COP-21

Dalai Lama’s Message to World Leaders

Before COP-21, the Dalai Lama recorded a message for all people to see, addressing the world leaders who were going to meet in Paris. In his message, he urged people to take responsibility for what we have done to the planet and start to live more sustainably. He also noted that Tibet is effected much more drastically by climate change than other regions of the world. Tibet has long been considered the rooftop of the earth, and is much more susceptible to environmental degradation. For more information on this, click here.

To watch the Dalai Lama’s message for yourself, check out the video below.

Video Credit: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/20/dalai-lama-says-strong-action-on-climate-change-is-a-human-responsibility

YouTube Video Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYBMLsc64HM&feature=youtu.be

The People’s March

The People’s Pilgrimage was not the only religious based event to take place during COP-21. Another event, the People’s March, was organized and demonstrated in major cities around the world. For those who could not attend the convention in Paris, marches were held around the world to demonstrate solidarity with the cause of environmental stewardship and justice. Many people who participated in this march in Paris were also members of the People’s Pilgrimage. However, in Paris there was conflict due to lingering tensions from the November 13th terrorist attack. For more information and personal stories about The People’s March, click here.

Video Credit: http://peoplesclimate.org/

The People’s Pilgrimage

COP-21 was recently held in Paris, where leaders from countries all over the world met to discuss potential climate change plans. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people of various faiths made their way to the convention. They journeyed to Paris in a pilgrimage of solidarity. People of all faiths were in attendance to rally together and show how religious consciousness is now linked with environmental stewardship. To get a better look at the involvement of faith communities in COP-21, as well as specific stories about the People’s Pilgrimage, check this out.

Introduction

Photo Credit: http://peoplespilgrimage.org/evoke/blog/introduction-and-itinerary/view?category=Yeb%27s+Journey

One group walked 1,500 km. from Rome to Paris. Among this group was Yeb Saño, the representative of the Philippines in COP-19. He has become a well-known activist, as his homeland was ravaged by Typhoon Haiyan during COP-19. The pilgrimage brought copies of Laudato Si, the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change, and the Buddhist Climate Change Statement to World Leaders 2015 to show how invested the faith communities are when it comes to climate change and environmental issues. To read more about the People’s Pilgrimage, click here.