Emails and major Signal messages sent to COP28 delegation, most recent on top.

November 27

SIDE EVENTS IN THE BLUE ZONE

Hello all,

We’re hoping that everyone will have the time to attend at least one side event in the Blue Zone.  You can find the list of side events here: https://seors.unfccc.int/applications/seors/reports/events_list.html?session_id=COP%2028   It’s a chance for you to learn more about what other groups are doing, support their work, build new relationships, and if it makes sense, invite people to our events.  

We also think we might want to focus on giving support to specific organizations, like WeCan. They will be at COP28 with lots of Climate Justice events scheduled. Many CJ orgs have worked with them and now they are participating in COP28. Their delegation consists of many frontline and Indigenous women leaders.  Take a look at their website and events: https://www.wecaninternational.org/cop28

Of course, you’ll need to attend the side events during a time in which you are not assigned to something else, or needed to play a support role.  Now that we have 11 badges, there should be more times for everyone when you are not assigned or needed.  Please look over the list of side events, see what you want to attend, and then we’ll talk about this more at our workshop, once we are all together in Dubai.  

Below are some examples that seem interesting to me, with the date and time.  You can easily search the list for key words, countries, organizations by doing “command F”.  

Win-win for climate and gender justice & peace: Acting on military spending and military emissions
4th 11:30

Climate Change and Mental Health – Understanding Risks and Empowering Opportunities
4th 11:30

Climate Damage of Russia’s war in Ukraine and the knowledge gap on conflict and military emissions
4th 18:30

Grassroots Feminist Perspectives on Demilitarization for Climate Justice
5th 15:00

Accelerating a just transition for healthy people and a healthy planet
5th 15:00

No climate justice without human rights: civic space for a fossil free future
6th 13:15

A Call from Indigenous Peoples: Weaving a Human Rights-based Approach in Loss and Damage
6th 18:30

Youth Rising in Solidarity for Environmental Defenders and Safeguarding Lives, Nature and the Future
9th 11:30 (Shant)

Youth Voices for Climate Action
9th 13:15

Credible Climate Leaders or Climate action blockers? Examining the role of the fossil fuel industry
10th 13:15

A Just Transition for a Rapid and Equitable Phase Out of Fossil Fuels Extraction
11th 11:30

Africa's Just Transition - 100% Renewable Energy, Food Sovereignty, and African Financing Mechanisms 10th 11th 13:15

With love,
Diane

November 26

Hello delegation,

BADGE UPDATE

We now have 11 badges.  Seven are SAL badges, granted to us by the UNFCCC.  We have the ability to “share” our badges, so some of you have one of the SAL badges for one week and some for the other.  Leonard got one badge from the Togo government.  Chioma got three badges from the Nigerian government.  These four badges cannot be shared, and so the named recipients (Leonard, Chioma, Johanna G, and Johanne M) will have access to the Blue Zone for the entire period of the COP.  The Draft Schedule on the COP28 delegation webpage reflects our current thoughts about distribution of the badges.  We will not be able to change the badges after Monday, November 27. 

KNOW HOW TO USE SIGNAL

Please be sure that you are able to contact each member of our delegation on Signal. Signal will be our main communications app during the COP.  

You should be on the COP28 Delegation Signal thread already, contact Urbain if not.  Each event and other working group is encouraged to have your own Signal thread.  

EMERGENCY CONTACT

Also, please send Janet at least one emergency contact for you (e.g. a family member or partner) so that we have that information for each person if necessary.  

FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE LATIN AMERICA WILL SHARE OUR SPACE

We have been talking with Juan David Amaya, an organizer with Fridays for Future Latin America.  They will hold events in our space on 1 and 2 December, before most of us arrive.  We are co-sponsoring their events, and will have more information to you soon.  They will be posted on our webpages as well.  

See you very soon in Dubai!

Love,

Diane

November 23

Blue Zone non-Presidency events

Overview Schedule 

Overview Schedule COP 28 (unfccc.int) 

  • Published this week, this is an indicative overview schedule of UNFCCC mandated events from 24 Nov to 12 Dec that is regularly updated. 

Daily programme 

COP 28 Daily Programme | UNFCCC  

  • From 30 Nov, detailed information on events including negotiations, will be available in the Daily Programme, which will be published every evening on UNFCCC website. 
  • As scheduling can often change at short notice, especially due to the negotiations, real time information is available on the IPTV screens throughout the venue and on the COP28 App. 

Global Climate Action Hub 

Global Climate Action at COP 28 | UNFCCC 

  • The schedule provides information on Global Climate Action programme, including Marakkech Partnership, High-Level Champions, UNFCCC, UN Agencies, Presidency and Partners events.  
  • Currently the schedule covers such details as date, time, event name and location, however concept notes, programs and outcome documents will be posted on the page as they become available. 

Side Events  

SEORS | Side events list (unfccc.int) 

  • This is a comprehensive schedule of side events (organized by observers) that will run from 01 to 11 Dec across the Blue Zone side events rooms. Information includes date, time, event organiser, event location, event theme and speakers.

Exhibits 

SEORS | Exhibits list (unfccc.int) 

  • This is a comprehensive list of Exhibits (organized by observers) that will run from 01 to 11 Dec on a rotational basis.  

Pavilion events 

  • All Pavilion owners are responsible for advertising their own programmes – this is usually done on social media and websites. In addition, the UNFCCC has a dedicated page where Pavilion owners can upload their information. This is still under development but will be available here: COP 28 pavilions | UNFCCC 
  • The programme for the UN Climate Change Pavilion is available here: UN Climate Change Pavilion at COP 28 | UNFCCC  
  • The activity taking place on the Shared Presentation Stages within the Thematic Arenas will be displayed on the IPTV screens. 

