The primary objective of the monumental policy of the European Green Deal is to make our planet more sustainable: it can be achieved if we redesign our role within the planet’s ecosystem and the conditions needed to shape a society where people and nature thrive, enjoying fair access to resources and social and ecological justice. In a nutshell, a radical change in both mentality and actions is necessary and will only be possible through a comprehensive dialogue capable of involving all constituent elements of the society, including faith communities.
In this sense, faith can give purpose to human actions, allowing us to understand our world in a deeper and more profound way and to take care of our Common Home. The Interfaith Youth Convention on the European Green Deal played a role in this sense, providing young people of faith with an opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions on the European Green Deal. The initiative involved over 100 young Europeans aged 18 to 35, delegated by several faith-based organisations active at the European level and representing the Bahá’í, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish and Muslim confessions, and took place between 1 October and 25 November 2021.
It included a series of webinars where participants formulated proposals on the European Green Deal vis à vis five thematic areas considered as priorities for young people: housing and energy, mobility and transport, agriculture and food, production and consumption, education, ecology and skills. In a second webinar, participants had the opportunity to share their views with the VP of the European Commission and Commissioner for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans.
The final comprehensive report sets out the 21 proposals – concerning 5 thematic areas: Housing & Energy, Food & Agriculture, Production & Consumption, Mobility & Transport, Education & Skills – that were developed by the participants in the Convention so that they can be shared with a wider audience. The proposals and this report are a reflection of the commitment of young people of faith to a shared European project, the care for our Common Home, and their aspiration for the future of the European Union and its role in the world.
“The participants stand ready to support and contribute towards the realisation of these changes in their professional and personal capacities,” the Report states. “This commitment by young people to be catalysts of change is nourished by their faiths and the proposals that follow reflect their shared vision.”
Final Report of the Interfaith Youth Convention on the Europea Green Deal
