A senior United Nations official has praised a UK charity for enlisting young people in the fight against climate change.

Dr Iyad Abumoghli, director of Faith for Earth, which is part of UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme), sent a personal video message to a young people’s workshop that was organised by Islamic Help in Birmingham.

The one-day event, Young Khalifahs of the Earth, was designed as a campaigning and advocacy training workshop to promote education about climate change and emphasis our duty of care as Khalifahs (stewards) of the planet.

It was featured in a UN newsletter and Dr Abumoghli said it contributed to empowering young people to be aware of environmental challenges and how they could approach solutions based on their faith teachings.

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Faith for Earth aims to engage faith-based organisations and faith leaders on environmental issues by using the teachings of religions and science. In his video message, Dr Abumoghli told the workshop, “We do need to hear your voices, we need to see your actions. Do not just agree to go with the flow.

“We need to have a fourth revolution, not based on technology only but based on behavioural change. This is the essence of going back to our own values and principles, the values of faith and religions. We do need to institute that in our daily behaviours.”

“I would like to call upon you to learn but also to provide your feedback, to provide your ideas, to go out there & advocate for a better environment, a better future and let’s together work on solving our environmental issues.”

An Islamic Help spokesman said, “We’re delighted that initiatives like these are receiving recognition at the highest levels. Young people are coming to the table with ideas and innovative thinking, and they’ve taken to the forefront in helping protect our planet and its future.”