Other high-profile events 

  • It is common at COPs that there are ad hoc high-profile events e.g. keynote speech in Plenary which are scheduled at short notice – sometimes the day before, or even on the day.  The team will be informed of these through our contacts at UNFCCC and UNDSS and will disseminate this information as required. 

November 22

Hello all.  We have a new COVID policy that now recommends that you update your COVID vaccine, but does not require it.  We do still require that you test before leaving your country for the COP, and we will test the first three days after we arrive (assuming we can bring in the COVID tests).  And we ask that everyone mask in public places when we are in close proximity to others.  The new policy is attached and posted on our delegation webpage.  Thank you.

**************

This is the first year there has been a Faith Pavilion at COP28.  The groups organizing this reached out to us weeks ago to help them do listening circles.  We've gone back and forth a few times, and nothing is finalized.  But I thought you should be aware of this initiative.

Love,

Diane

 
 
 

 

Faith for Earth

 

An initiative of the United Nations Environment Programme for mobilizing faith actors for people and the planet

#Faith4Earth #Faith4Nature #GenerationRestoration

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Faith For Earth and The Interfaith Coordination Group on Climate Change

Background

 

For many years, FBOs and religious representatives have been present as advocates at intergovernmental meetings such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties and have attempted to raise the profile of religious engagement on climate issues. This engagement has become more needed as the impacts of climate change increase and the international community continues to struggle to implement a “whole of society” approach.

  • FBOs have long played a deeper role in international climate negotiationsthan most people realize. Pope Francis published in 2015 “Laudato Si”, in which he urged the world’s more than 1bn Catholics to increase their efforts to tackle global warming.
  • The Vatican has since formalized its seat at the negotiating table. The Holy See ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2022.
  • Pope Francis underlines the importance of urgent action in our collective response to the environmental crisis, in a message for the launching of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: “The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is a call for the protection and revival of ecosystems across the and runs from 2021 to 2030, which is the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals”.

UNEP Faith for Earth Coalition

 

The UNEP Faith for Earth Coalition and its partners have engaged FBOs at COP26 and COP27. At this year’s COP28 in Dubai, UNEP Faith for Earth and its partners have formed a strategic partnership with other FBOs and global initiatives to host a first-of-its-kind Faith Pavilion (The Interfaith Coordination Group on Climate Change). This presence at the international climate negotiations will provide a unique opportunity for dialogue, capacity building, information sharing, and engagement with key stakeholders including civil society actors, negotiators, and political decision makers.

 

COP28 Faith Pavilion

 

The first ever Faith Pavilion at a World Climate Conference is hosted by the Muslim Council of Elders in collaboration with the COP28 Presidency, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and a diverse coalition of global partners including the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, the Episcopal Diocese of California, the Peace Department, the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD), and over 50 faith organizations.

  • Pope Francis plans to come to the Faith Pavilion for an inaugural session on December 3, 2023. 
  • Situated at the heart of COP28, adjacent to the World Climate Action Summit and negotiations zones, the Faith Pavilion hosts more than 65 sessions. They bring together religious and other civil society representatives, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, youth, and political leaders. The Pavilion symbolizes global and multifaith collaboration in addressing the human-made climate emergency.
  • It facilitates intergenerational dialogue, furthers the role of religion and spirituality in the climate movement, and advocated for long-term, holistic solutions to protect the Earth and its climate.
  • The Pavilion provides a unique opportunity for faith-based engagement with key stakeholders, including political delegations, decision makers, negotiators, and business leaders to ensure swift and effective climate action. 

Organizers 

 

  1. The Muslim Council of Elders is an independent international organization that aims to promote peace within Muslim communities and between Muslim communities and non-Muslim communities. https://www.muslim-elders.com/en  
  2. The Faith for Earth Coalition of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) promotes faith leadership, faith-based organizations, and communities as custodians of far-reaching, value-based perspectives on environmental sustainability. https://www.unep.org/about-un-environment/faith-earth-initiative
  3. The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development connects religion and ecology and galvanizes faith communities’ action and teaching on environmental sustainability. https://interfaithsustain.com
  4. The Episcopal Diocese of California, also known as the Episcopal Church in the Bay Area, serves a diverse community of faith encompassing the greater San Francisco Bay Area. https://www.diocal.org  
  5. The Peace Department is a non-profit, designed to achieve peace through sustainable development and tackles the greatest threats to peace, including climate change, inadequacy in global coordination, resource scarcity, social and economic inequity. https://www.peacedepartment.global
  6. The International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) convenes governments, multilateral entities, academia, religious and other civil society actors to amplify contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). https://www.partner-religion-development.org

Vision

 

Addressing the impacts of human-induced climate change requires interdisciplinary cooperation and efforts across all segments of society including from religious, spiritual, and Indigenous traditions. In recognition of this vital need for collaboration, the Faith Pavilion aims to serve as a platform for problem solving, partnership, and the proposal of holistic recommendations to advance environmental justice.  

 

As part of COP28, the Pavilion will be a dedicated space for different faiths, traditions, andperspectives to come together to achieve a better future for planet Earth and humanity, while engaging new audiences on innovative solutions to the climate crisis.

