Change Summit. His Eminence has expressed a deep concern for the climate crisis, recognizing it as one of the most pressing global challenges, impacting millions worldwide—especially the impoverished and vulnerable, including refugees, the displaced, and those who have lost their homes and shelter.