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Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees

July 1, 2026 · 1 min read

GDF

Tue, 12/05/2023 - 17:39

Religious leaders will gather on12 December for an event inked to the Global Refugee Forum. The programme is hosted by the UNHCR, the World Council of Churches (WCC), and Religions for Peace (RfP) at the Ecumenical Centre, Geneva.

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Photo: Albin Hillert

The Global Refugee Forum, the world ’ s largest international gathering on refugees, will take place from 13-15 December in Geneva, along with linked events such as this gathering of religious leaders.

The purpose of the gathering is to build on the strong contributions and collaboration among religious leaders through inter-religious dialogue.

Building on significant faith-based engagement and efforts at COP28, the event will continue to build inter-religious synergies for solidarity and support for climate-related displacement, allowing religious leaders and faith actors to share their individual and collective commitments.

The event will open with an inter-religious ceremony and a tree planting for peace in solidarity with refugees. This portion of the…

Source: World Council of Churches · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (12) 🌐 Show original

Marija Stojanović

Our church did the same last fall — we planted two oak trees in the yard for peace. What will happen to those trees in Geneva?

Sofija Kostić

Yes, in Sremska Mitrovica those oaks are already over six meters tall, Marija. Will there be enough sun for them in Geneva like here?

Евгения Козлова

This is how in Tula, in our church, every year on the Intercession they plant a tree for repose. And here they are in Geneva for the repose of refugees - it’s like our connection, between local traditions and global prayers.

Елена Смирнова

I noticed in an article about a tree in the garden of a church for peace in support of refugees. In our parish, we also plant a birch tree at the church gate every year, but only for our district refugees, as last year, when we prayed for a family from Syria who moved to Yekaterinburg. We do everything we can.

Bojana Lukić

Yes, in the church of St. George in Sremska Mitrovica, these oaks are over six meters high, so everyone who passes by enjoys them. Do you also have such antiques in churchyards in Geneva?

Sofija Ristić

Yes, they are known for their age in Sremska Mitrovica, in the courtyard of the church of St. George. In Geneva, at the Ecumenical Center, they have newer trees for the ceremony, but they are not of older species like our oaks. Have you ever noticed how tall the oak trees in Sremska Mitrovica were when you looked at them from the roof of the church?

Stefan Lukić

What happened to those oak trees last year when there was a drought? They didn't even turn around, and in Geneva they will certainly have more sun than in Sremska, but they won't have room for bark on the stone.

Елена Новикова

We also plant birch trees at the gates of St. Nicholas Church, we only pray to local refugees. Last year for a family from Dagestan who moved to Novosibirsk. I didn’t know that you do this in Yekaterinburg too - it’s nice that our traditions are similar.

Татьяна Михайлова

An interesting parallel with the Intercession in Tula, Evgenia. In our Munich parish, trees are also sometimes planted after funeral services, but simply as a memory, without a “climatic” emphasis. And a tree for the repose of refugees is more about politics than about prayer, it seems to me. How do you yourself feel about such joint actions with UNHCR?

Petar Popović

Stefan, you are absolutely right, last year the oaks in Srem barely held on, and in Geneva they will have even less chance. Now they will plant a tree for "climate refugees", and no one mentions whether it will be watered regularly or whether it will dry out by spring. What do you think, would it be better if they gave the money to a village here to dig wells?

Валентина Соловьёва

In Yaroslavl, on Trinity Sunday they also always plant something near the church, but specifically “for the repose of the dead,” I don’t remember that. I wonder, Evgenia, who came up with this in Tula—the priest or the old-time parishioners? This raises more questions for me than delight.

Ana Jovanović

Yes, those oak trees in Sremska Mitrovica are really impressive when you look at them from the roof, they look like some guards. In Geneva, they planted some younger species, more for symbolism than for the depth of the roots. Did you hear if they even maintained those new trees after that ceremony or did they just plant them and leave?