 

Mission

 

The Pavilion will consist of programming centered around the following strategic objectives:

  1. Encourage faith-based organizations (FBOs) to engage with country delegates and increase their capacity to advocate
  2. Hold daily updates on the negotiations and provide guidance to FBOs  
  3. Identify priority negotiation topics where FBOs can most effectively use their knowledge and experience  
  4. Work alongside other observers including youth, women organizations, and Indigenous groups  
  5. Increase visibility for environmental advocacy work by FBOs  
  6. Highlight the many intersections between religion and the science of climate- related issues including climate justice, adaptation, mitigation, cultural heritage, and nature-based solutions.
  7. Partner with other observer NGOs
  8. Promote multifaith understanding  
  9. Mobilize global multifaith collaboration  

The Interfaith Coordination Group on Climate Change hosted a thematic consultation part of the interfaith coordination process for COP 28; Understanding Adaptation and Mitigation a session to highlight the importance of context-specific adaptation and mitigation knowledge sharing, including non-traditional stakeholders such as Faith Based Organizations, in partnership with The Global Adaptation Network in collaboration and Jessica Troni Head of UNEP's Climate Change Adaptation Unit.

 

The pavilion sessions are organized in thematic days, aligning with COP28 focus. For ex:

  • Day 2: World Climate Action Summit COP27 Adaptation Agenda With sessions around faith matter in achieving the Global Goal on Adaptation, building and promoting climate resilience, but also the role of youth.
  • Day 3: World Climate Action Summit Loss & Damage With sessions around the role of Faith-Based humanitarian actors, ecology Faith-Based strategies, Faiths and Fossil-Fuel Proliferation, Faith and Nature restoration and the role of Intergenerational Dialogue.

An historic event; Confluence of Conscience - Abu Dhabi 6-7 November 2023

The Global Faith Leaders' Summit brought together 28 faith leaders and more than 150 participants representing youth, women, scientists, academia and politicians to sign the 'Confluence of Conscience: Uniting for Planetary Resurgence' known as 'The Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement for COP28', committing to addressing climate change and raising climate ambitions ahead of COP28, which reflects the importance of strategies to enhance the role of religious leaders and symbols in contributing toward achieving climate justice. Attendees concluded the event by promising to do more to help their respective faith communities cut emissions and adapt to climate change.
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10 main points from the Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement on Climate Change:

  1. Call on the world and decision makers convened at COP28 to take decisive actions to save the world from the climate crisis
  2. Support from the Faith Pavilion at COP28
  3. Emphasize the necessity of combining science, traditional knowledge, and religion
  4. Advocate for the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment
  5. Back the enhancement of the experience of religious institutions in dealing with climate shocks.
  6. Provide the necessary financing to drive green development and economy
  7. Promote the leading role of religious leadership in combatting climate change
  8. Endorse the religious discourse that calls for tangible actions towards sustainable development
  9. Respect the sanctity of life, nature, and the inherent value of all beings
  10. Support environmental equality, justice, fairness, and equality principles for the prosperity of the world.

Interfaith statement link.
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UNEP Faith for Earth, 2023

https://www.unep.org/about-un-environment/faith-earth-initiative

Our mailing address is:

iyad.abumoghli@un.org

November 20

 Hello delegates,

Between now and when you leave for the COP, will you be sure that you have familiarized yourself with the information on our delegation webpage:  www.rc.org/cop28delegation.  Here are a few notables on that page:

You might want to look through the collection of all the emails we have sent to the delegation (listed under Important Delegate Documents) to make sure you haven't missed anything important.  

A short video of Azi talking about thinking about Occupied Palestine/Israel is under SAL Videos and Social Media.

Our draft schedule (listed under Important Delegate Documents) may still change, depending on whether we can get all the badges we are expecting.  People who are underlined in that document are still waiting for a badge.  

I put the PDF of RC Contacts Around the World on my phone (Under Important Delegate Documents), so I will always have it with me if someone wants to know if there is RC where they live.  

The COP28 Participant Handbook is under Important Links for the COP.  

Both the Event Flyer and Event Poster (under Event Flyers and Posters) can be downloaded and emailed or printed.  

Finally, you can admire how beautiful our walls will be at the bottom of the page.

If you think of something else you want posted on this page, please let me know.

Love,
Diane

November 17

Dear delegates,

There has been another call for a Boycott of COP28, this time by the Palestinian BDS (Boycott, Divest, and Sanction) Movement.  You can see the form they are asking organizations to complete here. 

SAL will not be filling out this form.  RC doesn't sign on to petitions or statements because of our one-point program. (Guideline A.3.)

The leaders of our events will be meeting with Azi today to start preparing for how we will handle questions at our events (and maybe to you personally) about the Palestine/Israel crisis.  We will report on this call at the all delegation meeting tomorrow (Saturday).  

I think each of us needs to assume that we will be asked for our position and for the position of Sustaining All Life.  We hope that when you are asked for your position, that you will state your position as your position, whatever it is.  You do not need to hold back.  You do not need to agree with whatever you think RC thinks.  We want all RCers to think for themselves and put out their own thinking.  Now is no exception.  You will probably want to have some sessions in advance of the COP to think about what you will want to say.

We are not sure if we will have a statement from SAL or not, we’re working on it. 

Love,
Diane

November 16

 

Action required: Register for your Green zone pass. 

Dear Delegates,

 GREEN ZONE PASSES

Registration is now open for Green zone passes. Please register as soon as you receive this email, as there are a limited number of passes available. Each delegate must do this. 

You will need to go this website click on the day, and register. Because our plans/schedule may change based on the Blue zone badges we end up with, we recommend that you register for a green zone pass for all the days. 

