Egypt announced the “Our Climate, Our Lives” initiative under the patronage of the Grand Imam, Ahmed El-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar, and Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, in the context of encouraging public participation to face the global challenge of climate change, and in the context of preparations for hosting the upcoming COP27 as well as the National Climate Dialogue.

Fouad stated that Al-Azhar was at the forefront of institutions that showed support for Egypt’s hosting of the upcoming COP27 climate conference. It contributed constructive ideas and visions, praising the speech of the Sheikh of Al-Azhar in the Vatican on climate, which is a message of what Egypt will present as a pioneering model for the world by hosting the largest international multilateral climate conference.

The Minister commended the axes of the initiative, which is characterized by comprehensiveness, integration and innovation, as it starts with awareness, then training and research until reaping the fruits. Fouad also praised the integration between specialists in environmental, climate and forensic sciences, which achieves a real integration of the dimension of climate change and its relationship with Islamic law. She added that it is innovative for its reliance on social media and direct convoys, which contribute to presenting a distinctive initiative that highlights the image of the new republic that is based on the solidarity of all spectrums of the people, and extends beyond the establishment of the COP27 climate conference.

Fouad explained that the initiative includes implementing a weekly convoy for a year, a monthly awareness campaign, 24 workshops, and training 100 male and female preachers in the field of climate change awareness, in cooperation with the Al-Azhar Center for Forensic Astronomy and Space Sciences and specialized research centers.