If Pope Francis fully recovers, he will take the 44th international trip of his pontificate on Friday. It will be a short trip with a clear intention: to participate in the COP28 Climate Change Summit in Dubai and raise awareness in the international community.
On Friday, he will depart from Rome and land in Dubai at 8:25 p.m. local time. The following day, he will address the conference at 9:15 a.m. and then spend the rest of the day in private bilateral meetings, which will offer a unique opportunity for diplomacy. On Sunday, he will inaugurate the summit's pavilion that is dedicated to world religions and then he will return to Rome, where he will land at 2:30 in the afternoon.
The Pope is very concerned about the environment and especially the social consequences of climate crises that cause death and destruction.
POPE FRANCIS
I remember a phrase that I heard from an elderly man many years ago: God always forgives…our shortcomings, our abuse, God always forgives. People forgive at times but the Earth never forgives. We must care for our sister the Earth, our Mother Earth, so that she does not respond with destruction.
The UN estimates that in 2021 there were more than 23 million people forced to move due to climate crises.
JRB
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