Please note that you will need to register for each day separately, and you will immediately receive a pass in your email. 

Please contact Janet if you have trouble registering or need more information, and inform her when you have completed this task.

BLUE ZONE BADGES

Upon our application, we were given one more badge to the Blue Zone, so we now have seven badges from the COP.  Chioma and Leonard each received a badge from another source for themselves.  Leonard is unable to transfer his badge to anyone else. Chioma is still hoping to share her badge and also get another one.  Diane was given a badge from NDI (Violeta Vajda’s organization) for November 30 - December 2, so she can enter the Blue Zone and set things up.  

ALL DELEGATION MEETING 

Reminder that our last COP28 Delegation Meeting before we get to Dubai is this Saturday, 18 November.

MUSIC

We have decided to try to play soft music in our pavilion when our meetings aren’t happening.  Urbain is compiling a playlist, or individual event leaders may supply their own playlist.  We are bringing a small bluetooth speaker and Rob will help us learn to use it.

SIDE EVENT
We withdrew from the side event that we were part of.  (As a reminder, we applied to do the workshop Healing from Climate Trauma as a side event.  We were denied.  We were solicited by a group of organizations working on carbon removal and renewable energy.  They did get a side event.)  

They didn’t answer our emails until we told them we were withdrawing.  We then had a bit of a dialog with them about their commitment to ending fossil fuels (which I now believe they hold) and whether their techniques were opposed by the climate justice community (which I believe some of them are).  When we pushed them to directly answer the question about the climate justice issues, they stopped answering us again.  We waited a few days and withdrew.  

SAL AT CSCJ HUB

We received this email announcing a Civil Society Climate Justice (CSCJ) Hub inside the Blue Zone.  They are inviting all the climate justice groups to apply to hold an event or two there.  We are applying to lead an event on Colonization and Racism the first week (led by Janet and Chioma) and a workshop on war the second week (led by Azi and Nazish).

Love,

Your leaders and organizers

November 14

Hello!!!!
I'm preparing a music playlist for our place at COP.
Between events or before events.
Could you send me please some song titles and artists that you enjoy to build it? 
Please send me a private message by signal.
You will want to have some of your favorite music around!!!!
Please take 5 min and send me your preferences.
Thanks a lot
Iliria 

November 13

Dear Delegates,

It’s time to start thinking about packing for our stay in Dubai.  Here’s a list of things we think you should consider bringing, if you have them.  If you think of something to add to the list, please write to Janet.

We will distribute your per diem to you when you arrive.  You will receive $50 for each day you are in Dubai, and $50 for your travel days.  

Below the list is our expected schedule for the days we are at the COP.

Please let Janet know if you have access to and are able to bring covid tests to Dubai.

Love,

Your organizers

Bring to Sharm (to consider bringing if you have these)

Passport and visa

UN letter

COVID vaccine card

Photocopy of passport and visa, stored separately

Yellow fever card (for Countries that issue them)

Cash

Dubai power adapter plug, type G

Insect repellant

Sunscreen

Medications (info about traveling with medications)

Special need items that might not be available there

Health insurance card and travel medicine proof

Extra SAL t-shirts

SAL bag if you have one

UER pin if you have one

Swim suit and cover up

Gym clothes

Comfortable shoes for walking

Water bottle

Charger and battery for cell phone

Laptop, 

Activated charcoal or something for your stomach in case you eat something bad

Credit card

COVID tests

N-95 or KN-95 masks

Hand sanitizer

 

Daily schedule for December 4 - 10 (not the 7th)

6:30 am gym time!

8 am breakfast at the hotel

9 am depart for the metro to the COP

10 am arrive at the COP and prepare for our day

See daily schedule

5 pm leave the COP, dinner as you wish

7 pm meet at the hotel for evening meeting

10 pm Goodnight!

 

With love,

Diane

November 10

Hello delegates, the UN has just published its "COP28 Observer Handbook."  We are accredited to the COP as an observer organization, so this Handbook is for us.  Here is the link and I've also posted it on our COP28 delegation page. https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Observer%20Handbook%20for%20COP%2028.pdf?download

www.rc.org/cop28delegation

I don't see that it is available yet in any language except English.

Love,
Diane

November 9

Dear Delegates,

I notice that our hotel in Dubai has a fitness center, a pool, and spa.  Wow.  I would like to offer to hold a “physical power” hour every morning before breakfast, where anyone that comes can exercise together, pair up as desired for mini-sessions, share useful exercises or stretches.  If you are interested, please bring clothing suitable for these activities.  We can figure out the time when we get there.  

Let's take care of ourselves while we are working so hard!

Love,
Diane

November 3

Hello all, Saliha and Anas will lead a one hour class on basic Arabic for all of us on Sunday, 12 November at 3 pm Morocco time.  Please make ever effort to join us.  We will learn basic words and phrases and have a fun time being together.  Love, DIane
5 pm Kenya, 3 pm CET, 2 pm London, 9 am EST, 6 am PST

October 30

Hello SAL/UER delegates to COP28,

Email summary: 

Please let us know if you can bring some COVID tests to Dubai. 

A briefing about a new partnership with the COP28 Safety hub.

COVID Tests

It is not possible to ship the COVID tests we will need for the delegation. Diane will carry them personally, but it may be impossible for her to get them all through customs. We hope some of you may be able to bring some COVID tests, and each of us get a smaller number through customs. Please let Janet know if you have access to and can bring some COVID tests with you to Dubai and, if so, how many you will bring. 

