Attended By 150 Interfaith And Cendekiawan Leaders, MHM Holds Conference On Climate Change Impact Solutions

Photo: Didi Kurniawan/VOI

JAKARTA - The Muslim Hukama Council (MHM) held a Conference on Religion and Climate Change - Southeast Asia in the capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta, Wednesday, October 4. The conference was attended by 150 representatives from various religions in Southeast Asia.

There were also scientists, thinkers and the younger generation who cared about the issue of climate change. This conference raised the theme Ikhtiar Reviving Local Religious and Cultural Values in Overcoming Climate Change, Preserving Environment, and Sustainable Development

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, represented by Deputy Minister of Religion Saifullah Rahmat Dasuki, appreciated MHM's efforts to organize conferences on religion and climate change.

"This conference is an affirmation of the collective interests of religious leaders towards the environment and climate change," he said.

According to him, climate change is the biggest challenge facing science today. The Minister of Religion hopes that religious leaders and leaders will contribute to finding solutions to problems that threaten planet Earth.

Secretary General of MHN Kodelan Muhammad Abdelsalam, emphasized that MHM together with branch offices and religious leaders established synergies to crystallize common vision in dealing with climate change issues based on religious values, as well as finding practical solutions.

"The MHM is also trying to build a better world for the current and future generations, and establish a global platform for dialogue between religious leaders and leaders over the issue of climate change," he said.

This series of efforts, said the Secretary General of MHM, will begin with the High Level Conference of World Religious Leaders and Symbols in Abu Dhabi, next November. The holding of the conference is under the responsibility of Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. MHM will also hold the Iman Pavilion for the first time at COP28.

MHM member who is also the former Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Dr Quraish Shihab, MA said all religions agreed on a set of universal values related to the importance of protecting the environment. Prof. Quraish hopes that the conference of Religion and Climate Change - Southeast Asia will be able to develop joint steps for all religious adherents to achieve a safe and peaceful world, not only for mankind, but for all inhabitants of the earth.

"The value is already there and the same (maintaining the environment). But how to find the steps, this must be formulated," he said.

Member of the MHM TGB Exclusive Committee, Zainul Majdi, added that this conference was born from MHM's belief that there must be a combination of hard power and soft power.

Hard power is the party holding official authority with all its devices. For example, regulations on the use of natural resources so as not to cause a decline in the quality of the ecosystem. Soft power is religion and culture that contains values that are very compatible with the aim of protecting the environment.

The recommendations resulting from this conference are planned to be delivered at the High Level Conference of World Leaders and Religious Leaders, organized by MHM in Abu Dhabi in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, the United Nations Environmental Program and the Catholic Church, in November.