Pope Francis will travel to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, for the COP28 climate summit from the 1st - 3rd of December, according to Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Holy See Press Office.
"Accepting the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates," Mr. Bruni announced in a statement on Friday, "His Holiness Pope Francis will make the previously announced trip to Dubai from 1 to 3 December 2023, on the occasion of the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28)."
This marks the first time a Pope has attended the UN climate summit and his second visit to the UAE
His first Apostolic Journey to the Muslim-majority nation's capital of Abu Dhabi in February 2019.
Pope Francis had been the first Pope to ever visit the Arabian Peninsula, and the first to celebrate Mass for the Gulf nation's very small Catholic community.
Pope Francis, who chose his name after St. Francis of Assisi, has often explained why we need to protect our Common Home.
The Global Faith Summit on Climate Action, scheduled for 6-7 November in Abu Dhabi, is set to bring together leading religious figures ahead of the COP28 climate summit in early December.
Hosted by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the event aims to highlight the pivotal role of faith communities and religious institutions in addressing the climate crisis.
Religious leaders and representatives from over 30 faiths, along with experts, youth, female leaders, and indigenous constituencies, have been collaborating to produce a unified faith declaration on climate action.
The declaration will be signed during the summit and is expected to harness the collective influence of faith communities and religious institutions to inspire climate justice globally.
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