COP28 Safety Hub 

Good news, SAL has been asked to work together with the COP28 Safety Hub <https://www.ycmsafety.com/>. We will collaborate with them in three aspects: 1. Capacity Building pre-COP, 2. Well-being incidence response at COP, 3. Post-COP Wellbeing & Reflection Sessions.  The COP Safety Hub will offer capacity building sessions, a safety guide, and an incident response hotline for direct support.  Iliria will lead this initiative. 

Specifically we will provide the following:  

Capacity building pre-COP

  1. Iliria will lead one 90 minute session as part of our Youth Organizer Engagement Program, directed to 12 delegation organizers, touching on collective well-being (our tools), tools for collective listening (listening circle), and emotional first aid tools (sessions). English session.Date: November 7th, at 2 PM UTC.

  2. Iliria and ____ will help lead two 60 minute sessions (primarily a listening circle–one in English and one in Spanish) as part of their open trainings for youth activists, touching on collective well-being, tools for collective listening, and taking care of each other and ourselves during COP. A portion of each session will also include a refresher on general safety tips for COP facilitated by our team, so approx 45 mins of 60 dedicated for wellbeing (listening circle).  Date: Wednesday 22nd November
         - 1:00pm UTC (English)
         - 4:30pm UTC (Spanish)

  3. One 90 minute session for our core Safety Hub team that will be present at COP, to learn emotional first aid tools (our basic theory) and techniques for stabilizing people in moments of crisis (sessions), as well as collective listening tools (listening circles). In English. Date and time flexible before COP28.

After these pre-COP sessions are completed, Iliria will brief the delegation on the followup we will provide at the COP.  Those of us who are not in the Blue Zone will primarily be responsible for this followup as part of our daily activities.  Iliria will be in charge of followup on December 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.  She will be in the Blue Zone on December 8, 9, 10 and not be present on November 30 or December 1, 2 (recovering from flight), and 11, so I (Diane) will be the point person on those days.  

Love,

Diane

October 28

We are uncertain that we will be able to walk around with signs, or do listening projects, announcing our events.  So one thought we had was designing 3 inch (or a little larger?) round buttons/stickers with an engaging question/statement about each event, and a QR code that takes a person to a page where they can add that event to their Google calendar.  The background could be our SAL logo, in a faded orange.

We need to get started making these, and I’ve designed a question for each event, but would like your input or other ideas.  The questions need to be short.  

If we have the resource for translation, it would be good to have these in Arabic as well.

Here are the questions I came up with, can I have your feedback?  Please Signal me direction, not the whole group.  Thank you!  

Can we heal from the trauma of the climate crisis?

Ask me about eliminating racism in our climate work.

What do you think is the legacy of colonization and racism in Africa?

Ask me about listening circles.

What do you think about the climate crisis and war?

How can we get the Global North to pay its fair share?

October 27

Hello SAL/UER delegates to COP28,


Some updates:


We begin travelling to Dubai in one month.  


Flyer and personal outreach for COP28 events

Attached find the flyer summarizing SAL’s events at COP28. We would like you to reach out to your contacts from previous COPs or the climate movement. 

 

For those of you who were at COP27, the list of people who filled out contact cards is attached.  Please go over it and see if there are people you remember and want to reach out to.  Ask if they are coming to COP28, and if so, tell them you hope to see them there; ask if their group is holding any events; invite them to our events; and attach our flyer.


Vaccination

Please find out if the latest COVID-19 vaccination is available in your country and take it before mid-November.  It takes 2 weeks to become fully effective. Please get the flu vaccine as well, if it is available.  


Listening projects


We would like for each event to have a question or two for their event listening project.  Diane made a few suggestions to get us started.  See “Listening Projects” on the delegation webpage.  


Sanctioned actions in the Blue Zone


The Blue Zone has a process whereby actions can be approved to be held at a specific date and time in the Blue Zone.  Members of our delegation are welcome to participate in these actions, though SAL as an organization will not.  


Per Diem


SAL will offer a per diem (an amount of money each day) to cover meals and incidental expenses.  We need to know if you don’t want the per diem (i.e. you will cover your own expenses while in Dubai).  For those who want the per diem, we will have an envelope with cash for you when you arrive.  


Love,

Your leaders and organizers

October 19

Hello SAL/UER delegates to COP28,

Some important updates:

Discharge call on war: 28th October

We will have a discharge call on war for allies to Muslims in the delegation. The call will be led by Iliria and will be at the usual times as our delegation meeting, which is:

Next delegation meeting

The next delegation meeting will be on November 18, same time as listed above.

Delegation resources

Please go through the delegation resource page for any information you may need. 

Find the updated list of events and event teams here. We will also be having introductory classes in English and Arabic on both weeks. 

The organizing teams came up with a list of outreach ideas for connecting with people and getting them to our events. Please let us know of any additional ideas you may have.

Side event

SAL had applied to hold a side event (platform for admitted observer organizations, which have limited speaking opportunities in the formal negotiations, to engage with Parties and other participants for knowledge sharing, capacity building, networking, and exploring actionable options for meeting the climate challenge) at COP28.

Our application for a side event was merged with many others on a theme we have no special expertise in: Leveraging Carbon Dioxide Removal, Negative Emissions and Renewable Energy Solutions.   (No single applications are accepted, and no other groups agreed to merge their application with ours.)  Below is what we said in our agreement to be merged.  The side event is now confirmed and will be held on Saturday 9th December, 6:30 - 8 pm. We will have more details soon.

