ROME REPORTS (RR) is a private and independent international TV news agency based in Rome, Italy, specializing in covering the Pope and the Vatican.
They are currently reporting that the United Nations is seeking to unite all world religions to combat climate change. This is an agenda that has the combined support of the United Nations and the Vatican. Here is their rationale:
Faith-based organizations are the fourth largest economic power on earth. They own a total of 10 percent of the planet's inhabitable land, 50-60 percent of educational institutions, 50 percent of hospitals, and five percent of commercial forests.
According to Iyad Abumoghli, Faith for Earth Initiative Principal Coordinator:
“Why not involve this massive power of religion and religious followers to implement their traditional ways of dealing and living in harmony within the environment, in tackling the environmental issues?”
The UN launched the Faith for Earth Initiative in 2017. Its objective is to create a network of faith-based organizations to meet the environmental goals outlined in the 2030 Agenda. The agenda, signed by 193 countries, includes eliminating poverty, promoting sex education and creating ‘inclusive societies.’
“One of the things that we are working on is establishing a global coalition, where we bring in the highly eminent faith leaders to be in one space and to convey one message, which is the need to employ and implement and integrate ethical and behavioral changes based on faith values in the way we deal with the environment and environmental issues” (Iyad Abumoghli).
“So it is very important for them to build their resilience, their capacity to cope with environmental changes, but also work on fighting climate change and conserve biodiversity and restore ecosystems.”
The initiative has already yielded concrete results in different religious institutions around the world, including Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity and others. For example, a community of Seventh-Day Adventists committed to planting thousands of trees in commemoration of World Environment Day.
The hope is that combining scientific findings on environmental degradation with different religious beliefs will effect positive change at the global, regional and local levels. The network already counts on the collaboration of over 3,000 partners.
When Rome Reports begins mentioning Seventh-day Adventists by name, in conjunction with Buddhism and Islam, it seems likely that we will also be mentioned on May 14th when world religions, leaders and celebrities convene at the Vatican for the Global Pact on Education signing ceremony.
On September 12, 2019 the Pope said in a video message that "universal solidarity" can only be achieved by way of a "global education pact."
No word on whether a Seventh-day Adventist representative will sign this pact or not. It certainly seems possible when you consider that the Seventh-day Adventist General Conference helped organize this meeting on January 29, 2019.
Stay tuned.
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“And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” (Luke 4:8).