DESCRIPTION Representatives of the greatest religions of the world met in Bologna to discuss climate change and signed a Charter of Values and Actions to be delivered to the ministers of the G7 Environment who, after a few days, gathered in the same city.
The Charter of Values and Actions therefore wants to be a reference to the fact that religions can play a great role, especially where governments fail, in mobilizing the citizens of the world to demand a change in lifestyles in order to protect the planet .
With the Paris Agreement in danger, we must do everything possible to ensure its effective implementation, precisely because the implementation of measures against climate change creates new opportunities to improve people's wellbeing and promote a fairer economy.
The text highlights how environmental problems are closely related to social problems, such as migratory phenomena, caused not only by wars but also by climate disasters.
Religions are ready to collaborate with politics to save the planet: "As religious leaders we are ready to work with the G7 governments and publicly support a vigorous and positive action to combat climate change. We hope that this Charter will foster greater dialogue and the development of inter-religious movement for the protection of the planet. The time has come for the world to move towards a low carbon, resilient and sustainable economy ".
HISTORICAL RELEVANCE Meeting organized in the Farnese Chapel in Bologna on 9 June 2017 in which they participated, signing the Charter of Values and Actions:
- HE Monsignor Matteo Maria Zuppi, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bologna,
- HE Dr. Adnan Badran representing HRH Hassan Bil Talal Prince of Jordan,
- Alfonso Arbib, President of the Rabbinical Assembly of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities,
- Giorgio Raspa, President of the Italian Buddhist Union,
- Swamini Hamsananda Ghiri, President of the Committee of the Dialogue of the Italian Hindu Union, Sanatana Dharma Samgha,
- Rav Alberto Sermoneta, Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Bologna,
- Abd Al-SAbur Turrini Director General CO.RE.IS (Italian Islamic Religious Community),
- Cecilia Dall'Oglio, representing the Global Catholic Cimate Movement,
- Mariangela Falà, President of the Maitreya Foundation, Institute of Buddhist Culture,
- Gianluca Troiano, representing the Environmentalist Project of the Italian Hinduist Sanatana Dharma Samgha,
- Fausto Verti, Coordinator of Religions For Peace, Varese,
- Mattias Soederberg, representing the Act Alliance,
- Fausto Prandini, Movement of the Focolari, responsible for OVERSEAS onlus
INTER-RELIGIOUS RELEVANCE The protection of creation is one of the themes that has encouraged and nurtured interreligious dialogue, encouraging collaboration also starting from the common Golden Rule, or "Do to others what you would have done to you", a rule that is the foundation of religious and secular ethics.
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE On the protection of Creation, the Roman church is in particular in harmony with other religious faiths. In 2006 the Italian Episcopal Conference established the National Day for the Protection of Creation, to be celebrated starting from 1 September. The year following the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu, the Catholic delegation made a significant contribution to the approval of the proposal to celebrate a European Day of Safeguarding Creation from 1 September to 4 October.