Love,

Your leaders and organizers

October 7

Hello SAL/UER delegates to COP28,

COLOR CODED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

You can find the current schedule of events and what you are leading and organizing here.  Please keep checking as things change every time we get another badge.  Hoorah, more badges!

INTRODUCTORY CLASSES

We would like to offer at least one class (Introduction to the Tools of SAL) each week.  

This is the group of people with a badge for the first week:  Janet, Onii, Urbain, Barbara, Sara, Anas, Chioma, Leonard, Johanne. 

Would one of you lead an hour-long intro class during the first week (one in English and someone else lead one in Arabic)?  We think the first class(es) should probably be on Wednesday, so we will have been there for a few days.  It could be in English, interpreted into Arabic from 11:30am - 12:30pm.  Or one could be at that hour and the other after the forum.  

This is the group of people with a badge for the second week: Amal, Iman, Iliria, Rob, Azi, Nazish, Laila, Saliha, Johanna

Iman will lead a class in Arabic. (Thank you Iman.)  Would someone else lead a class in English?  We haven’t decided which days the classes will be, but maybe it is best if they are not on our last day, since we plan a reception that night.  So how about on Friday and/or Saturday?

Please think about doing this and contact Diane if you will volunteer.

RECEPTION

We plan to hold an informal reception in our meeting space on the evening of the last day.  These are the people who have badges at that time and who will need to plan on helping out with the reception.  Amal, Iman, Iliria, Rob, Nazish, Laila, Saliha, Johanna.

Do any of you like parties?  Would you like to be on the planning committee?  We will arrange catering of some kind through the Blue Zone services.  There will be a short talk or two, and then lots of time to hang out and informally talk.  And let’s have a game or two!  What else would you like?

PRACTICE OF EVENT BEFORE ARRIVING IN DUBAI

We’d like every person in every event to have a time to practice the individual talks you will give, and then also do a practice of the whole event before arriving in Dubai.  (It’s also good to figure out in advance when the listening exchange should be, is there time for a game and when, what do we say in the announcements, and so on.)  We plan to have a little time to do that in Dubai, but there are so many uncertainties that we want each team to schedule a “practice session” before November 25.  Can you meet with your group, choose a date, and put it on the checklist here.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N_Uw4j7tU_xma5bovljiJ2jggNHiXpb4v70BV0AP0Mo/edit#gid=0

All delegates are invited to all of the practice sessions, and we encourage each team to invite supportive Co-Counselors to attend the practice.  Two are scheduled so far:

  • Eliminating the Effects of Racism on Our Activism, Thursday, October 26–1 pm NYC, 6 pm Lagos, 8 pm Kenya/Egypt
  • Colonization & Racism in Africa: Relevance to the Climate Emergency. Sunday, November 12–12 pm NYC, 5 pm Lagos, 7 pm Kenya/Egypt

Thank you for reading to the end.

Love,
Your leaders and organizers

 

Bonjour aux délégués SAL/UER à la COP28,

CALENDRIER DES ÉVÉNEMENTS AVEC CODE COULEUR

Vous pouvez trouver le programme actuel des événements et ce que vous dirigez et organisez ici.  Merci de vérifier régulièrement car les choses changent à chaque fois que nous recevons un nouveau badge.  Hourra, plus de badges !


COURS D'INTRODUCTION

Nous aimerions offrir au moins un cours (Introduction aux outils du SAL) chaque semaine.  

Voici le groupe de personnes ayant un badge pour la première semaine :  Janet, Onii, Urbain, Barbara, Sara, Anas, Chioma, Leonard, Johanne. 

L'un d'entre vous pourrait-il animer un cours d'introduction d'une heure pendant la première semaine (un cours en anglais et un cours en arabe) ?  Nous pensons que le(s) premier(s) cours devrait(ent) avoir lieu le mercredi, afin que nous soyons sur place depuis quelques jours.  Il pourrait se dérouler en anglais et être interprété en arabe de 11h30 à 12h30.  Ou bien un cours pourrait avoir lieu à cette heure-là et l'autre après le forum.  

Voici le groupe de personnes ayant un badge pour la deuxième semaine : Amal, Iman, Iliria, Rob, Azi, Nazish, Laila, Saliha, Johanna.

Iman animera un cours d'arabe. (Merci Iman.) Quelqu'un d'autre pourrait-il animer un cours en anglais ?  Nous n'avons pas encore décidé quels jours les cours auront lieu, mais il serait peut-être préférable qu'ils n'aient pas lieu le dernier jour, car nous prévoyons une réception ce soir-là.  Pourquoi pas le vendredi et/ou le samedi ?

Pensez-y et contactez Diane si vous voulez vous porter volontaire.

RÉCEPTION

Nous prévoyons d'organiser une réception informelle dans notre espace de réunion le soir du dernier jour.  Voici les personnes qui ont un badge à ce moment-là et qui devront prévoir d'aider à la réception.  Amal, Iman, Iliria, Rob, Nazish, Laila, Saliha, Johanna.

L'un d'entre vous aime-t-il les fêtes ?  Aimeriez-vous faire partie du comité d'organisation ?  Nous organiserons un service de restauration par l'intermédiaire des services de la zone bleue.  Il y aura une ou deux brèves conférences, puis beaucoup de temps pour traîner et discuter de manière informelle.  Et nous organiserons un ou deux jeux !  Qu'est-ce que vous aimeriez d'autre ?

PRATIQUE DE L'ÉVÉNEMENT AVANT L'ARRIVÉE À DUBAI

Nous aimerions que chaque personne participant à chaque événement ait le temps de s'entraîner aux différentes interventions qu'elle fera, puis de s'entraîner à l'ensemble de l'événement avant d'arriver à Dubaï.  (Il est également utile de déterminer à l'avance le moment de l'échange d'écoute, s'il y a du temps pour un jeu et à quel moment, ce que nous devons dire dans les annonces, etc.)  Nous prévoyons d'avoir un peu de temps pour le faire à Dubaï, mais il y a tellement d'incertitudes que nous voulons que chaque équipe planifie une "session d'entraînement" avant le 25 novembre.  Pouvez-vous vous réunir avec votre groupe, choisir une date et l'inscrire sur la liste de contrôle ici. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1N_Uw4j7tU_xma5bovljiJ2jggNHiXpb4v70BV0AP0Mo/edit#gid=0

Tous les délégués sont invités à toutes les séances d'entraînement, et nous encourageons chaque équipe à inviter les co-conseillers qui la soutiennent à assister à l'entraînement.  Deux sessions sont prévues à ce jour :

* Éliminer les effets du racisme sur notre activisme, jeudi 26 octobre - 13 heures à New York, 18 heures à Lagos, 20 heures au Kenya et en Égypte.
* Colonisation et racisme en Afrique : La colonisation et le racisme en Afrique : pertinence pour l'urgence climatique. Dimanche 12 novembre 12h00 à New York, 17h00 à Lagos, 19h00 au Kenya/Egypte.

Merci d'avoir lu jusqu'à la fin.

Je vous embrasse,
Vos responsables et organisateurs

September 17

So great we are starting to get the visas, keep going!  Tommy is now working on flights.  We want everyone who can to arrive on Sunday, December 2nd and rest that day.  We will have our delegation workshop on Sunday, December 3rd, and then our first event will be Monday, December 4. The last night we are in the hotel is December 10.

We'll get a revised schedule out to everyone in better form shortly.  Thank you all!  Love, Diane

September 15

Teresa Enrico
Hello everyone.  Here is the information from the hotel you may need for your VISA application.

Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments
Dubai Media City |
P.O.Box 502222 | Dubai, UAE
Dubai, UAE

T: 04 399 6666 | D: 04 381 8045 | M: +971 58 826 8247 

Emirate: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Area: Media City
Street: none
Building/Villa: Two Seasons Hotel and Apartments
Floor: n/a (the hotel has 40 floors hotel/apartment rooms)
Flat/Villa: Will be given upon check-in as this is subject to availability. We will not be able to confirm room numbers prior to arrival.
Landmark: DU Headquarter or Dubai Internet Metro Station
Makani no. 1571677566

September 11

Hello everyone, so sorry to see how the destruction and loss of life in Morocco keeps increasing.  

Thanks to many of you for confirming that you want to be with SAL in Dubai even with the situation of limited badges for the Blue Zone.  Some of you have not yet replied, please do so today.

Only a couple people replied that you could come early.  We need to know now if you can arrive in Dubai on December 2 so we can be ready to begin on December 4.  Please reply to me personally, not the whole list.  If you already told me, I don't need to hear from you again. Thank you.  

Love,

Diane

 

August 28

Dear COP28 delegation,

SAL got 6 accreditation badges each week to access the Blue Zone.

 

Based on visa application needs and the order of our events in the Blue Zone, the 12 badges were assigned as follows:

Week 1: Janet, Onii, Urbain, Saliha, Sarah, Amal

Week 2:  Anas, Onii, Iliria, Rob, Azi, Nazish

For those of us on this list, please check your email for a UN acknowledgement letter. Confirm all your details on the letter are correct and follow these instructions on visa application from the COP28 website. Please let us know immediately if any corrections are needed on your letter. 

It would be very good if we could get more badges.  If you have a contact in a UNFCCC NGO (listed here) please inquire whether they have any extra badges for either week that they could give to SAL.

For the rest of the delegation who do not have badges, we will apply for daily badges to ensure that as many of us as possible have access to the Blue Zone during the events we are leading and organizing. The daily badge allows us to share the allocated badges to bring in delegates on specific dates.  However, in 2022 NGOs were limited to making 5 requests for daily badges.  It will be quite a puzzle to figure out.  It is certain that we will have to shift people from one team to another depending on which days they have a badge to enter the Blue Zone.  Thus, if at all possible, we need to secure other badges.  

Thank you and in case of any questions please email us.

With love,

Nazish and Diane


August 25

Dear COP28 delegation,

 

Possible collaboration at COP28:

A couple weeks ago, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP)’s Faith for Earth Coalition contacted us to talk about possibly collaborating at COP28.  From their letter we could tell that they knew quite a bit about us, and they were interested in our work.

This week we had a meeting with some of their representatives. They plan to have Faith-based Engagement at their COP28 Blue Zone pavilion. They will be offering events to increase visibility for environmental advocacy work by Faith-based organizations and other spiritual and religious actors, particularly those on the frontlines of the climate crisis and how this work contributes to the goals of the Paris Agreement.

We talked a lot about what we do and they were very affirming, and especially interested in the idea of having listening exchanges between speakers in a panel and listening circles after events.  If they do end up deciding to collaborate with SAL, they will probably invite us to offer listening circles at their events.  This may involve the whole delegation depending on the number of  participants at the events. (We suggested the listening circles each be 6 people.)  We will update you as soon as we get more information.

Confirmation of our space in the Blue Zone

We have confirmed our space in the Blue Zone.  It is 25 square meters, has 2 walls that we can put our posters on, one glass wall (we are just next to the entrance), and one open wall.  It is in the Opportunity Petal of the Blue Zone, in a space they are calling the “Thematic Arena.”  They have limited choices of furnishings, but it will include stackable chairs, a “reception desk,” a lockable counter, 2 live plants, and one or two small round tables.  It is on the ground floor, other pavilions will be around us and on the 1st floor.  We are close to the food area and a networking area.  

We plan to use the same posters we used at COP27, and we will send you a proposal for how we will arrange them on the walls soon.  

Plane tickets

We plan to begin purchasing plane tickets now for people from countries where there are not tight restrictions on visa issuance.  If you can let Tommy Atz tommyatz@rc.org know the following, he will get a ticket for you.  

Name as it appears on your passport and copy of your passport (if you have already given it to us, we have it)

Date of Birth

Date Passport expires

Airport you will fly out of and return to

Date you wish to depart your city and arrive in Dubai

Date you wish to depart Dubai and arrive in your city

We have a hotel booking for you beginning the afternoon of December 3 in the Two Seasons Hotel in Dubai.  Your last paid night in our hotel is December 10.  Diane will arrive early to receive our space in the Blue Zone and prepare things for our arrival.  Onii and Urbain will join her on the 2nd.

Tommy will ask you to confirm the itinerary before we purchase it.  We will need a quick response from you at that point. If you are purchasing your own ticket, and you want us to reimburse you, we would like you to give the itinerary for your ticket (including price) to Tommy so we can be sure that our travel agent cannot find a cheaper one.  

If you are spending extra days for tourism before or after the COP, those expenses are yours to arrange and pay for.  

Next delegation meeting:

The next all delegation meeting will be on September 2nd. 

With love,

Nazish and Diane

 

July 21

Dear COP28 delegate,

Hello. Here are a few reminders as we continue  to prepare for COP28:

  1. How is your application for a visa proceeding?  (People from Europe and the U.S. don’t seem to need to apply yet, but everyone else should be in the application process.)  See the discussion on the COP28 Signal thread.
  2. Please remember to start meeting in your Constituency groups.  If your leader has not scheduled a meeting, will you take the initiative to contact them and offer to organize the meeting for them?
  3. The filled in Media form for your COP28 event is due on August 1. Please copy the blank form from here and send the filled out event form to sal@rc.org.
  4. For more detailed delegation information, click here to access the delegation page.
  5. The next  delegation meeting will be on Sunday August 6.

With love,

Nazish and Diane

 

June 30

Dear COP28 Delegate,

Hello.  We are looking forward to being together with all of you in Dubai in early December and at the all delegation meeting this Sunday from 9 - 10:30 am PDT, 12 - 1:30 EDT, 5 - 5:30 pm London/Lagos, 7 - 8:30 pm Cairo/Nairobi.  

VISA APPLICATION PROCESS

We ask that everyone begin the visa application process by July 15. It may be quite burdensome and lengthy for some of us, so let’s get started soon.  Teresa can provide you with visa support documents signed by Sustaining All Life and the Re-evaluation Foundation; let her know what you need.  

The list of embassies and their contact information is here

FUTURE ALL DELEGATION MEETINGS



We will have monthly All Delegation meetings between now and then.  At these meetings we will  talk about the logistics of our program there and work on some of the key issues we face as we work to end the climate emergency.

Please check the dates and times below for proposed All Delegation Meetings and let us know whether they work for you by emailing Urbain at <urbainbamana@yahoo.com> or sending him a personal Signal message. 

August 6th 9:30 am PDT
Sept. 2nd 9:30 am PDT
Please meet in your teams between September 2 and October 14 since there is a long gap because of NYC Climate Week 
Oct.  14th 9:30 am PDT
Nov. 18th 9:30 am PDT 

PASSWORD 

The password for all protected documents is uae2023.  

PROPOSED AGENDA FOR ALL DELEGATION MEETING

We will rent a space in the Blue or Green Zone to hold our events, have a table with materials and a video screen.  We do not yet know whether we will be in the Blue or Green Zone.  

Here is the proposed agenda for the delegation meeting on 2nd July 2023:

1. COP28 Events: Please look at the lineup of events for COP28 here and your event. Do you see any reason why the schedule is unworkable for you or for the group?  Contact MaryRuth if so.  
2. Our delegation webpage of resources is here.  We are still building it, but please start reading the documents.  
3. Checklist: event leaders and lead organizers, please go through this checklist for information on planning and organizing events, and check items off as you have completed them. 
4. Jobs: Please check through this list for jobs assigned to you and let us know at the meeting if you have any questions or feedback.
5. Leaders, please start working on the social media form for your event–finalizing the title and short and long descriptions especially.  
6. We would like constituency groups to start meeting soon as support groups.  
African heritage—Barbara, African—Onii, Urbain, SCW Asian—Azi K, Indigenous—Iliria U, Men—Urbain, Muslim–Azi, USers–Diane, White—Diane, Women—Saliha

We are looking forward to seeing you Sunday.  

With love,
Nazish and Diane

 

June 22

Dear COP28 Delegate,
Hello. Please take a look at the in person Job list here and let us know if you have any questions or feedback. 

Reminder: We will have a delegation meeting on 2nd July 2023 for one and a half hours.
 Meeting time: 9 AM PDT,  New York: 12.00PM, Morocco: 5.00PM.

The dates of the next set of delegation meetings and events are listed on this timeline document.  

With love and appreciation,
Your SAL leaders and organizers

Last modified: 2023-11-27 19:59:28+00